# Kyffin Simpson

Kyffin Simpson (/ˈkɪ.fən/ KIH-fən; born 9 October 2004) is a Caymanian racing driver competing in the IndyCar Series with Chip Ganassi Racing. He won the 2023 European Le Mans Series championship with Algarve Pro Racing.

## Personal life

Simpson was born in Bridgetown, Barbados; the son of Caymanian businessman David Simpson. Simpson competes as Caymanian, saying, "I really feel connected with the people of Cayman. It’s cool to fly the flag on the side of my car."

## Junior career
### Formula 4 United States Championship

Simpson made his car racing debut in 2020 for Velocity Racing Development in the 2020 Formula 4 United States Championship after 9 years of karting across the Caribbean and United States.

### Formula Regional Americas Championship

Simpson would dovetail a season in the Formula 4 United States Championship with a season in the Formula Regional Americas Championship in 2020, and dominated the championship in his second season with podiums in all but five races.
Winning the FR Americas title awarded Kyffin with a Honda Performance Development scholarship fund worth $600,000 towards a Super Formula campaign in 2022, but Japan’s ongoing travel restrictions due to COVID-19 prevented these plans coming to fruition.

### Indy Pro 2000 Championship

Parallel to his Regional F3 campaign, Simpson also entered the Road to Indy ladder with IndyCar team Juncos Racing, competing in 16 of the 18-race Indy Pro 2000 Championship season, scoring three podiums.

### Indy Lights / Indy NXT

In 2022, Simpson signed a multi-year deal as a development driver with Chip Ganassi Racing, whilst also progressing to Indy Lights, partnering James Roe Jr. at TJ Speed Motorsports. Following eight races with the team, Simpson moved to HMD Motorsports. He finished ninth in the Indy Lights standings with a best result of fifth in Barber and Detroit.
Simpson confirmed a return to the newly rebranded Indy NXT series in 2023 with HMD Motorsports.

## SportsCar racing career
### IMSA SportsCar Championship
#### 2022

Alongside his Indy Lights duties, Simpson made his IMSA SportsCar Championship debut with Gradient Racing at the wheel of an Acura NSX GT3 EVO II at the 2022 24 Hours of Daytona. He, along with his teammates Mario Farnbacher and Till Bechtolsheimer, won the 2022 Petit Le Mans in the GTD class.

#### 2023

Simpson joined Tower Motorsports for a part-time role in the 2023 IMSA SportsCar Championship competing in LMP2. After finishing fifth at the 24 Hours of Daytona, Simpson, along with teammates Scott McLaughlin and John Farano, won the LMP2 class of the 12 Hours of Sebring, marking the Barbadian's second triumph in IMSA.

### Asian Le Mans Series
#### 2023

Alongside his duties in junior formulae, Simpson would compete full-time in the 2023 Asian Le Mans Series together with James Allen and John Falb as part of Algarve Pro Racing in preparation for a campaign in that year's European Le Mans Series. The season opener in Dubai yielded a perfect start, as the trio took victory despite a spin from Falb. Simpson played a major role in said victory, taking second place from Indy NXT rival Christian Bogle near half-distance, before closing the gap between himself and leader Ayhancan Güven from 25 to mere seven seconds by the end of their stints. The following day, a puncture prevented the #25 from battling for a win; they eventually settled for fourth. Race one at the Yas Marina Circuit saw Simpson battling the experienced Oliver Jarvis for a podium spot, however he would take himself out of contention owing to a spin into the turn 16 wall mere minutes before the end. On Sunday, fourth place meant that Simpson, Allen and Falb would end up third in the LMP2 classification.

### European Le Mans Series
#### 2023

Simpson would stay with Algarve Pro Racing to compete in the 2023 European Le Mans Series, where Simpson once again partnered James Allen, the pair being joined by Cadillac Hypercar driver Alex Lynn. An unspectacular maiden race in Barcelona was followed by a markedly improved showing at the Circuit Paul Ricard, where Simpson's ability to stay close to leader Vladislav Lomko throughout the opening stints - exemplified by the Bajan setting the race's fastest lap - enabled teammates Lynn and Allen to get embroiled in the battle for victory, with the latter executing a late-race pass on Louis Delétraz to bring first place to APR. Prior to the third race, held at MotorLand Aragón, Simpson received praise from Lynn, the Brit stating that "Kyffin is a fast learner" and praising him for his pace, whilst remarking that Simpson needed more experience.

## IndyCar

In January 2023, Kyffin completed his first NTT IndyCar Series test with Chip Ganassi Racing at Sebring International Raceway. Following the end of the 2023 IndyCar season, Chip Ganassi announced that Simpson, who had been the team's development driver over the past two years, would be stepping up to IndyCar in 2024. He started his season at St. Petersburg with a 12th place finish, ending up ahead of all other rookies and setting the fastest lap of the race. Following three further top-20 finishes, Simpson ended up 21st in his first appearance at the Indy 500, having qualified a then-record 18th.

## Racing record
### Career summary

| Season | Series | Team | Races | Wins | Poles | F/Laps | Podiums | Points | Position |
| 2020 | Formula 4 United States Championship | Velocity Racing Development | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 18th |
| 2020 | Formula Regional Americas Championship | HMD Motorsports | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 13th |
| 2021 | Formula Regional Americas Championship | TJ Speed Motorsports | 18 | 7 | 2 | 9 | 13 | 314 | 1st |
| 2021 | Indy Pro 2000 Championship | Juncos Hollinger Racing | 16 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 231 | 8th |
| 2022 | Indy Lights | TJ Speed Motorsports | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 312 | 9th |
| 2022 | Indy Lights | HMD Motorsports | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 312 | 9th |
| 2022 | IMSA SportsCar Championship - GTD | Gradient Racing | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1003 | 26th |
| 2023 | Indy NXT | HMD Motorsports | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 283 | 10th |
| 2023 | IMSA SportsCar Championship - LMP2 | Tower Motorsports | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 899 | 13th |
| 2023 | Asian Le Mans Series - LMP2 | Algarve Pro Racing | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 51 | 3rd |
| 2023 | European Le Mans Series - LMP2 | Algarve Pro Racing | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 113 | 1st |
| 2024 | IndyCar Series | Chip Ganassi Racing | 17 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 182 | 21th |
| 2024 | IMSA SportsCar Championship - LMP2 | DragonSpeed | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 262 | 48th |
| 2024 | 24 Hours of Le Mans - LMP2 | Nielsen Racing | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | 11th |
| 2025 | IndyCar Series | Chip Ganassi Racing | | | | | | | |

### Complete Formula 4 United States Championship results

(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 | Rank | Points |
| 2020 | Velocity Racing Development | MOH 1 9 | MOH 2 13 | VIR 1 Ret | VIR 2 19 | VIR 3 7 | BAR 1 13 | BAR 2 Ret | BAR 3 16 | BAR 4 6 | SEB 1 | SEB 2 | SEB 3 | HMS 1 | HMS 2 | HMS 3 | COA 1 | COA 2 | COA 3 | 18th | 14 |

### Complete Formula Regional Americas Championship results

(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 | Rank | Points |
| 2020 | HMD Motorsports | MOH 1 | MOH 2 | VIR 1 | VIR 2 | VIR 3 | BAR 1 | BAR 2 | BAR 3 | SEB 1 7 | SEB 2 Ret | SEB 3 9 | HMS 1 8 | HMS 2 7 | HMS 3 7 | COA 1 10 | COA 2 10 | COA 3 10 | | 13th | 30 |
| 2021 | TJ Speed Motorsports | ATL 1 1 | ATL 2 1 | ATL 3 1 | ROA 1 4 | ROA 2 1 | ROA 3 1 | MOH 1 12 | MOH 2 3 | MOH 3 2 | BRA 1 2 | BRA 2 2 | BRA 3 2 | VIR 1 4 | VIR 2 5 | VIR 3 2 | COA 1 11 | COA 2 1 | COA 3 1 | 1st | 314 |

### American open-wheel results
#### Indy Pro 2000

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) (Races with * indicate most race laps led)
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | Rank | Points |
| 2021 | Juncos Hollinger Racing | ALA 11 | ALA 17 | STP 10 | STP 14 | IMS 4 | IMS 3 | IMS 6 | IRP 8 | ROA 11 | ROA 3 | MOH1 7 | MOH1 3 | GMP 11 | NJMP 10 | NJMP 8 | NJMP 7 | MOH2 | MOH2 | 8th | 231 |

#### Indy Lights / Indy NXT

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) (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 |
| 2022 | TJ Speed Motorsports | STP 11 | BAR 5 | IMS 12 | IMS 8 | DET 5 | DET 7 | RDA 9 | MDO 10 | | | | | | | 9th | 312 |
| 2022 | HMD Motorsports | | | | | | | | | IOW 11 | NSH 8 | GMP 10 | POR 9 | LAG 12 | LAG 12 | 9th | 312 |
| 2023 | HMD Motorsports | STP 10 | BAR 18 | IMS 3 | DET 13 | DET 17 | RDA 8 | MDO 2 | IOW 16 | NSH 15 | IMS 5 | GMP | POR 13 | LAG 4 | LAG 17 | 10th | 283 |

#### IndyCar Series

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | Chassis | No. | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | Rank | Points | Ref |
| 2024 | Chip Ganassi Racing | Dallara DW12 | 4 | Honda | STP 12 | THE DNQ | LBH 19 | ALA 14 | IMS 15 | INDY 21 | DET 24 | ROA 27 | LAG 23 | MDO 21 | IOW 14 | IOW 18 | TOR 22 | GTW 25 | POR 16 | MIL 25 | MIL 13 | NSH 22 | 21st | 182 | |
| 2025 | Chip Ganassi Racing | Dallara DW12 | 8 | Honda | STP 18 | THE | LBH | ALA | IMS | INDY | DET | GTW | ROA | MDO | IOW | IOW | TOR | LAG | POR | MIL | NSH | | 18th* | 12* | |

#### Indianapolis 500

| Year | Chassis | Engine | Start | Finish | Team |
| 2024 | Dallara | Honda | 18 | 21 | Chip Ganassi Racing |

### Complete IMSA SportsCar Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; results in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | Class | Make | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Pos. | Points |
| 2022 | Gradient Racing | GTD | Acura NSX GT3 Evo22 | Acura 3.5 L Turbo V6 | DAY 13 | SEB 11 | LBH | LGA | MDO | DET | WGL 9 | MOS | LIM | ELK | VIR | PET 1 | 26th | 1003 |
| 2023 | Tower Motorsports | LMP2 | Oreca 07 | Gibson GK428 4.2 L V8 | DAY 5 | SEB 1 | LGA | WGL 5 | ELK | IMS | PET 7 | | | | | | 13th | 899 |
| 2024 | DragonSpeed USA | LMP2 | Oreca 07 | Gibson GK428 4.2 L V8 | DAY 7 | SEB | WGL | MOS | ELK | IMS | PET | | | | | | 48th | 262 |

### Complete Asian Le Mans Series results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | Class | Car | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Pos. | Points |
| 2023 | Algarve Pro Racing | LMP2 | Oreca 07 | Gibson GK428 4.2 L V8 | DUB 1 1 | DUB 2 4 | ABU 1 9 | ABU 2 4 | 3rd | 51 |

### Complete European Le Mans Series results

| Year | Entrant | Class | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Rank | Points |
| 2023 | Algarve Pro Racing | LMP2 | Oreca 07 | Gibson GK428 4.2 L V8 | CAT 5 | LEC 1 | ARA 3 | SPA 1 | POR 2 | ALG 2 | 1st | 113 |

### Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results

| Year | Team | Co-Drivers | Car | Class | Laps | Pos. | Class Pos. |
| 2024 | Nielsen Racing | David Heinemeier Hansson Fabio Scherer | Oreca 07-Gibson | LMP2 | 291 | 25th | 11th |