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 Paluou drove his No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda to a 2.8669-second victory over teammate and six-time series champion Scott Dixon, who 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 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.

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.