Alex Palou Starts Title Defense in St. Petersburg Masterclass

Source: Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo / Getty

The three-time and defending NTT IndyCar Series Champion, Alex Palou, dominated the late stages of today’s season-opening race at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.

Palou was challenged late by Josef Newgarden and his Chip Ganassi Racing teammate, Scott Dixon, as Palou jumped them both in the pits. Sting Ray Robb held up Palou as he was trying to stay on the lead lap.

For Palou, this was his first win at St. Petersburg in six attempts, and his 12th career win. Dixon passed Newgarden on the final lap to round out the podium. This was Dixon’s eighth appearance on the St. Petersburg podium as a win still eludes him. Dixon even had radio problems during the race and ultimately called his own strategy. It’s safe to say it worked out well in his favor.

After an incident on the opening lap involving Nolan Siegel, Will Power, and rookie Louis Foster, the field was split on an early tire strategy. Palou, Dixon, and Newgarden were the frontrunners of the strategy that pitted. Colton Herta was on the same strategy, but his day was ultimately derailed by bad pit stops.

Of the frontrunners that stayed out during that first caution, it was polesitter Scott McLaughlin, the Meyer Shank Racing teammates of Felix Rosenqvist and Marcus Armstrong, Christian Lundgaard, and Alexander Rossi on the alternate strategy. Armstrong brushed the wall nearly halfway through the race and later retired the car.

McLaughlin and Florida’s own Kyle Kirkwood completed the top five. Marcus Ericsson, Rosenqvist, Lundgaard, Rinus VeeKay, and Rossi completed the top ten. Pato O’Ward was the biggest mover of the race after starting 23rd and finishing 11th. Graham Rahal, David Malukas, Santino Ferrucci, and Christian Rasmussen completed the top 15.

Herta, Conor Daly, Kyffin Simpson, Callum Ilott, and Robert Shwartzman, the highest finishing rookie, finished in the 16-20 positions. Rounding out the rest of the field were Robb, Devlin DeFrancesco, Jacob Abel, Siegel, Power, and Foster.

Palou holds onto a 10-point lead over Dixon going into round two of the 2025 NTT IndyCar Series, The Thermal Club IndyCar Grand Prix. The green flag is Sunday, March 23, at 3:00 P.M.

Alex Palou Starts Title Defense in St. Petersburg Masterclass was originally published on 1075thefan.com