Firestone Grand Prix Of St. Petersburg: New Pairings Set Stage In NTT INDYCAR SERIES Opener
The NTT INDYCAR SERIES roared to life on March 02, 2025, with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, kicking off a 17-race season filled with anticipation. The Motorsports Journal team spotlighted several intriguing driver-team combinations poised to disrupt the established order, bringing fresh dynamics to a grid dominated by titans like Team Penske, Chip Ganassi Racing, and Andretti Global. As the streets of St. Petersburg came alive with the sound of engines, these pairings hinted at a season of surprises.
Key Driver-Team Pairings to Watch in 2025
Alexander Rossi now carries his veteran savvy to Ed Carpenter Racing, marking his latest chapter under Chevrolet power after stints with Andretti Global and Arrow McLaren. Known for his 2016 Indianapolis 500 triumph, Rossi’s ability to adapt to new machinery and team cultures positions him as a driver to watch. His experience could prove pivotal, especially when the series rolls into Indy in May.
Christian Lundgaard stepping into Rossi’s former seat at Arrow McLaren, arrives with a point to prove. The Danish driver flashed potential during his Rookie of the Year campaign with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing but struggled to convert starts into podiums. With Arrow McLaren’s resources and Chevrolet backing, Lundgaard might finally unlock the consistency needed to challenge the frontrunners.
Rinus VeeKay trades Ed Carpenter Racing for Dale Coyne Racing, stepping into a lead role at a team hungry for results. The Dutchman’s occasional brilliance—highlighted by a win at Indianapolis in 2021—has yet to translate into sustained success. If Dale Coyne Racing can harness VeeKay’s raw speed, 2025 could mark his breakout year.
Callum Ilott returns to INDYCAR with PREMA Racing, a powerhouse stepping into the series for the first time. With 38 starts and five top-10 finishes from his earlier tenure, Ilott brings a knack for guiding new teams, honed during his time with Juncos Hollinger Racing. PREMA’s pedigree in junior formulas suggests they could hit the ground running, and Ilott’s steady hand might steer them toward early success.
The Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg wasted no time delivering chaos. On the opening lap, a Turn 3 pileup set the tone: Arrow McLaren’s rookie Nolan Siegel collided with Team Penske’s Will Power, whose car then collected Rahal Letterman Lanigan’s debutant Louis Foster. The incident underscored the tight margins of street-circuit racing and left teams scrambling to adjust strategies.
While the top nine cars - led by the likes of Colton Herta, Josef Newgarden, and Scott Dixon—opted to stay out during the ensuing caution, a group including Herta, Newgarden, Dixon, Alex Palou, Kyle Kirkwood, Rinus VeeKay, and Marcus Ericsson dove into the pits. Swapping their mandatory soft-compound Firestone tires for the harder primary compound, these drivers banked on early stops to gain track position later. The split strategies hinted at a tactical chess match unfolding across the 100-lap race.
For the spotlighted pairings, the opener provided a mixed bag. Rossi’s experience with Ed Carpenter Racing kept him in contention among the leaders, while Lundgaard navigated the chaos at Arrow McLaren with a steady debut. VeeKay’s early pit call at Dale Coyne Racing showed promise, though he’d need to claw back positions. Ilott and PREMA Racing avoided the Turn 3 mess, quietly building momentum, while Malukas at AJ Foyt Racing fought to stay in the midfield pack, shaking off rust from his time away.
As the checkered flag loomed, the race tested these new alliances under pressure. All the while, established teams asserted their early dominance - Penske’s Newgarden and Ganassi’s Dixon looked poised for strong finishes - the fresh pairings offered glimpses of what might come. The St. Petersburg streets, unforgiving as ever, served notice: 2025 could be a season where new names will have trouble rising to the fore.
Despite early shake-ups and strategic plays, the established stars prevailed. Alex Palou, after 138 days since his season Championship victory, kicked off the season with another dominant win.
His Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Scott Dixon followed in P2 with a last lap pass due to Josef Newgarden's car was falling short of fuel, while Team Penske’s teammates Josef Newgarden and pole-sitter Scott McLaughlin finished P3 and P4, respectively.
Andretti Global drivers Kyle Kirkwood and Marcus Ericsson rounded out the top six, solidifying their team’s competitive standing early in the season.
Key Driver-Team Pairings Opening Race Finishes
P8 - Christian Lundgaard - No. 7 Arrow Mclaren Chevrolet
P9 - Rinus VeeKay - No. 18 Dale Coyne Racing Honda
P10 - Alexander Rossi - No. 20 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet
P13 - David Malukas - No. 4 AJ Foyt Chevrolet
P19 - Callum Ilott - No. 90 PREMA Racing Chevrolet
The NTT INDYCAR SERIES roared to life on March 02, 2025, with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, kicking off a 17-race season filled with anticipation. The Motorsports Journal team spotlighted several intriguing driver-team combinations poised to disrupt the established order, bringing fresh dynamics to a grid dominated by titans like Team Penske, Chip Ganassi Racing, and Andretti Global. As the streets of St. Petersburg came alive with the sound of engines, these pairings hinted at a season of surprises.
Key Driver-Team Pairings to Watch in 2025
Alexander Rossi now carries his veteran savvy to Ed Carpenter Racing, marking his latest chapter under Chevrolet power after stints with Andretti Global and Arrow McLaren. Known for his 2016 Indianapolis 500 triumph, Rossi’s ability to adapt to new machinery and team cultures positions him as a driver to watch. His experience could prove pivotal, especially when the series rolls into Indy in May.
Christian Lundgaard stepping into Rossi’s former seat at Arrow McLaren, arrives with a point to prove. The Danish driver flashed potential during his Rookie of the Year campaign with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing but struggled to convert starts into podiums. With Arrow McLaren’s resources and Chevrolet backing, Lundgaard might finally unlock the consistency needed to challenge the frontrunners.
Rinus VeeKay trades Ed Carpenter Racing for Dale Coyne Racing, stepping into a lead role at a team hungry for results. The Dutchman’s occasional brilliance—highlighted by a win at Indianapolis in 2021—has yet to translate into sustained success. If Dale Coyne Racing can harness VeeKay’s raw speed, 2025 could mark his breakout year.
Callum Ilott returns to INDYCAR with PREMA Racing, a powerhouse stepping into the series for the first time. With 38 starts and five top-10 finishes from his earlier tenure, Ilott brings a knack for guiding new teams, honed during his time with Juncos Hollinger Racing. PREMA’s pedigree in junior formulas suggests they could hit the ground running, and Ilott’s steady hand might steer them toward early success.
David Malukas joins AJ Foyt Racing alongside Santino Ferrucci, eager to rewrite a career narrative interrupted by misfortune. A rising star in INDY NXT, Malukas saw his Arrow McLaren opportunity slip away last year after a wrist injury from a bicycle accident sidelined him. Now healthy and paired with a team looking to climb the standings, he aims to showcase the talent that once marked him as a future star.
These drivers, each with a blend of untapped potential and fierce determination, entered St. Petersburg ready to challenge the status quo. Could they upset the dominance of Penske, Ganassi, and Andretti? The season opener offered the first clues.
These drivers, each with a blend of untapped potential and fierce determination, entered St. Petersburg ready to challenge the status quo. Could they upset the dominance of Penske, Ganassi, and Andretti? The season opener offered the first clues.
Scott Dixon, Alex Palou and Josef Newgarden - Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg - Image Credit: Chris Owens via Penske Entertainment (2025)
Race Recap: Drama Unfolds in St. Petersburg
The Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg wasted no time delivering chaos. On the opening lap, a Turn 3 pileup set the tone: Arrow McLaren’s rookie Nolan Siegel collided with Team Penske’s Will Power, whose car then collected Rahal Letterman Lanigan’s debutant Louis Foster. The incident underscored the tight margins of street-circuit racing and left teams scrambling to adjust strategies.
While the top nine cars - led by the likes of Colton Herta, Josef Newgarden, and Scott Dixon—opted to stay out during the ensuing caution, a group including Herta, Newgarden, Dixon, Alex Palou, Kyle Kirkwood, Rinus VeeKay, and Marcus Ericsson dove into the pits. Swapping their mandatory soft-compound Firestone tires for the harder primary compound, these drivers banked on early stops to gain track position later. The split strategies hinted at a tactical chess match unfolding across the 100-lap race.
For the spotlighted pairings, the opener provided a mixed bag. Rossi’s experience with Ed Carpenter Racing kept him in contention among the leaders, while Lundgaard navigated the chaos at Arrow McLaren with a steady debut. VeeKay’s early pit call at Dale Coyne Racing showed promise, though he’d need to claw back positions. Ilott and PREMA Racing avoided the Turn 3 mess, quietly building momentum, while Malukas at AJ Foyt Racing fought to stay in the midfield pack, shaking off rust from his time away.
As the checkered flag loomed, the race tested these new alliances under pressure. All the while, established teams asserted their early dominance - Penske’s Newgarden and Ganassi’s Dixon looked poised for strong finishes - the fresh pairings offered glimpses of what might come. The St. Petersburg streets, unforgiving as ever, served notice: 2025 could be a season where new names will have trouble rising to the fore.
Despite early shake-ups and strategic plays, the established stars prevailed. Alex Palou, after 138 days since his season Championship victory, kicked off the season with another dominant win.
His Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Scott Dixon followed in P2 with a last lap pass due to Josef Newgarden's car was falling short of fuel, while Team Penske’s teammates Josef Newgarden and pole-sitter Scott McLaughlin finished P3 and P4, respectively.
Andretti Global drivers Kyle Kirkwood and Marcus Ericsson rounded out the top six, solidifying their team’s competitive standing early in the season.
Key Driver-Team Pairings Opening Race Finishes
P8 - Christian Lundgaard - No. 7 Arrow Mclaren Chevrolet
P9 - Rinus VeeKay - No. 18 Dale Coyne Racing Honda
P10 - Alexander Rossi - No. 20 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet
P13 - David Malukas - No. 4 AJ Foyt Chevrolet
P19 - Callum Ilott - No. 90 PREMA Racing Chevrolet
While these established young challengers with new teams showed promise, the season opener proved that the established frontrunners remain the teams to beat. With 16 races still to go, will this new wave of talent find their breakthrough moment? Stay tuned.
... notes from The EDJE
Post Script:
The numbers are in for FOX’s first INDYCAR Series broadcast, and the audience who watched Alex Palou and Josef Newgarden battle for victory was measured at 1.417 million viewers, a steep increase from last year’s race. Using the previous St. Petersburg race as a guide, the live 2024 broadcast with previous network partner on NBC generated an audience of 974,700 combined viewers using the TAD (Total Audience Delivery) metric that includes live streaming. FOX does not use TAD.
In the move to FOX, INDYCAR received an audience increase of 442,300 viewers, and according to the broadcaster, this ranks as the most-watched INDYCAR race on network television (outside the Indy 500) in 14 years. Minus streaming info, FOX Sports also reported Friday’s airing of opening practice on its FOX Sports 1 cable channel had 95,000 viewers. The strong viewership signals a promising start for INDYCAR’s new broadcast era, amplifying the spotlight on both its established stars and rising talents.
TAGS: NTT, INDYCAR SERIES, Firestone Grand Prix Of St. Petersburg, FOX Sports, Christian Lundgaard, Rinus VeeKay, Alexander Rossi, David Malukas, Callum Ilott, The EDJE
The numbers are in for FOX’s first INDYCAR Series broadcast, and the audience who watched Alex Palou and Josef Newgarden battle for victory was measured at 1.417 million viewers, a steep increase from last year’s race. Using the previous St. Petersburg race as a guide, the live 2024 broadcast with previous network partner on NBC generated an audience of 974,700 combined viewers using the TAD (Total Audience Delivery) metric that includes live streaming. FOX does not use TAD.
In the move to FOX, INDYCAR received an audience increase of 442,300 viewers, and according to the broadcaster, this ranks as the most-watched INDYCAR race on network television (outside the Indy 500) in 14 years. Minus streaming info, FOX Sports also reported Friday’s airing of opening practice on its FOX Sports 1 cable channel had 95,000 viewers. The strong viewership signals a promising start for INDYCAR’s new broadcast era, amplifying the spotlight on both its established stars and rising talents.
TAGS: NTT, INDYCAR SERIES, Firestone Grand Prix Of St. Petersburg, FOX Sports, Christian Lundgaard, Rinus VeeKay, Alexander Rossi, David Malukas, Callum Ilott, The EDJE
