Kyffin Simpson Bio
Kyffin Simpson is a Caymanian racing driver born on 9 October 2004 in Bridgetown, Barbados. He competes in the IndyCar Series with Chip Ganassi Racing, where he drives the No. 8 entry. Simpson gained international recognition after winning the 2023 European Le Mans Series championship with Algarve Pro Racing, becoming one of the youngest title winners in the series’ LMP2 category.
Across karting, single-seaters, and sports car racing, Simpson has built a reputation as a versatile and fast-learning driver. His journey through junior formulae, endurance racing, and now American open-wheel competition reflects a steady rise through the global motorsport ladder.
Early Life and Background
Simpson was born in Bridgetown, Barbados, though he grew up identifying strongly with the Cayman Islands. He is the son of Caymanian businessman David Simpson. From an early age, he was surrounded by a family environment that encouraged motorsport, and he spent nine years karting across the Caribbean and the United States before moving into car racing.
That long karting foundation gave him a broad racing base, exposing him to a variety of track types and competitive environments. Simpson has said he feels a deep connection with the people of the Cayman Islands and takes pride in flying the Caymanian flag on the side of his car.
Path to NASCAR
Simpson’s professional path did not lead to NASCAR. Instead, he pursued the Road to Indy ladder and European endurance racing as his primary development route. After karting, he made his car racing debut in 2020 with Velocity Racing Development in the Formula 4 United States Championship while also contesting the Formula Regional Americas Championship.
In 2021, Simpson dominated the Formula Regional Americas Championship, finishing on the podium in all but five races and securing the title. The championship came with a Honda Performance Development scholarship worth $600,000 toward a planned Super Formula campaign in Japan in 2022, but ongoing COVID-19 travel restrictions forced him to abandon those plans and pivot toward Indy Lights and sports car racing instead.
Kyffin Simpson Career
Early Career (2020-2021)
Simpson began his car racing career in 2020 at just 15 years old, splitting his season between the Formula 4 United States Championship with Velocity Racing Development and the Formula Regional Americas Championship. The following year, he returned to Formula Regional Americas and delivered a dominant title-winning campaign, demonstrating the pace and consistency that would define his junior career.
Parallel to his regional single-seater work, Simpson also entered the Road to Indy ladder with Juncos Racing, competing in 16 of 18 rounds in the Indy Pro 2000 Championship and scoring three podiums. These results confirmed his readiness to step up to the next level of American open-wheel racing.
Indy Lights and Indy NXT Breakthrough (2022-2023)
In 2022, Simpson signed a multi-year deal as a development driver with Chip Ganassi Racing while progressing to Indy Lights with TJ Speed Motorsports alongside James Roe Jr. After eight races he switched to HMD Motorsports and finished ninth in the standings, with a best result of fifth at Barber and Detroit. That same year he also made his IMSA SportsCar Championship debut with Gradient Racing at the 24 Hours of Daytona in an Acura NSX GT3 EVO II, and went on to win the GTD class at Petit Le Mans with co-drivers Mario Farnbacher and Till Bechtolsheimer.
In 2023, Simpson returned to the rebranded Indy NXT series with HMD Motorsports, scoring two podiums and finishing tenth overall. He also joined Tower Motorsports for a part-time IMSA campaign in LMP2, finishing fifth at the 24 Hours of Daytona and winning the LMP2 class at the 12 Hours of Sebring with Scott McLaughlin and John Farano.
Algarve Pro Racing Era (2023)
Alongside his North American duties, Simpson committed to a full-season sports car campaign in 2023 with Algarve Pro Racing. He began with the Asian Le Mans Series alongside James Allen and John Falb, opening the year with victory in Dubai and finishing third in the LMP2 standings.
He then stayed with APR for the European Le Mans Series, partnering James Allen and Cadillac Hypercar driver Alex Lynn. After a quiet opener in Barcelona, the team took victory at Spa-Francorchamps and added a pair of second places at the 4 Hours of Algarve and Portimão to clinch the LMP2 championship. Simpson’s pace, particularly his ability to set the fastest lap at Paul Ricard and hold the car on track in wet conditions at Portimão, drew praise from co-driver Lynn.
Chip Ganassi Racing Era (2024-Present)
Simpson completed his first NTT IndyCar Series test with Chip Ganassi Racing at Sebring International Raceway in January 2023. After two seasons as a development driver, the team announced he would step up to a full-time IndyCar seat for 2024. He opened his rookie year with a twelfth place finish at St. Petersburg, the best result of any rookie, and set the fastest lap of the race.
His debut season was a learning year, finishing twenty-first in the standings behind all four of his teammates, but he was retained for 2025 and moved to the No. 8 entry. In 2025, Simpson recorded his maiden IndyCar top-ten result at Long Beach with a tenth place finish, followed by a fifth at Detroit and a sixth at Road America. His biggest breakthrough came in Toronto, where he charged from thirteenth on the grid to third, earning his first IndyCar podium. He closed the season with a fourth at Nashville after battling Scott McLaughlin for a podium in the closing laps, finishing seventeenth overall with six top-ten results.
Driving Style and Strengths
Simpson has shown particular strength in endurance racing, where his pace management and consistency have delivered championship results. In IndyCar, his race craft and willingness to battle cleanly have earned praise from established peers, with McLaughlin highlighting his respect for the outside lane after their Nashville duel. Strategic flexibility, including effective use of alternate tire strategies, has also become a hallmark of his approach.
Notable Races and Milestones
Signature moments include his first IndyCar podium at Toronto in 2025, his best oval result of fourth at Nashville in the same season, and his ELMS title-clinching drives at Spa and Portimão in 2023. Earlier milestones featured the 2022 Petit Le Mans GTD class win and the 2023 Sebring LMP2 victory, both underscoring his versatility across formats.
Kyffin Simpson Career Wins
Simpson’s career victories span karting, junior single-seaters, endurance racing, and American open-wheel competition. His most prominent titles include the 2021 Formula Regional Americas Championship and the 2023 European Le Mans Series LMP2 crown with Algarve Pro Racing.
Endurance and SportsCar Highlights
Simpson’s endurance racing highlights include the 2023 Asian Le Mans Series LMP2 victory in Dubai, the 2023 ELMS championship, the 2022 Petit Le Mans GTD class win, and the 2023 Sebring 12 Hours LMP2 class victory. His first major endurance win came at Dubai in early 2023, where he played a decisive role in closing a 25-second gap to the lead.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond endurance racing, Simpson added an IndyCar podium in 2025 at Toronto and recorded three podiums during his Indy Pro 2000 Championship campaign in 2021. He also finished on the podium in all but five races of his dominant Formula Regional Americas title season.
Kyffin Simpson Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Simpson is the son of Caymanian businessman David Simpson. Although born in Barbados, he has built his identity around the Cayman Islands and proudly represents the territory in international competition. His family’s support has been central to his ability to pursue a global racing career from a young age.
Personal Life
Simpson is known for his close ties to the Cayman Islands, where he says he feels a deep connection to the community. He continues to carry the Caymanian flag on his car as a point of personal pride, reflecting the strong national identity he brings to every campaign.
2025 Season Performance
Simpson’s 2025 IndyCar season marked his second year with Chip Ganassi Racing and his first in the No. 8 entry. He opened with eighteenth at St. Petersburg and fifteenth at Thermal Club before delivering his maiden top-ten result at Long Beach with a tenth place finish using the alternate strategy. A mechanical issue at the Indy Road Course and an incident at the Indy 500, where he was collected by a spinning Kyle Larson, disrupted his early momentum.
The middle of the season brought his strongest form, including a fifth at Detroit and a sixth at Road America. The defining moment arrived in Toronto, where Simpson charged from thirteenth on the grid to third for his first IndyCar podium, validating the team’s confidence in retaining him. He closed the campaign with a fourth at Nashville after a late battle with Scott McLaughlin, finishing seventeenth in the final standings with six top-ten results.
With a full season of IndyCar experience now behind him and a maiden podium secured, Simpson enters the off-season with growing momentum. His partnership with Chip Ganassi Racing continues to develop, and his 2025 results suggest a clear upward trajectory heading into the next campaign.