Enzo Fittipaldi arrived at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course chasing the INDY NXT by Firestone championship.

He left as the driver everyone else is chasing.

Fittipaldi delivered one of the most dominant weekends in recent series history, topping Friday practice, winning both poles -- including a track-record lap -- leading all 65 race laps, posting the fastest lap in both races and sweeping the doubleheader.

The performance vaulted the HMD Motorsports rookie from third in the standings, 27 points behind championship leader Nikita Johnson entering the weekend, to a 17-point lead over teammate Tymek Kucharczyk. Johnson, who entered Mid-Ohio atop the standings, sits third, 20 points back. Every other driver trails by at least 100 points with five races remaining.

“What a weekend, absolute domination from all of HMD,” Fittipaldi said. “It’s crazy. First practice, double pole and double victories, so it can’t get any better than this.”

The timing couldn’t be better.

Two of the final five races are on ovals -- Nashville Superspeedway on July 19 and Milwaukee Mile on Aug. 30 -- a discipline expected to be one of Fittipaldi’s biggest challenges entering his rookie season.

Before 2026, Fittipaldi had never started an INDY NXT oval race. His debut at World Wide Technology Raceway never fully materialized after a fuel leak forced him to the back of the field before the race, limiting his opportunity to show pace. But signs point to that weakness becoming a strength.

He was fastest in the series test in June at the Milwaukee Mile, a result that bolstered confidence heading into the championship stretch.

Consistency has fueled Fittipaldi’s title charge. He has finished in the top four nine times through 12 races, emerging as one of the series’ most complete drivers despite entering the season as a rookie.

“It’s going to the next race I reset,” Fittipaldi said. “It’s back to 0-0. We had a great weekend at Mid-Ohio. We’re back to work and focused on the next race. It doesn’t change the mindset.

“INDY NXT is a very competitive field. You make a little mistake in qualifying, and you can end up ninth or 10th and struggle in the race. It’s important to enjoy the moments when you have wins, but when the next race comes, you need to reset.

“In Brazil, we say it like that. I watch a lot of soccer. I’m a big fan of Palmeiras, and after they win a game, the coach Abel Ferreira always says, ‘OK, after the game, now we’re 0-0.’ That’s my mentality.

“We just got to keep working hard.”

His success also strengthens his case for an opportunity in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.

Enzo Fittipaldi

Fittipaldi (photo, above) tested INDYCAR SERIES machinery twice before joining INDY NXT, once with Dale Coyne Racing in 2023 and again with Arrow McLaren on Oct. 14, 2025, both at Sebring International Raceway. The Arrow McLaren test helped open the door to his 2026 opportunity with HMD Motorsports, where he has emerged as a championship contender.

There is also a family connection.

Fittipaldi is the grandson of two-time Formula One World Champion, two-time Indianapolis 500 winner and 1989 INDYCAR SERIES champion Emerson Fittipaldi, who delivered McLaren its first Formula One World Championship in 1974 and won five Grands Prix with the team.

“What my grandfather did with McLaren in the ’70s was incredible,” Fittipaldi said. “Just to drive for a team with that kind of history, it’s unbelievable.”

Although he grew up racing in Europe, Fittipaldi has long envisioned building his future in North America. He was too young to remember his grandfather’s INDYCAR SERIES career but watched uncles Christian Fittipaldi and Max Papis compete, further strengthening his desire to race in the United States.

That path has included three seasons in FIA Formula 2, where he earned victories in 2023 and 2024, an LMP2 campaign with CLX Motorsport in 2025 and two Indy Pro 2000 starts at Barber Motorsports Park in 2021.

Now, after a breakthrough weekend at Mid-Ohio, Fittipaldi enters the final five races with the championship lead and momentum firmly on his side.

“My grandfather always said you lose a lot more than you win,” Fittipaldi said. “So, after a win you have to be happy, but after a difficult weekend -- like Gateway – I wasn’t extremely sad or frustrated. I try to keep the same energy for wins and defeats.

“It’s very mental. When you’re fighting for a championship, it’s important to be strong mentally. Racing is very difficult. There are 25 cars and only one winner. It’s not like basketball or soccer.

“You need to know how to manage that, especially in a championship. Consistency matters.”