Juan Manuel Correa Bio
Juan Manuel “J.M.” Correa Borja, born on August 9, 1999, in Quito, Ecuador, is an Ecuadorian and American racing driver known for his resilience both on and off the track. He currently competes in Indy NXT and is widely recognized for his comeback to professional racing after sustaining critical leg injuries in a serious Formula 2 accident. Beyond single-seater racing, Correa has also built a reputation as a silver-ranked endurance driver in the LMP2 category, highlighted by a European Le Mans Series race win.
Early Life and Background
Juan Manuel Correa Borja was born in Quito, Ecuador, on August 9, 1999, and holds dual Ecuadorian and American nationality. He comes from a notable family background as the grandson of former President of Ecuador Rodrigo Borja Cevallos. This family heritage gave Correa a public profile from a young age and connected him to one of Ecuador’s most prominent political families.
Correa began karting professionally in 2008 at a young age and quickly found success in junior categories. In 2013, he captured the Rotax Max Challenge Junior Championship, establishing himself as one of the top young karting talents across Ecuador and the United States. His performances in karting eventually attracted the attention of the Lotus F1 junior program during the team’s final years in Formula One.
Path to NASCAR
Note: The driver profiled here, Juan Manuel Correa, competes in open-wheel and endurance categories including Indy NXT, Formula 2, and the European Le Mans Series, and does not currently race in NASCAR national series. The Path to NASCAR section is therefore omitted due to the absence of verifiable NASCAR-related career steps.
Juan Manuel Correa Career
Early Career (2016–2018)
Correa made his single-seater debut in 2016 with Prema Powerteam, contesting both the ADAC Formula 4 and Italian F4 championships. He recorded three wins across the two series and finished sixth in Italian F4 and tenth in ADAC F4, signaling strong early form. The following year, he continued to develop in ADAC F4 with the same team.
In August 2017, Correa debuted in the GP3 Series at Spa-Francorchamps with Jenzer Motorsport. He returned to the series full-time in 2018, scoring 42 points and finishing twelfth in the standings, four positions ahead of his only full-time teammate Tatiana Calderón, despite not visiting the podium.
FIA Formula 2 Championship Breakthrough (2019–2024)
Correa’s first full FIA Formula 2 season came in 2019 with Sauber Junior Team by Charouz, alongside teammate Callum Ilott. He earned his first Formula 2 points at Baku, where he finished second in the Sprint Race, and added another second place at Le Castellet. Those results were his final points of the year before the season-ending accident at Spa-Francorchamps.
On August 31, 2019, Correa was involved in a serious crash with Anthoine Hubert at Spa-Francorchamps. Hubert died from his injuries, while Correa suffered fractures to both legs and a minor spinal injury, registering a peak g-force of 65G. He was placed in an induced coma and required extensive surgery and a long period of rehabilitation.
Correa returned to racing in 2021 in the FIA Formula 3 Championship with ART Grand Prix, finishing twenty-first overall with eleven points. In 2022, he rejoined the FIA Formula 2 Championship with Van Amersfoort Racing at the Yas Marina finale, and ran a full 2023 F2 campaign with the same team, partnering Richard Verschoor. In 2024, he moved to DAMS Lucas Oil, forming an all-American lineup with Jak Crawford before being replaced by Dino Beganovic following the Baku round.
HMD Motorsports Era (2025–Present)
In 2025, Correa joined HMD Motorsports to race selected rounds of the 2025 Indy NXT season, beginning at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. He drives the No. 39 car and has already recorded a podium finish, marking a strong return to American open-wheel competition. He later joined Cusick Morgan Motorsports for his first full Indy NXT campaign in 2026.
Driving Style and Strengths
Correa is known for his calm, methodical race craft and his ability to maximize tire and fuel strategy across long stints. His endurance racing experience in LMP2 has strengthened his consistency and his feedback with race engineers, and he adapts well to a wide variety of chassis from single-seaters to prototype sports cars.
Notable Races and Milestones
His European Le Mans Series victory at Portimão in 2022 with Prema Powerteam stands as one of his most significant wins, helping Prema secure the teams’ championship. He has also recorded Formula 2 podiums at Baku and Le Castellet, and an Indy NXT podium during the 2025 season.
Juan Manuel Correa Career Wins
Correa has won races across multiple international categories, including Formula 4, the European Le Mans Series, and select single-seater events. His victories reflect a career built on versatility, moving between junior single-seaters, Formula 2, and prototype endurance racing.
Indy NXT and Single-Seater Highlights
Correa’s single-seater wins include three victories during his 2016 Formula 4 campaign, with additional strong results in subsequent seasons. In Indy NXT, he has secured at least one podium in 2025 with HMD Motorsports, racing the No. 39 car.
Other Wins and Performances
Correa won the season finale of the 2022 European Le Mans Series at Portimão with Prema Powerteam, helping the team claim the LMP2 teams’ title. He was also announced in 2025 to drive in the IMSA SportsCar Championship with United Autosports in the LMP2 category.
| Series | Wins | Podiums | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Formula 4 (ADAC and Italian) | 3 | Multiple | 2016 season with Prema Powerteam |
| European Le Mans Series (LMP2) | 1 | 1+ | 2022 Portimão finale with Prema |
| Indy NXT | 0 | 1 | 2025 partial season with HMD Motorsports |
Juan Manuel Correa Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Correa is the grandson of Rodrigo Borja Cevallos, a former President of Ecuador, and he is also a descendant of Pope Alexander VI. This high-profile family background placed him in the public eye from a young age, separate from his racing career.
Personal Life
Publicly available information on Correa’s spouse and children is limited. He has dual Ecuadorian and American nationality and continues to build his racing career across open-wheel and endurance categories.
2025 Season Performance
Correa’s 2025 campaign is split between Indy NXT with HMD Motorsports and a new endurance program with United Autosports in the IMSA SportsCar Championship’s LMP2 class. In Indy NXT, he has driven the No. 39 car to at least one podium finish across his selected rounds, demonstrating competitive pace in his first American open-wheel appearances.
His IMSA debut with United Autosports added an important new chapter to his career, allowing him to remain active in endurance racing alongside his Indy NXT commitments. Balancing a dual program reflects his growing reputation as a versatile driver capable of adapting to different cars and racing formats.
Looking ahead, Correa’s momentum in 2025 sets the stage for a full Indy NXT season with Cusick Morgan Motorsports in 2026, where he will look to convert his early podium into consistent race-winning form.
