Key Insights and Highlights from IndyCar’s Thrilling Season Opener at St. Pete

If you missed the IndyCar Series Race 1 at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, here’s a quick recap of what happened.

Who Won?
Alex Palou from Chip Ganassi Racing took the victory. This marked his 12th career win and 33rd podium in just 82 starts. It was also Honda’s first win of the season.

Was It a Dominant Win?
Not quite. Palou snagged the lead on lap 75, but for most of the race, Scott McLaughlin from Team Penske looked strong, leading the early laps. A tire strategy choice hurt McLaughlin, and he finished fourth.

Did Anyone Come Close to Winning?
Yes! Josef Newgarden of Team Penske closed in on Palou in the final laps. Palou struggled with a slower car while trying to lap Sting Ray Robb, allowing Newgarden to reduce Palou’s five-second lead to less than one. Unfortunately, a shifting issue for Newgarden on the last lap shifted his focus, allowing Scott Dixon, Palou’s teammate, to steal second place.

Who Stood Out Beyond the Podium?
A few drivers showed promise:

• Kyle Kirkwood finished fifth, while Marcus Ericsson came in sixth, helping Andretti Global have a solid start to the season. The team looked sharp all weekend.
• Christian Lundgaard from Arrow McLaren led 23 laps with a different pit strategy, finishing eighth. He impressed in his first event for the team.
• Pato O’Ward recovered from a poor qualifying position of 23rd to finish 11th after an extra pit stop for a punctured tire.
• Rinus VeeKay from Dale Coyne Racing qualified well and finished ninth, which gave the team a boost.
• Alexander Rossi of Ed Carpenter Racing started 20th but managed to finish 10th after a better race strategy. His teammate Christian Rasmussen also made gains, moving from 24th to 15th.
• Graham Rahal climbed from 21st to 12th, showcasing his racing skills.

Who Struggled?
Some drivers had quieter weekends:

• Team Penske’s AJ Foyt Racing drivers, David Malukas and Santino Ferrucci, finished 13th and 14th, disappointing for a team that had seen better days last season.
• Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing had a tough time, with their best finisher, Devlin DeFrancesco, only qualifying 14th.
• Juncos Hollinger Racing’s Conor Daly and Sting Ray Robb showed potential on Friday but faltered during the race, finishing in 17th and 21st.

Any Major Dramatic Moments?
Yes, a first-lap crash at Turn 3 took out three drivers: Nolan Siegel, Will Power, and Louis Foster. Additionally, Scott Dixon had a radio issue affecting his pit strategy, which led to him losing time during the race.

Meanwhile, Colton Herta faced challenges in the pits, leading at one point but ultimately finishing 16th after multiple problems. Meyer Shank Racing also missed big opportunities; Felix Rosenqvist qualified third but only managed to finish seventh, and his teammate, Marcus Armstrong, crashed out.