Niels Koolen
| Niels Koolen | |
|---|---|
 Koolen at the Circuit Paul Ricard in 2024 | |
| Nationality |  Dutch |
| Born | 25 May 2001 Vorden, Gelderland, Netherlands |
| Indy NXT career | |
| Debut season | 2024 |
| Current team | Chip Ganassi Racing |
| Car number | 10 |
| Former teams | HMD Motorsports |
| Starts | 9 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podiums | 0 |
| Poles | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| Best finish | 20th in 2024 |
| Previous series | |
| 2024 2024 2023 2023 2023 2022 2022 | European Le Mans Series Formula 2 Championship Formula Regional European Championship Formula Regional Middle East Championship Eurocup-3 Italian F4 Championship F4 Spanish Championship |
Niels Koolen (Dutch pronunciation: [nils ˈkoːlə(n)]; born 25 May 2001) is a Dutch racing driver. He is set to compete in the 2025 Indy NXT driving for Chip Ganassi Racing.[1] Koolen most recently competed in the European Le Mans Series driving for the Duqueine Team.[2] He is the son of rally raid driver and businessman Kees Koolen.
Early career
[edit]Formula 4
[edit]After competing in karting prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Koolen, a relatively latecomer to single-seater racing aged 21, made his car racing debut in Round 6 of the 2022 F4 Spanish Championship, driving for Monlau Motorsport.[3][4] He contested the final two rounds of the 2022 Italian F4 Championship, also with Monlau Motorsport, competing under a Belgian license.[5]
Formula Regional
[edit]Formula Regional Middle East Championship
[edit]On 5 January 2023, it was announced that Koolen would be driving for VAR-Pinnacle Motorsport in the 2023 Formula Regional Middle East Championship.[6]
Formula Regional European Championship
[edit]Following the 2022 season, Koolen partook in several Formula Regional European Championship tests, driving for Van Amersfoort Racing.[7] He would ultimately sign with the Dutch-based team to participate in the 2023 championship alongside Joshua Dufek and Kas Haverkort.[8] He struggled and was considerably behind his teammate throughout the whole campaign, and finished the standings 37th, with a best finish of 19th.[9]
Eurocup-3
[edit]Koolen would participate in two rounds of Eurocup-3 in 2023 at Jerez and Estoril, failing to score points in either round.[10]
Indy NXT
[edit]2024
[edit]In 2024, Koolen switched to Indy NXT with HMD Motorsports.[11] In the first race of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, he finished 10th.[12] This was his best result of the season.
2025
[edit]Chip Ganassi Racing signed Koolen for the 2025 Indy NXT season, marking his second season in the category.[13]
FIA Formula 2 Championship
[edit]In August 2024, after Taylor Barnard vacated his seat in the Formula 2 Championship, Koolen was drafted by AIX Racing to race for them in the category for the Monza and Baku rounds alongside Joshua Dürksen.[14] He got 19th in both the Monza sprint and feature race.[15] After the next weekend in Baku, AIX Racing confirmed that Koolen would not return for the final two weekends of the season.[16]
Sports car racing career
[edit]European Le Mans Series
[edit]Alongside his Indy NXT season, Koolen made his endurance racing debut and competed in the 2024 European Le Mans Series with the Duqueine Team.[2]
Racing record
[edit]Karting career summary
[edit]| Season | Series | Team | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | SKUSA SuperNationals XX — X30 Junior | 2Wild Karting | 54th |
| 2017 | SKUSA SuperNationals XXI — X30 Senior | 2Wild Karting | 54th |
| 2018 | IAME Euro Series — X30 Senior | Evolution/Super B Batteries | 17th |
| 2019 | IAME Series Benelux — X30 Senior | 33rd | |
| FIA Karting European Championship — OK | Team Evolution | ||
| IAME Euro Series — X30 Senior | 19th | ||
| IAME Winter Cup — X30 Senior | 16th | ||
| Sources:[17] | |||
Racing career summary
[edit]| Season | Series | Team | Races | Wins | Poles | F/Laps | Podiums | Points | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | F4 Spanish Championship | Monlau Motorsport | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC† |
| Italian F4 Championship | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 43rd | ||
| 2023 | Formula Regional Middle East Championship | Pinnacle VAR | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31st |
| Formula Regional European Championship | Van Amersfoort Racing | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37th | |
| Eurocup-3 | GRS Team | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25th | |
| 2024 | Indy NXT | HMD Motorsports | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 140 | 20th |
| European Le Mans Series - LMP2 | Duqueine Team | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 17th | |
| Ultimate Cup Series - Proto P3 | Inter Europol Competition | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 15* | 10th* | |
| FIA Formula 2 Championship | AIX Racing | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0* | 27th* | |
| GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup | Comtoyou Racing | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025 | Indy NXT | Chip Ganassi Racing |
† As Koolen was a guest driver, he was ineligible to score points. * Season still in progress.
Complete F4 Spanish Championship results
[edit](key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | Pos | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Monlau Motorsport | ALG 1 |
ALG 2 |
ALG 3 |
JER 1 |
JER 2 |
JER 3 |
CRT 1 |
CRT 2 |
CRT 3 |
SPA 1 |
SPA 2 |
SPA 3 |
ARA 1 |
ARA 2 |
ARA 3 |
NAV 1 26 |
NAV 2 21 |
NAV 3 20 |
CAT 1 |
CAT 2 |
CAT 3 |
NC† | 0 |
Complete Italian F4 Championship results
[edit](key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | DC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Monlau Motorsport | IMO 1 |
IMO 2 |
IMO 3 |
MIS 1 |
MIS 2 |
MIS 3 |
SPA 1 |
SPA 2 |
SPA 3 |
VLL 1 |
VLL 2 |
VLL 3 |
RBR 1 |
RBR 2 |
RBR 3 |
RBR 3 |
MNZ 1 17 |
MNZ 2 30 |
MNZ 3 C |
MUG 1 Ret |
MUG 2 Ret |
MUG 3 28 |
43rd | 0 |
Complete Formula Regional Middle East Championship results
[edit](key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Entrant | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | DC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Pinnacle VAR | DUB1 1 22 |
DUB1 2 22 |
DUB1 3 21 |
KUW1 1 12 |
KUW1 2 21 |
KUW1 3 21 |
KUW2 1 20 |
KUW2 2 21 |
KUW2 3 22 |
DUB2 1 22 |
DUB2 2 Ret |
DUB2 3 18 |
ABU 1 20 |
ABU 2 21 |
ABU 3 14 |
31st | 0 |
Complete Formula Regional European Championship results
[edit](key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | DC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Van Amersfoort Racing | IMO 1 29 |
IMO 2 19 |
CAT 1 26 |
CAT 2 29 |
HUN 1 28 |
HUN 2 Ret |
SPA 1 29 |
SPA 2 30 |
MUG 1 24 |
MUG 2 Ret |
LEC 1 Ret |
LEC 2 26 |
RBR 1 27 |
RBR 2 25 |
MNZ 1 19 |
MNZ 2 24 |
ZAN 1 25 |
ZAN 2 23 |
HOC 1 |
HOC 2 |
37th | 0 |
Complete Eurocup-3 results
[edit](key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | DC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | GRS Team | SPA 1 |
SPA 2 |
ARA 1 |
ARA 2 |
MNZ 1 |
MNZ 2 |
ZAN 1 |
ZAN 2 |
JER 1 12 |
JER 2 Ret |
EST 1 WD |
EST 2 WD |
CRT 1 |
CRT 2 |
CAT 1 |
CAT 2 |
25th | 0 |
Complete FIA Formula 2 Championship results
[edit](key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Entrant | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | DC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | AIX Racing | BHR SPR |
BHR FEA |
JED SPR |
JED FEA |
MEL SPR |
MEL FEA |
IMO SPR |
IMO FEA |
MON SPR |
MON FEA |
CAT SPR |
CAT FEA |
RBR SPR |
RBR FEA |
SIL SPR |
SIL FEA |
HUN SPR |
HUN FEA |
SPA SPR |
SPA FEA |
MNZ SPR 19 |
MNZ FEA 19 |
BAK SPR 20 |
BAK FEA Ret |
LSL SPR |
LSL FEA |
YMC SPR |
YMC FEA |
27th* | 0* |
* Season still in progress.
Complete European Le Mans Series results
[edit](key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; results in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Entrant | Class | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Rank | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Duqueine Team | LMP2 | Oreca 07 | Gibson GK428 4.2 L V8 | CAT 11 |
LEC 6 |
IMO 9 |
SPA | MUG 8 |
ALG 7 |
17th | 20 |
American open–wheel racing results
[edit]Indy NXT
[edit](key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) (Races with L indicate a race lap led) (Races with * indicate most race laps led)
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | Rank | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | HMD Motorsports | STP 21 |
BAR 15 |
IMS 10 |
IMS 14 |
DET 13 |
RDA 13 |
LAG 19 |
LAG 12 |
MDO | IOW 13 |
GMP | POR | MIL | NSH | 20th | 140 |
| 2025 | Chip Ganassi Racing | STP | BAR | IMS | IMS | DET | GMP | RDA | MDO | IOW | LAG | LAG | POR | MIL | NSH |
References
[edit]- ^ Barnes, Joey (30 October 2024). "Chip Ganassi Racing finalizes its 2025 lineups for IndyCar and Indy NXT programs". Motorsport.com. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
- ^ a b "ELMS Field Almost Complete With Barcelona Prologue Approaching". dailysportscar.com. 29 March 2024. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
- ^ "Dutchman Niels Koolen Joins VAR / Monlau Alliance". Van Amersfoort Racing. 30 September 2022. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
- ^ Wood, Ida (30 September 2022). "MSV wins tender to buy Navarra as Tsolov tops Spanish F4 test there". Formula Scout. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
- ^ "Monza, the Italian F.4 Season Record is Topped Again". Italian F4. 6 October 2022. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
- ^ Wood, Ida (5 January 2023). "VAR and Pinnacle Motorsport reveal line-ups for FRMEC and F4 tie-up". Formula Scout. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
- ^ Wolff, Perceval (26 December 2022). "FRECA: Who's going where in 2023? (updated)". Feeder Series. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
- ^ Wood, Ida (15 March 2023). "Niels Koolen, Tom Lebbon and Enzo Scionti join FRegional Europe grid". Formula Scout. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
- ^ "Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine 2023". DriverDB. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
- ^ Wood, Ida (21 September 2023). "GRS to run all-new Eurocup-3 line-up and Spanish F4 debutants at Jerez". Formula Scout. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
- ^ Wood, Ida (21 December 2023). "HMD Motorsports adds Niels Koolen to 2024 Indy Nxt line-up". Formula Scout. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
- ^ "NTT INDYCAR SERIES Race Results | Official Site of INDYCAR". IndyCar.com. Retrieved 30 September 2024.
- ^ Wood, Ida (30 October 2024). "Ganassi signs Browne and Koolen for its 2025 Indy Nxt return". Formula Scout. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
- ^ "AIX Racing confirm Niels Koolen for Monza and Baku Rounds". FIA_F2® - The Official F2® Website. 29 August 2024. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
- ^ "Motrosport.com".
- ^ "Formula 2 adventure for 'slow' Koolen is over: AIX already say goodbye". gpblog.com. 15 September 2024. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
- ^ "Niels Koolen | Racing career profile | Driver Database". DriverDB. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
External links
[edit]Niels Koolen career summary at DriverDB.com
- 2001 births
- Living people
- Dutch racing drivers
- Indy Lights drivers
- Chip Ganassi Racing drivers
- HMD Motorsports drivers
- Sportspeople from Gelderland
- Spanish F4 Championship drivers
- Italian F4 Championship drivers
- Formula Regional European Championship drivers
- Formula Regional Middle East Championship drivers
- Pinnacle Motorsport drivers
- Van Amersfoort Racing drivers
- European Le Mans Series drivers
- Duqueine Team drivers
- FIA Formula 2 Championship drivers
- AIX Racing drivers
- Comtoyou Racing drivers
- GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup drivers