James Roe, the Irish racing driver, has set his sights firmly on an IndyCar career following a significant test session last October. Roe, who has competed in the Indy NXT series since 2023 with Andretti Autosport, completed his first official IndyCar test at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, driving for Juncos Hollinger Racing (JHR). His successful trial represents an important milestone in his career as he prepares for future challenges in American open-wheel racing. The James Roe IndyCar test highlighted his readiness and determination to advance to the top tier of the sport.
A Promising Performance at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
During his October test, Roe impressed by completing a race-distance equivalent number of laps on the Indianapolis Road Course, posting a lap time of 1:11.600. This was less than seven-tenths of a second off the fastest lap set by Mick Schumacher, underscoring Roe’s competitiveness. He described the day as fulfilling a long-held ambition that began when he arrived in the United States in 2018 with hopes of one day competing in IndyCar.
“I always dreamed of driving an IndyCar and came to America in 2018 with a dream of getting to IndyCar. It was a big deal to get that [test] and then to have it in Indianapolis Motor Speedway, of all places, was even better again.”
— James Roe, Racing Driver
Roe noted the physical demands were manageable and his pace was encouraging throughout the session. He is eager to return behind the wheel of an IndyCar as soon as possible.
“We had a great day. Did over race distance worth of laps in the course of the day and was physically fine and pace was pretty strong. So all in all, we were happy with how it went. Itching to get back in one now.”
— James Roe, Racing Driver
Ambitions and Plans Toward a Full-Time IndyCar Career
With the test behind him, Roe’s focus has turned to making a full-time IndyCar seat his reality, aiming for the 2027 season. Though offers for this year did not develop, he remains steadfast in his goal.
“IndyCar is where I want to be. Full-time IndyCar is the goal and the dream.”
— James Roe, Racing Driver
His preparation for that leap includes a strategic return to the Indy NXT championship in 2026, this time with Chip Ganassi Racing after three years with Andretti Autosport. Roe acknowledges that this next step will demand exceptional performance to climb to the top of an intensely competitive field.
“There’s no doubt about it that it won’t be a walk in the park. Indy NXT is a very, very competitive championship,”
Roe said, recognizing the challenge ahead but expressing confidence in the resources and expertise available at Ganassi.
“But that’s not saying it’s going to be easy. The goal and the expectation from everyone involved is that we’re at the front and we’re fighting at the pointy end of the grid week in, week out.”
— James Roe, Racing Driver
Utilizing Sportscar Racing to Build Experience and Endurance
Alongside his aspiring IndyCar ambitions, Roe has been actively competing in sportscar racing series including IMSA and the Asian Le Mans Series (AsLMS). He views these endurance events as essential preparation for the unique demands of IndyCar racing, which lacks longer stints and strategic race elements such as pit stops and tire management during Indy NXT events.
“The reason for doing it, believe it or not, is to get long-distance racing under our belt. If you come up the road to Indy, you only ever do a maximum of 50 minutes at a time in a car,”
Roe explained.
“There’s no pit stops, no strategy, no fuel saving and no options on tyres. If you don’t do sports car racing alongside Indy NXT, you arrive in IndyCar without ever doing pit stops, without ever being in the car for more than 50 minutes. So there’s method behind the madness.”
— James Roe, Racing Driver
Challenges and Highlights from Recent Sportscar Races
Roe’s recent involvement in sportscar endurance racing began vividly at the Daytona International Speedway, driving the No. 80 Lone Star Mercedes alongside teammates Scott Andrews, Lin Hodenius, and Ralf Aron. Despite a strong pace, a safety car incident with 90 minutes remaining caused timing system failures, leaving the team unaware of their position, temporarily dropping them to last in their GTD class on the lead lap before recovering to finish sixth.
“Did we have the pace to win it? I don’t think outright at the end, but could we have been on the podium? Absolutely.”
— James Roe, Racing Driver
Roe emphasized a clean and incident-free race at Daytona as a critical achievement, highlighting flawless execution from both drivers and pit crew amid the high stakes.
“But that’s race. To win it, everything needs to come together. There’s so much to it that one little piece overlooked or one thing at the wrong time, and you’re out of it.”
— James Roe, Racing Driver
Analysis of Asian Le Mans Series Season and Technical Challenges
After Daytona, Roe moved to Asia to contest the AsLMS rounds in Dubai and Abu Dhabi as part of a three-race 2025-2026 campaign with the No. 11 TF Sport Corvette. The season proved difficult, with Roe and his crew finishing 16th in the GT class standings. He highlighted technical issues around tyre performance and balance struggles linked to the Corvette’s mid-engine layout, which disadvantaged their competitiveness versus front- and rear-engine rivals.
“The front engine and rear engine cars seem to have had a clear advantage if you look at the championship. They just switched the tyre on better and mid-engine cars (such as the Corvette) struggled.”
— James Roe, Racing Driver
The distribution of engine weight affects tyre heat and grip; the Corvette’s design put extra pressure on tyres differently than competitors, contributing to the challenge.
Continuing Sportscar Competition and Upcoming Plans
Roe is set to return to sportscar racing soon, participating in the 12 Hours of Sebring in a Lone Star Mercedes. His dual focus on endurance events and open-wheel competition continues to build a well-rounded racing skill set that will be critical for his future IndyCar ambitions.
Connection to Ireland and Growth of Irish Motorsport
A proud native of Ireland, Roe values the support he receives from his home country, which he stays closely connected to despite spending many years competing in the U.S. since 2018. The shamrock proudly displayed on his helmet symbolizes his Irish roots and pride during his racing exploits abroad.
“I’ve got the shamrock on the forefront of my helmet and that’s something we’re very proud of. There’s nothing like flying the Irish flag in America.”
— James Roe, Racing Driver
Discussing the recent surge in Irish motorsport popularity, Roe reflected on the momentum and hoped the current wave would inspire future generations to emerge at the elite level in years to come.
“Long may it last. I think it’s just a very healthy time for Irish motorsport on an international stage and hopefully that filters down and starts at the grassroots of the next generation in Ireland and in 10 or 15 years time, we have another crop at this level.”
— James Roe, Racing Driver
