Indy NXT | Qualifying | Detroit | Hauger pips Hughes to pole - Motorsport

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Qualifying for round 5 of the 2025 Indy NXT season at Detroit is in the books, view the full report and results below.

Dennis Hauger went into the weekend with a 15-point lead over Lochie Hughes after three wins in four rounds to date. He was fastest in both practice sessions ahead of qualifying.

Group 1

Caio Collet, Lochie Hughes, Ricardo Escotto, Josh Pierson, Liam Sceats, Callum Hedge, Seb Murray, Niels Koolen, Jack William Miller and Hailie Deegan ran in this segment. However, Escotto did not take part after a big crash at the end of second practice, meaning his car could not be fixed in time for qualifying.

Collet led the way early doors, clocking a 1:07.121 to lead by 0.6s ahead of Hughes. Pierson, Hedge, Murray and Miller completed the top 6 at that stage.

On the next push laps, Collet did a 1:06.580, with Hughes much closer on this one as he reduced the gap to 0.131s. The Brazilian then logged a 1:06.356, with the Aussie 0.009s away as they held an 0.8s advantage over the rest of the pack.

On his fourth proper lap, a 1:06.240 from Lochie Hughes finally was enough for P1, putting him a tenth ahead of Collet. The former F3 driver responded as a 1:06.219 but the Brazilian back on top.

As they continued to get temp in the tyres on a chilly day in Detroit, Lochie Hughes smashed in a 1:05.877 go over 0.3s clear of the field. Hedge was almost 0.7s slower than Collet as the top 2 dominated this group.

In a brilliant qualifying fight between Collet and Hughes, the Brazilian looked to have taken back P1 on a 1:05.652. However, he went deep at turn 8 on the start of his next run and lost his best time for that.

On the final lap, a sensational 1:05.051 from Lochie Hughes saw him seal P1 in the opening group. Collet improved to a 1:05.624 but could not touch the Andretti driver in the end. They were the only drivers in the 1:05 bracket.

Hedge, Pierson, Millier, Murray, Koolen, Sceats and Deegan completed the order.

Indy NXT Detroit Group 1 qualifying results

Hughes 1:05.051
Collet
Hedge
Pierson
Miller
Murray
Koolen
Sceats
Deegan
Escotto

Group 2

Dennis Hauger, Salvador de Alba, Max Taylor, Juan Manuel Correa, Tommy Smith, Jordan Missig, Nolan Allaer, James Roe, Myles Rowe and Bryce Aron ran in this session.

Unsurprisingly Dennis Hauger was quick out of the traps, getting down to a 1:06.253 with eight minutes left, ahead of de Alba, Correa, Missig and Smith.

The red flag was thrown with 7:25 left as James Roe crashed for the second time this weekend. He hit the inside wall at turn 1 and then clouted into the outside one. With the clock not stopping in qualifying, this was a big disadvantage for Hauger and the rest.

On his penultimate lap, a 1:05.287 from the Norwegian confirmed P1 for him in the second group. His goal on the final lap? Beat Hughes’ time — and he did it. A 1:04.989 puts him on pole for the Indy NXT Detroit GP tomorrow.

Another star of qualifying was Max Taylor as he did a superb job to be P2 in the second group a, albeit almost a second off the Andretti driver. De Alba also did a 1:05.9 to be P3.

Rowe, Correa, Smith, Missig, Aron, Allaer and Roe completed the order in this group.