Williams adds karter Lucas Palacio to its F1 academy driver line-up, as Dennis Hauger moves to INDY NXT from F2 in 2025.
Williams –
Williams Racing today announces up-and-coming karting star Lucas Palacio as the newest and youngest addition to its Driver Academy. The 10-year-old American has been quick to impress in his short career, first taking to the wheel aged just three and winning on his official karting debut in 2020 aged six. Since that first race, Lucas has continued to outperform his peers, entering the Mini Swift category in 2022 with an age waiver and achieving multiple wins and podiums across championships despite being considerably younger than his competitors. Continuing his impressive rise, he won all three Mini Swift National Championships (USPKS, SKUSA Pro Tour and Stars Championship) a year later.
This year he has graduated to international karting, competing in the WSK Super Master Series where he secured a second overall result, followed by the ACI Italian Championship 60 Mini Class where he finished the series fourth out of 69 drivers. As the latest talent to join the Williams Racing Driver Academy, Lucas will receive training and guidance to nurture his skills and support his progression in the junior categories of motorsport.
He joins a growing stable of stars of the future that Williams is investing in through the Williams Racing Driver Academy, building on a proud tradition of giving young talent a path into F1 which has most recently seen Academy product Franco Colapinto graduate to an F1 race seat. The Driver Academy supports drivers on every rung of the motorsport ladder, working with them on and off the track to develop the skills necessary to race at the top level.
It is part of Williams’ commitment to opening up access to motorsport, including the Komatsu-Williams Engineering Academy which was recently launched to discover and develop the brightest and best young engineering talent around the world. We also inspire the next generation through our free-of-charge schools programme, which will this year host 5,000 8 to 15-year-olds at our Grove HQ to introduce them to STEM careers through the lens of motorsport.
Lucas Palacio: “This is a dream come true to be part of the Williams Racing family. I’ve always loved racing since the first time I drove a kart so it’s amazing to be part of this team. Now I can’t wait to get started with James Vowles, Sven Smeets, and everyone at Grove!”
Sven Smeets, Sporting Director, Williams Racing: “We’re very pleased to announce that Lucas has joined the Williams Racing Driver Academy. He’s an exciting young talent that has shown promise in his first few years in karting and has progressed quickly for his age. We’re looking forward to supporting Lucas as he continues to develop throughout his karting career.”
Dennis Hauger –
Andretti Global announced today that Dennis Hauger will join the Andretti INDY NXT lineup for the 2025 INDY NXT by Firestone season piloting the No. 28 Andretti Dallara. Rounding out the team as the final Andretti INDY NXT driver to be confirmed for next season, Hauger will join previously announced teammates Lochie Hughes, Salvador de Alba and James Roe. The 21-year-old Norwegian driver started karting at the age of five, navigating Norway’s national karting ranks over the next decade.
At the age of 10, Hauger expanded his competition and began karting internationally, and by the time he was 12 he signed with kart manufacturer, CRG and competed on their karting team. After collecting numerous podiums and championship titles in his karting years, Hauger made his open-wheel racing debut in 2018 in the F4 British Championship and was named a Red Bull Junior Driver. The next year saw Hauger win the Italian F4 Championship, finish second in the ADAC Formula 4 Championship and run two races in the Euroformula Open Championship.
In 2020, Hauger advanced into the FIA Formula 3 Championship and by 2021, the Norwegian was crowned the Formula 3 Champion. Following his Championship-winning Formula 3 season, Hauger moved up to the FIA Formula 2 Championship in 2022, securing five wins and 13 podiums over the last three seasons. Hauger served as a Red Bull Junior Driver for six years and was named a Red Bull Reserve Driver for the 2022 and 2023 FIA Formula One World Championship season.
In what will be his first time driving on an American track, Hauger makes his on-track debut as an Andretti INDY NXT driver at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course at today’s Chris Griffis Memorial Test.
J-F THORMANN, PRESIDENT, ANDRETTI GLOBAL: “Dennis is a driver who has been on our radar for some time, and we’re excited to see him make the jump into American open-wheel racing. He’s no stranger to performing in highly competitive development series, so I can’t think of a better next step for him than to join the INDY NXT grid. We think he’s going to be the perfect addition to round out our 2025 INDY NXT driver lineup, and we’re proud to be a part of his INDY NXT debut.”
DENNIS HAUGER, DRIVER, ANDRETTI INDY NXT: “I’m really grateful for the opportunity to race with Andretti Global. I’m looking forward to starting things up with the team and getting to know everyone. We’re already getting down to work before the season starts with testing, and I’m excited to go out there in an INDY NXT car and get that experience. I can’t wait for the 2025 season – I hope it’s a great one.”
[Note: The story is as per press release]