Click to enlarge.
The 2025 IndyCar season is going to a racing skills and strategy spectacle judging by the opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg yesterday. Three-time series champion Alex Palou – who started eighth – raced to his 12th career victory in the series. The Ganassi team he drives for took its first 1-2 finish since July 2023 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course with Palou driving his No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda to a 2.8669-second victory over teammate and six-time series champion Scott Dixon. Dixon said afterward that he contested the last 90 laps of the 100-lap race without radio communication in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.
“What an amazing job by everybody,” Palou said. He is who is known for his racing smarts and the ability to adjust to conditions to earn points. “They gave me everything we needed this weekend to win. I told you yesterday we had a really, really fast car. Our strategy changed a lot during that first yellow, but I’m so glad we got that No. 10 in Victory Lane. It’s been 138 days since Nashville (2024 season finale), and I’ve been dreaming about this every single night,” said Palou, a charming and thoughtful Spaniard.
Click to Enlarge.
Chevrolet also looked fierce with two-time series champion Josef Newgarden on the podium racing his No. 2 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet although Dixon passed him for second on the final lap. The NTT P1 Award winner Scott McLaughlin finished fourth in the No. 3 DEX Imaging Team Penske Chevrolet, as Team Penske joined Chip Ganassi Racing with two drivers in the top four. McLaughlin was one of seven drivers in first, leading a race-high 40 laps.
Florida native and resident Kyle Kirkwood rounded out the top five finishers at his home race in the No. 27 Chili’s Honda fielded by Andretti Global.
Palou took the lead for good on Lap 75 when Felix Rosenqvist made his final pit stop in the No. 60 SiriusXM Honda of Meyer Shank Racing. It was the culmination of a race of split strategies, as drivers who started on the grippier, less durable Firestone Firehawk alternate tires – including Palou, Dixon and Newgarden – jumped into the pits on Lap 3 during the only caution period to shed the alternates for Firestone primary tires.
That proved decisive, yet Palou didn’t just inherit the lead at the race’s three-quarter mark and cruise to Victory Lane. He produced blazing in and out laps surrounding his final pit stop at the end of Lap 72, undercutting his teammate Dixon, who couldn’t discuss strategy with his team and reacted to Palou’s pit move by stopping one lap later after being slowed by thick traffic. After his final stop, Dixon exited the pits behind a charging Palou.
The next NTT IndyCar Series race is The Thermal Club IndyCar Grand Prix on Sunday, March 23 at Thermal, California (3 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX Sports app, IndyCar Radio Network).
Race Results and Statistics
- (8) Alex Palou, Honda, 100, Running
- (6) Scott Dixon, Honda, 100, Running
- (10) Josef Newgarden, Chevrolet, 100, Running
- (1) Scott McLaughlin, Chevrolet, 100, Running
- (9) Kyle Kirkwood, Honda, 100, Running
- (7) Marcus Ericsson, Honda, 100, Running
- (3) Felix Rosenqvist, Honda, 100, Running
- (5) Christian Lundgaard, Chevrolet, 100, Running
- (12) Rinus VeeKay, Honda, 100, Running
- (20) Alexander Rossi, Chevrolet, 100, Running
- (23) Pato O’Ward, Chevrolet, 100, Running
- (21) Graham Rahal, Honda, 100, Running
- (17) David Malukas, Chevrolet, 100, Running
- (19) Santino Ferrucci, Chevrolet, 100, Running
- (24) Christian Rasmussen, Chevrolet, 100, Running
- (2) Colton Herta, Honda, 100, Running
- (22) Conor Daly, Chevrolet, 100, Running
- (15) Kyffin Simpson, Honda, 100, Running
- (27) Callum Ilott, Chevrolet, 100, Running
- (18) Robert Shwartzman, Chevrolet, 100, Running
- (26) Sting Ray Robb, Chevrolet, 99, Running
- (14) Devlin DeFrancesco, Honda, 99, Running
- (25) Jacob Abel, Honda, 99, Running
- (4) Marcus Armstrong, Honda, 46, Contact
- (11) Nolan Siegel, Chevrolet, 0, Contact
- (13) Will Power, Chevrolet, 0, Contact
- (16) Louis Foster, Honda, 0, Contact
Winner’s average speed: 97.173 mph
Time of Race: 1:51:08.5118
Margin of victory: 2.8669 seconds
Cautions: 1 for 6 laps
Lead changes: 9 among 7 drivers
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
Holy St Pete! Vivid IndyCar 2025 Season Opener
Click to enlarge.
The 2025 IndyCar season is going to a racing skills and strategy spectacle judging by the opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg yesterday. Three-time series champion Alex Palou – who started eighth – raced to his 12th career victory in the series. The Ganassi team he drives for took its first 1-2 finish since July 2023 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course with Palou driving his No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda to a 2.8669-second victory over teammate and six-time series champion Scott Dixon. Dixon said afterward that he contested the last 90 laps of the 100-lap race without radio communication in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.
“What an amazing job by everybody,” Palou said. He is who is known for his racing smarts and the ability to adjust to conditions to earn points. “They gave me everything we needed this weekend to win. I told you yesterday we had a really, really fast car. Our strategy changed a lot during that first yellow, but I’m so glad we got that No. 10 in Victory Lane. It’s been 138 days since Nashville (2024 season finale), and I’ve been dreaming about this every single night,” said Palou, a charming and thoughtful Spaniard.
Click to Enlarge.
Chevrolet also looked fierce with two-time series champion Josef Newgarden on the podium racing his No. 2 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet although Dixon passed him for second on the final lap. The NTT P1 Award winner Scott McLaughlin finished fourth in the No. 3 DEX Imaging Team Penske Chevrolet, as Team Penske joined Chip Ganassi Racing with two drivers in the top four. McLaughlin was one of seven drivers in first, leading a race-high 40 laps.
Florida native and resident Kyle Kirkwood rounded out the top five finishers at his home race in the No. 27 Chili’s Honda fielded by Andretti Global.
Palou took the lead for good on Lap 75 when Felix Rosenqvist made his final pit stop in the No. 60 SiriusXM Honda of Meyer Shank Racing. It was the culmination of a race of split strategies, as drivers who started on the grippier, less durable Firestone Firehawk alternate tires – including Palou, Dixon and Newgarden – jumped into the pits on Lap 3 during the only caution period to shed the alternates for Firestone primary tires.
That proved decisive, yet Palou didn’t just inherit the lead at the race’s three-quarter mark and cruise to Victory Lane. He produced blazing in and out laps surrounding his final pit stop at the end of Lap 72, undercutting his teammate Dixon, who couldn’t discuss strategy with his team and reacted to Palou’s pit move by stopping one lap later after being slowed by thick traffic. After his final stop, Dixon exited the pits behind a charging Palou.
The next NTT IndyCar Series race is The Thermal Club IndyCar Grand Prix on Sunday, March 23 at Thermal, California (3 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX Sports app, IndyCar Radio Network).
Race Results and Statistics
Winner’s average speed: 97.173 mph
Time of Race: 1:51:08.5118
Margin of victory: 2.8669 seconds
Cautions: 1 for 6 laps
Lead changes: 9 among 7 drivers
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.