It’s maybe ironic, but as their career paths accelerated more closely toward the NTT INDYCAR SERIES this week, INDY NXT by Firestone standouts Caio Collet and Niels Koolen wanted to talk about brakes.

2025 series runner-up Collet and series veteran Koolen both drove an NTT INDYCAR SERIES car for the first time Oct. 1 in a team evaluation test at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Collet, who raced for HMD Motorsports in the INDYCAR development series, turned laps for AJ Foyt Racing. Koolen, who joined Chip Ganassi Racing’s revived INDY NXT program this season, stayed with that team for his first foray into top-flight machinery.

While the NTT INDYCAR SERIES car has more downforce and around 200 to 250 more horsepower depending on turbo boost, both drivers were most impressed by the ability of the bigger car to stop.

“The biggest thing I noticed was the braking power; the car just stops so much quicker,” Koolen said. “More than I would have expected. Obviously, there is a lot more mechanical grip and the aero gives you much more to work with, especially in the mid to high-speed corners.”

Said Collet: “You can really push the (brake) pedal. The way they warm up, different than the NXT car.”

Both drivers stayed busy during the five-driver test on the 13-turn, 2.258-mile roller coaster of a circuit near Columbus, Ohio. Koolen turned 103 laps, Collet 95.

Caio Collet

Collet (photo, above) ended up second overall in the test, behind Team Penske IMSA sports car driver Felipe Nasr. Koolen was fourth but only about four-tenths of a second behind the vastly experienced Nasr.

“It was an amazing experience,” Collet said. “Dream come true.

“We got up to speed quite quickly. We have worked quite a bit the last few days to understand how each other works and what I need to get on top of the tools. There are a lot more different things than the NXT car, with the hybrid system and a lot more stuff going on for the driver to deal with. They (AJ Foyt Racing crew) helped me a lot with how to stay on top of the tools all day.”

Neither driver has announced their racing plans for 2026.

Koolen, from the Netherlands, finished eighth in the standings with one top-five finish and could return to INDY NXT for more seasoning in a second full season in the series. Collet, from Brazil, finished runner-up to champion Dennis Hauger in 2025 in his second season, along with three victories, and is eyeing a jump to the big show of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES in 2026.

“I want to learn as much as possible and prove that I can one day be in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES,” Collet said. “It’s a very competitive series and really tough, so you have to prove you are ready. Today, I think we kind of showed that. A lot to work on, a lot to improve, but definitely a step in the right direction. The NXT car taught me a lot on how to drive the car.

“I was very happy. I was smiling on the install lap. Very grateful to be here to do this.”