Hoosier 500 a Key Cog in Costantini’s Climb in Open-Wheel Sim Racing

This article is part of the 2025 PRI Hoosier 500 Annual, the official digital program of the event. Highlighting key stories, historical statistics, event details and more, the publication is available to view now.

When Michele Costantini took the checkered flag in the inaugural Hoosier 500 (then called the Open-Wheels 500) back in 2019, it marked the beginning of one of sim racing’s fastest-rising careers.

Then a young, quietly confident Italian driver with Apex Racing Team and the I5G alliance, he combined poise with raw pace to win one of sim racing’s most competitive open-wheel showcases – and, in the process, launch himself toward the top tier of international competition.

Costantini still remembers how complete the experience felt, calling that first month “so great.” It was, he recalls, the first time anyone had truly put the time and effort into making an iRacing event mirror its real-life counterpart. From open practices to the qualifying format, the entire event was groundbreaking for the community.

At the time, racing with Apex and I5G, he knew they had a strong car. He had already finished fourth earlier that year in the iRacing 500, so he felt confident he could fight for the win.

That confidence proved justified. Already riding momentum from victories in the Six Hours of the Glen and Petit Le Mans earlier that same year, Costantini entered the Open-Wheels 500 with both belief and curiosity. 

Winning those two endurance races plus the Open-Wheels 500, he says, made 2019 “one of my best years in sim racing.” Everything seemed to click—the car, the preparation, the atmosphere. It was, in his words, “just a special time.”

That weekend became a launching point. Over the next few seasons, Costantini built steadily, transitioning from a talented independent to one of Italy’s most polished sim racers. He learned the value of structure and teamwork, discovering that speed alone wasn’t enough – consistency and preparation mattered just as much.

His 2019 win had opened doors, but it was the work afterward that established his trajectory.

Today, that progression has brought him to one of the most recognizable names in global motorsport. Costantini now drives for Scuderia Ferrari HP Esports, competing on behalf of the Prancing Horse in the most competitive virtual racing series in the world. 

For an Italian, the significance is obvious – and deeply personal. “It’s a great honor to represent Scuderia Ferrari in sim racing,” he said. “Firstly as a motorsports fan but also as an Italian. It’s so good to see real-life car brands so interested in sim racing.”

The role has sharpened both his skills and his focus. Ferrari Esports expects excellence, and Costantini has delivered, helping the team challenge for wins across multiple iRacing Special Events.

“This year has actually been really good for us in terms of performance,” he said. “In every single race we had the pace to compete for wins or podiums, which is promising also looking at the future.”

The words reflect where he stands now – not someone reflecting on a finished career, but a driver in his prime, eager to push for more. Despite the success in endurance and GT racing, Costantini’s heart still belongs to open-wheel competition. The roots of that passion go back to his earliest days on iRacing.

“When I first joined in 2016, the first car I drove was the DW12, and my goal was to become competitive in that series,” he explained. “I think that just shows the love I have for those cars. Still now, in 2025, whenever I have any free time, I keep driving the IndyCar.”

That dedication never faded. In 2024, he competed in the Buttkicker iRacing IndyCar World Championship Series and retained his license—an achievement that keeps him among the elite in open-wheel sim racing.

In addition to the pro series starts last fall, Costantini traded in the steering wheel for a microphone at last year’s Hoosier 500 to serve as a driver analyst alongside Arjuna Kankipati and Joey Tebben on the race broadcast.

And of course he excelled, eloquently delivering insight from a perspective that few drivers (or commentators) can draw from.

The balance between manufacturer obligations and his personal racing goals isn’t always easy, but Costantini remains open to future opportunities.

“Sim racing is an extremely volatile environment,” he admitted. “You never know what’s going to happen in the future. You’re probably not sure what you’ll have to race in a month’s time, and obviously team races take priority. But if commitments allow it, I’d be happy to make a return for the Hoosier 500 one of these years.”

That sense of possibility defines Costantini’s career to this point. He isn’t the type to dwell on past results, even when they’ve come at some of sim racing’s biggest events. Each season has been about learning – new cars, new teammates, new challenges.

Those who’ve followed his path from that Open-Wheels 500 win to today see a driver who’s matured without losing the spark that made him stand out. He’s as analytical as ever, as quick as ever, and just as passionate about the craft of driving.

The polished professionalism that comes with representing Ferrari hasn’t dulled his competitive edge – it’s refined it.

Even now, when asked about that 2019 race, his tone mixes nostalgia with perspective. He doesn’t call it destiny or luck; he calls it preparation meeting opportunity. “It was such a complete experience,” he reflected. 

“I think it showed what sim racing could really be when people take it seriously.”

It also showed who he could be. That victory proved he could perform on a big stage, and everything since then – every endurance run, every championship battle, every hour spent testing setups – has been an extension of that moment.

As he looks ahead, Costantini’s goals remain simple: keep improving, keep competing, and keep finding ways to win. Whether it’s endurance racing in the Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo or carving laps in an IndyCar when time allows, he’s driven by the same motivation that carried him to the front six years ago.

And if the entry list for a future Hoosier 500 should once again include the name Michele Costantini, expect people to take notice. 

The driver who helped start it all at the PRI Hoosier 500 has spent the last half-decade proving that his 2019 triumph was far from a one-off. It was the start of something much bigger.