Jacob Abel arrived at IndyCar in 2025 riding a wave of momentum. The Kentuckian had nearly conquered Indy NXT in 2024, leading the standings at times with three wins before settling as runner-up to Louis Foster. Expectations were high, even from Abel himself, as he stepped up to the premier open-wheel stage with Dale Coyne Racing.
But reality hit hard. The rookie season proved far tougher than anticipated. Abel struggled to find grip and consistency in a field packed with seasoned veterans and emerging stars. Among 17 races, his best finish barely cracked double digits, peaking at 11th place in Iowa. Qualifying was a consistent battle, often relegated to the back half of the grid.
The challenges were many. The lack of experience adjusting to the different race formats and tracks showed in every race. Mechanical gremlins and on-track incidents sapped confidence and pace. By midseason, the shine had faded and Abel’s points total languished low on the leaderboard, outside the top 25 drivers.
Despite the setbacks, Abel kept pushing and learning. His performances improved slightly late in the year, but the stark gap to front runners revealed the steep learning curve IndyCar demands. The Kentuckian’s rookie campaign became a lesson in patience and perseverance rather than podiums and points.
For Jacob Abel, 2025 was a year to forget on the stat sheet, but the experience gained sets a foundation that could ignite his breakthrough in seasons to come. The road from Indy NXT champion contender to IndyCar regular is brutal and unforgiving, and Abel’s rookie year was a tough introduction to the top tier’s relentless grind.