Michael d’Orlando Bio
Michael d’Orlando (born March 6, 2002) is an American racing driver who competes in the Indy NXT series, the official development ladder of the NTT IndyCar Series. He drives the No. 3 car for Andretti Cape Indy NXT. A graduate of the Road to Indy ladder system, d’Orlando earned national recognition by winning the 2022 USF2000 Championship. He has since progressed through multiple open-wheel categories, building a reputation as a consistent front-runner with strong race craft and a steady climb through North America’s junior formula ranks.
Born and raised in Hartsdale, New York, d’Orlando grew up in a region with a deep tradition of road racing enthusiasm. After winning a USF2000 title and spending a development season in USF Pro 2000, he advanced to Indy NXT, where he has continued to demonstrate the pace and consistency that defined his earlier championship run. He remains one of the more closely watched young American prospects in the IndyCar development pipeline.
Early Life and Background
Michael d’Orlando was born on March 6, 2002, in Hartsdale, New York, in the United States. Hartsdale, located in Westchester County just north of New York City, sits within driving distance of several historic Northeast road courses, an environment that helped shape his early interest in motorsport. Growing up in a region where karting and club racing flourish, he was introduced to competitive driving at a young age and quickly developed a passion for open-wheel cars.
His family supported his pursuit of racing from the start, and the New York racing scene provided him with accessible tracks and competitive series in which to develop his skills. D’Orlando’s formative years were spent balancing school with travel to regional and national karting events, gradually building the experience that would allow him to transition into formula cars. By his mid-teens, he had progressed far enough to attract the attention of professional teams on the Road to Indy ladder.
Path to NASCAR
D’Orlando’s career to this point has been built entirely in open-wheel racing rather than stock car competition, so his path has run through the Road to Indy development system rather than the NASCAR ladder. After early karting success, he moved into formula cars with Team Benik in the U.S. F2000 National Championship in 2018, completing a brief stint that introduced him to professional-level team operations and road course racing.
He expanded his resume in 2019 by joining Velocity Racing Development for the Formula 4 United States Championship, starting from the third round at Virginia International Raceway. He capped that partial season with a third-place finish at Circuit of the Americas, confirming his readiness for a full-time campaign. These early steps laid the foundation for his championship-winning years in USF2000 and his eventual move to the Indy NXT series.
Michael d’Orlando Career
Early Career (2018–2019)
D’Orlando’s professional career began in 2018 with Team Benik in the U.S. F2000 National Championship, where he gained his first exposure to full-season team structure and professional race weekends. The stint was short, but it gave him the platform to evaluate his skills against experienced rivals and to understand the demands of traveling to multiple circuits across the country.
In 2019, he stepped into the Formula 4 United States Championship with Velocity Racing Development, entering from the third round at Virginia International Raceway. He adapted quickly to the new car and series, finishing third in the final race of the year at Circuit of the Americas. That result established him as a developing talent ready for a full championship effort.
USF2000 Championship Breakthrough (2020–2022)
On March 3, 2020, d’Orlando announced he would return to the USF2000 Championship for a full 2020 season with Cape Motorsports. He won his first career race at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and finished the year fourth in the championship standings, marking his arrival as a regular contender in the series.
He returned to Cape Motorsports for the 2021 season, winning three races and finishing second in the championship after a season-long battle at the front of the field. In 2022, d’Orlando launched his third consecutive title bid, engaging in a tight three-way fight with Myles Rowe and Jace Denmark that went down to the final round at Portland International Raceway. D’Orlando won the season finale to clinch the 2022 USF2000 Championship, becoming the series title holder and cementing his reputation as a championship-caliber driver.
USF Pro 2000 Championship (2023)
Following his USF2000 title, d’Orlando moved up to the USF Pro 2000 Championship in 2023 with Turn 3 Motorsport, the next step on the Road to Indy ladder. The transition to a more powerful car and a deeper field of experienced competitors tested his adaptability, and he used the season to refine his race craft at the higher level. The campaign positioned him for a promotion to the Indy NXT series the following year.
Andretti Cape Indy NXT Era (2024–Present)
D’Orlando advanced to the Indy NXT series, joining Andretti Cape Indy NXT to drive the No. 3 entry beginning with the 2024 season. The move paired him with one of the most established teams in the IndyCar development ladder, giving him access to experienced engineers and a proven operational structure. He competed across the 2024 Indy NXT schedule as he continued to adapt to the series’ demanding mix of road courses, street circuits, and ovals.
As he continues to gain seat time at the Indy NXT level, d’Orlando’s momentum is built on consistency, the strength of his Andretti Cape Indy NXT team, and the lessons learned across his USF2000 and USF Pro 2000 seasons. The combination has positioned him as a young American to watch in the Road to Indy pipeline.
Driving Style and Strengths
D’Orlando is recognized for his smooth, consistent driving style and his ability to manage tire wear and fuel economy over long runs, skills that served him well in his USF2000 title fight. He has shown particular strength on road and street circuits, where precise braking and consistent lap times are decisive. His comfort working with engineers and adapting strategy mid-race has been a hallmark of his development with Cape Motorsports and now Andretti Cape Indy NXT.
Notable Races and Milestones
Among d’Orlando’s signature moments is his first USF2000 victory at Mid-Ohio in 2020 and the 2022 USF2000 title-clinching win at Portland International Raceway, where he captured the championship with a victory in the season finale. His podium finish at Circuit of the Americas in 2019 and his three-win 2021 USF2000 campaign also stand out as defining steps in his rise through the Road to Indy.
Michael d’Orlando Career Wins
Michael d’Orlando’s career wins are anchored by his 2022 USF2000 Championship, the most significant title of his career to date. Across his time in USF2000, he accumulated at least five verified race victories, including his breakthrough at Mid-Ohio in 2020, three wins in 2021, and the decisive season finale at Portland in 2022. These results established him as one of the leading American open-wheel prospects of his generation and earned him promotion through the Road to Indy.
USF2000 Highlights
D’Orlando’s first USF2000 victory came at Mid-Ohio in 2020, the year he finished fourth in the standings. In 2021, he added three more wins and finished second in the championship, narrowly missing the title. The following season, 2022, he delivered a championship-winning campaign, winning the finale at Portland to lock down the USF2000 crown. He returned to the series for a fourth year in 2022, all with Cape Motorsports, before moving up the ladder.
Other Wins and Performances
In the Formula 4 United States Championship, d’Orlando earned a third-place finish at Circuit of the Americas in 2019 during a partial season with Velocity Racing Development. He has also been a consistent presence in the USF Pro 2000 Championship with Turn 3 Motorsport in 2023 and the Indy NXT series with Andretti Cape Indy NXT beginning in 2024, completing the full Road to Indy progression.
Michael d’Orlando Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
D’Orlando comes from a family that has supported his racing ambitions from an early age. He has a younger brother, Nicholas d’Orlando, who is also involved in motorsport, reflecting the family’s shared interest in racing. The d’Orlando brothers represent a growing tradition of American talent developed through the open-wheel ladder system.
Personal Life
Born and raised in Hartsdale, New York, d’Orlando has built his career around the demands of North America’s junior open-wheel categories, which require extensive travel across the United States. He continues to pursue his professional racing career while representing the next wave of American drivers aiming for the top levels of the sport.
2025 Season Performance
Entering 2025, d’Orlando continues with Andretti Cape Indy NXT in the Indy NXT series, driving the No. 3 entry as he builds on the experience gained during his 2024 rookie campaign at that level. The team’s established engineering group and consistent race operations give him a stable platform to chase stronger qualifying results and more regular top-ten finishes across the season.
Key priorities for the year include mastering the series’ mix of road courses, street circuits, and oval events, while translating his smooth driving style into consistent points-paying finishes. With each round, d’Orlando is focused on closing the gap to the series’ most experienced veterans and positioning himself as a regular contender for podiums.
Looking ahead, d’Orlando’s outlook for 2025 is built on incremental gains, stronger race-day execution, and the long-term goal of advancing toward the NTT IndyCar Series. His championship pedigree in USF2000, combined with his continued development under the Andretti Cape Indy NXT banner, makes him one of the American drivers to monitor as the Indy NXT season unfolds.