Indy NXT star Sophia Floersch sends strong message after unsatisfactory first test with HMD Motorsports

Indy NXT driver Sophia Floersch expressed her feelings after an impressive but dissatisfying two-day test at Sebring International Raceway on January 15-16.

The German driver joined HMD Motorsports in December 2024 to make her debut in American open-wheel racing in 2025. In the two years preceding that, Floersch competed in the FIA F3 championship - in 2023 with PHM Racing and in 2024 with Van Amersfoort Racing. In the former, she created history at Belgium's Spa de Francorchamps by becoming the first woman to score points in F3. In February 2023, she signed with the Alpine Academy.

Floersch competed in the European Le Mans series from 2020 to 2022, scoring two podiums - a P3 in Portimao in 2021 and a P2 in France's Circuit Paul Ricard in 2023. Her first pre-contract test with HMD Motorsports was in November 2024 at Barber Motorsports Park.

In the first official Indy NXT test at Sebring this month, Floersch finished 6th-fastest overall and 5th-fastest among full-time drivers. However, she wasn't satisfied with the headlines calling her performance 'impressive'.

""𝐀𝐧 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 5𝐭𝐡 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭..."- True, but I want more! 🏎️ I've never been satisfied with anything and I have a very clear goal: right to the top! 💪 Yes, the first test was really good, successful and great fun with the team in Florida. But now it's 5 weeks full focus on the start (finally!!) and then on a hopefully successful season. 😍 5th place means - there are still a few guys to overtake! 😉 See you at the finish line! 🏁 🏎️ ," the 24-year-old wrote in a LinkedIn post.

Sophia Floersch was just under half a second behind table-topper Dennis Hauger of Andretti Global. She emerged as the quickest HMD Motorsports driver, also beating her 2024 Rookie of the Year teammate Caio Collet.

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Sophia Floersch finds the sweet spot with 'cool' Indy NXT cars

Formula 3 Championship - Round 6 Spielberg - Sprint Race - Source: Getty

Since driving her first kart at age 4 through to her final F3 season in 2024, Sophia Floersch spent her entire junior racing career in European series. The 2025 Indy NXT opportunity with HMD Motorsports will be her first time competing in an American open-wheel car.

The two tests at Barber and Sebring have helped her get the first taste of the Dallara IL-15, the spec Indy NXT car. After the Sebring test, Floersch revealed feeling quite comfortable with her No. 24 car.

"The car is sick, especially the turbo – it's really cool. This car with those tires, with the Firestones, they really make it easier to adapt than another championships because you can do mistakes and can really try and find the limits. So, that's something I really, really like," she said via IndyCar.

"And then the car is just really cool to drive. There's no other way to say it. It has a lot of power. It gives you the confidence to push. You can get a feeling for the car and go on that limit a little bit more. It's kind of why you started racing so many years ago, because it's pure racing, and that's nice."

Sophia Floersch will get her first taste of the Indy NXT challenge at the season opener at St. Petersburg on March 2. Racing in IndyCar after a successful Indy NXT season is her next goal.