Indy NXT driver Myles Rowe names Josef Newgarden and Ferrari's F1 duo among his biggest inspirations

Recently, in the IndyCar and F1 worlds, Josef Newgarden and the Ferrari F1 pair Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc have been making the headlines. While both are in the news for different reasons, Indy NXT driver Myles Rowe revealed how these three, along with an array of other drivers are his biggest insiprations.

Newgarden is a two-time IndyCar champion, who is looking to complete a three-peat by winning the Indy 500. He has also soared in popularity due to his recent promo with FOX Sports that left the IndyCar world amazed.

On the other hand, Lewis Hamilton is a seven-time F1 champion and is one of the greatest drivers in the sport's history. He has switched to racing for Ferrari with Charles Leclerc as his teammate, after 12 years of driving for Mercedes. The Monegasgue driver has 8 wins in 147 starts.

Subsequently, when Rowe was asked about his inspiration in the racing world, he named the following drivers (via Foxxtecca):

"I have favorite drivers from everywhere. I mean when I was growing up, Will Power, Josef Newgarden [and] Hélio Castroneves, those were my favorite IndyCar drivers. In Formula 1, it was Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso... Right now, I mean, I really like Charles Leclerc in Formula 1." (4:20 onwards)

Newgarden finished last year's championship eighth in the standings, his lowest since 2014. However, he was able to win the premier race of the series, the Indy 500 with a daring last-lap pass to bag in his second win on the circuit in succession.

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Josef Newgarden would love to complete a three-peat at the Indianapolis 500

Josef Newgarden at the Borg Warner Trophy Ceremony - Source: Getty

Despite the setback from the 2024 season, all eyes are on Josef Newgarden. He became the first repeat winner of the Indy 500 in 22 years and is aware of the possibility of etching his name in the sport's history. He said (via Autoweek):

"This year, we will definitely have the target, and I think at Indy, no one's going to want to see us win again. You know, who wants to see us win three times in a row? I would love it. You know, our team, we're going to be going for it, and it's a good position to be in. If we've got a target on our backs, then we're doing something right."

On the other hand, there is still a long way to go for the race in Indianapolis. The season would start in St. Petersburg on March 2, while the Indy 500 would be the fifth race on the calendar, scheduled to take place on May 25.