Marcus Armstrong Bio
Marcus John Armstrong (born 29 July 2000) is a New Zealand motor racing driver who competes in the IndyCar Series, driving the No. 66 Honda for Meyer Shank Racing. He previously raced in the FIA Formula 2 Championship from 2020 through 2022 and finished as the 2019 FIA Formula 3 Championship runner-up. Armstrong was a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy from 2017 to 2021 and won the 2017 Italian F4 Championship during his junior career.
Early Life and Background
Marcus John Armstrong was born on 29 July 2000 in Christchurch, New Zealand. He grew up in a country with a strong grassroots karting culture, and he began karting in 2010. From 2011 through 2014, Armstrong won all of his major karting titles in New Zealand, establishing himself as one of the country’s brightest young talents.
Internationally, Armstrong found the going tougher during his karting years. His best result on the global stage came at the 2015 Karting World Championship in the KF2 category, where he placed twelfth. In 2016, Motorsport.com ranked him as the third most exciting karting talent of that year, a recognition that helped him earn a place in the Ferrari Driver Academy.
Path to NASCAR
Armstrong’s professional career has been built in open-wheel racing rather than stock car competition, so his path has not crossed the NASCAR ladder system. After karting, he moved into single-seaters in 2014, contesting the New Zealand Formula Ford Championship before progressing through Formula 4, Formula Renault 2.0, and the Toyota Racing Series in New Zealand.
His progression through European junior formulae brought him to the attention of Ferrari, and in November 2016 he was one of five drivers invited to join the Ferrari Driver Academy. He went on to win the 2017 Italian F4 Championship, finished as runner-up in the ADAC Formula 4 Championship, and later raced in the FIA Formula 3 and FIA Formula 2 Championships before transitioning to IndyCar in 2023.
Marcus Armstrong Career
Early Career (2014–2017)
Armstrong made his single-seater debut in the 2014–15 New Zealand Formula Ford Championship, finishing seventh overall. In 2016, he split his time between karting, BRDC British Formula 3, and guest appearances in the Formula Renault 2.0 series. That December, he signed with Prema Powerteam and the Ferrari Driver Academy for the 2017 season.
His 2017 season was his breakthrough year. Armstrong won the Italian F4 Championship with Prema Powerteam, claiming the title with two races to spare at Monza, and finished as runner-up in the ADAC Formula 4 Championship, losing out to Jüri Vips by just 4.5 points. He also raced in the Toyota Racing Series, finishing fourth overall.
FIA Formula 3 Breakthrough (2018–2019)
Armstrong stepped up to the FIA Formula 3 European Championship in 2018 with Prema, finishing fifth in the standings. He took his first win at the Norisring and added two more podiums during the same round to take the championship lead, although he eventually dropped to fifth after a tough final round at the Hockenheimring.
In 2019, Armstrong reunited with Prema for the inaugural FIA Formula 3 Championship. He finished the year as vice-champion with 158 points, scoring three victories, seven podiums, three poles, and four fastest laps. Although he led at times during the season, he was overtaken by teammate Robert Shwartzman, who claimed the title.
FIA Formula 2 Career (2020–2022)
Armstrong moved to the FIA Formula 2 Championship in 2020 with ART Grand Prix. He opened his debut season with a podium in Austria and ended the year thirteenth in the standings with 52 points. In 2021, he switched to DAMS and earned his first Formula 2 victory at the inaugural Jeddah round, ending the campaign thirteenth once again with 49 points.
For 2022, Armstrong drove for Hitech Grand Prix and recorded three feature-race wins across the season at Imola, the Red Bull Ring, and Zandvoort. Despite his pace, he finished thirteenth in the standings for the third consecutive year, this time with 93 points, before making the switch to IndyCar.
Chip Ganassi Racing Era (2023–2024)
In December 2022, Chip Ganassi Racing announced the signing of Armstrong to drive the No. 11 entry on road and street circuits for the 2023 IndyCar Series. His best result of the season came at the 2023 Honda Indy Toronto, where he finished seventh. He ended the year twentieth in the standings with 214 points and was named Rookie of the Year, even though he missed several oval events.
Armstrong returned to Chip Ganassi Racing for a full 2024 campaign, scoring his first IndyCar podium with a third-place finish at Detroit. He added two more fifth-place finishes in the closing races and ended the season fourteenth in the standings with 298 points.
Meyer Shank Racing Era (2025–Present)
After two seasons with Chip Ganassi Racing, Armstrong moved to Meyer Shank Racing for the 2025 IndyCar Series, partnering Felix Rosenqvist. He quickly delivered results for his new team by earning his first podium of the season, and the second of his IndyCar career, with a strong run at the second race in Iowa. In August 2025, Armstrong signed a contract extension that will keep him at Meyer Shank Racing through the 2026 season.
Notable Races and Milestones
Armstrong’s signature moments include his first FIA Formula 2 victory in Jeddah in 2021, his three feature-race wins during the 2022 F2 season, his first IndyCar podium at Detroit in 2024, and his return to the podium at Iowa in 2025 with Meyer Shank Racing. He was also named the 2023 IndyCar Rookie of the Year.
Marcus Armstrong Career Wins
Across his junior and senior career, Marcus Armstrong has recorded victories in Formula 4, the Toyota Racing Series, FIA Formula 3, FIA Formula 2, and IndyCar. His wins span karting titles, single-make junior series, and international open-wheel competition, reflecting a steady climb through the motorsport ladder.
IndyCar Series Highlights
In the IndyCar Series, Armstrong has reached the podium twice. His first podium came with Chip Ganassi Racing at Detroit in 2024, where he finished third, and his second came with Meyer Shank Racing at Iowa in 2025. He was also named the 2023 IndyCar Rookie of the Year despite running a partial schedule.
FIA Formula 2 Highlights
Armstrong scored four Formula 2 race wins during his time in the championship. His maiden victory came at the inaugural Jeddah round in 2021, and he added three more during the 2022 season with Hitech Grand Prix at Imola, the Red Bull Ring, and Zandvoort.
FIA Formula 3 Highlights
In FIA Formula 3, Armstrong took three race wins during the 2019 season on his way to the vice-champion title. His 2018 European F3 campaign included a maiden victory at the Norisring as he finished fifth overall.
Marcus Armstrong Family
Personal Life
Armstrong co-hosts a motorsport and food-related podcast titled Screaming Meals with motorsport insurance salesman James Harvey Blair, Formula 2 driver Clément Novalak, and IndyCar driver Callum Ilott. Growing up, he was a fan of 2007 Formula One World Champion Kimi Räikkönen.
2025 Season Performance
Armstrong entered the 2025 IndyCar Series with Meyer Shank Racing after signing with the team during the off-season. Paired with experienced teammate Felix Rosenqvist, he began the year focused on adapting to a new engineering group and a refreshed oval program following his 2024 oval orientation with Chip Ganassi Racing.
His early results showed immediate progress, highlighted by his second career IndyCar podium at the second race in Iowa. That result signaled that Armstrong could be a regular threat for top-five finishes on a variety of track types, including ovals, which had previously been the weakest area of his resume.
With his contract extension announced in August 2025, Armstrong has locked in stability at Meyer Shank Racing through 2026. The combination of improved oval comfort, continuity with his crew, and growing confidence inside the team gives him a strong platform to target his first IndyCar victory and a run deeper into the championship standings over the next two seasons.
