The INDY NXT Series has proven to be a good nurturing ground for female race car drivers. Jamie Chadwick was the one who initiated this trend after winning the first INDY NXT race at Road America for the first time since Pippa Mann in 2010. Well, her triumph caught the attention of NASCAR star Hailie Deegan, who announced that she will race full-time with HMD Motorsports in 2025. But this wasn’t the only big announcement HMD had in store, as they have now revealed a new face to partner Deegan for the 2025 season.

24-year-old German driver Sophia Floersch has now joined HMD Motorsports. This new addition will see HMD field a total of seven full-time entries for the 14-race schedule in the Indy NXT for 2025. Now Floersch has been competing in the FIA Formula 3 championship but is now eyeing a breakthrough at the IndyCar level.

Sophia Floersch is excited to compete against the best racers in America

Just like Deegan, Floersch comes from a diverse racing background. Advancing through the European racing ladder, she honed her skills in the Formula 3 series since her debut in 2020 and then returned in the 2023 and 2024 seasons. Her racing accolades also include her stint at the European LeMans in the LMP2 class, which she converted into two podium finishes in 2021.

The Indy NXT Series has become a favored hunting ground for female racers recently. After a decade-long gap since Pippa Mann, three women have competed in the past two seasons. Floersch will become the fifth woman racer in the series’ recent history, just like her rookie HMD Motorsports teammate Hailie Deegan. Moving from one continent to another is a task in itself, let alone racing, but the German driver is excited to embark on this journey.

“I’m excited about joining HMD Motorsports and coming to the United States to race in the INDY NXT by Firestone Series. My aspiration has always been to race with the best of the best. From the beginning of my career, I’ve worked very hard with my team daily towards that goal. I’ve raced in different categories in most of the racing markets in the world. It was only natural for us to try the US now, as it is the biggest racing market worldwide.” Floersch said via HMD Motorsports.

Now, in theory, this looks like HMD bolstering up its driver line-up for the 2025 season. However, this addition could be another challenge that former NASCAR driver Hailie Deegan will have to clear in her debut run. This test session comparison between the two drivers further adds the competitive layer between the two female drivers for next year.

Here’s how Hailie Deegan and Sophia Floersch performed on their test runs

In October, for the first time, Deegan got the first full experience of what to expect from her open-wheel debut next year. She was part of a test-drive session that featured 22 racers at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. However, this session proved to be a tough grind for the former AM Racing driver as she struggled to keep up with the rest of the field.

Deegan was dead last on the speed list, and the rest of the drivers were in a different league altogether. She ran at a top speed of 111.280 mph in a 67-lap session across the 2.439-mile course. Her teammate Tommy Smith ranked 21st on the speed list at 114.434; this was more than three miles per hour faster than Deegan. On the other hand, Sophia Floresch improved throughout her test session at one of the most challenging racing circuits.

The German driver took part in a team test at Barber Motorsports Park; it was her first time piloting the Dallara IL-15 on one of the most physically demanding tracks. She notched 92 laps and improved her lap time throughout the session. Going by her initial reactions to this announcement, Floersch is eager to hit the gas and have an instant impact at the IndyCar NXT Series next year.

“Also, the United States is more open to embracing a female racer, so this makes me very excited and optimistic about the things to come. You can feel the real racer energy inside HMD Motorsports. I can hardly wait and will be very happy when it starts in March in St. Pete,” she explained further. It’s fair to say that Deegan will have to level up to keep up with the competition, which includes her teammates and other team rivals.