By: Spencer Neff
March 2, 2025

2025 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg Results

Alex Palou kicked off his effort to win a third consecutive NTT INDYCAR SERIES Championship by winning Sunday’s Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.

He started eighth and led the last 26 of 100 laps on the 1.8-mile, 14-turn temporary street circuit in Florida. It is the 12th career INDYCAR victory for the Spaniard and 2nd on a street circuit (Detroit 2023). During his first championship season in 2021, he also won the season opener (Barber Motorsports Park).

Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Scott Dixon got past Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden on the final lap for second and a 1-2 for CGR, finishing 2.8669 seconds behind Palou. It is the fifth runner-up finish at St. Pete for the six-time INDYCAR champion.

Ganassi wins their 137th INDYCAR race and second at St. Petersburg (Dario Franchitti-2011). It is also their first 1-2 since 2023 at Mid-Ohio, when Palou also bested Dixon.

Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden crossed the finish line in third as the best Chevrolet following the Hondas of Ganassi. Teammate Scott McLaughlin would finish fourth after starting on pole and leading a race-high 40 laps.

Andretti Global’s Kyle Kirkwood rounded out the Top Five racing in his home state of Florida.

Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward, the 2024 race winner, improved a field-best 12 positions after qualifying 23rd to finish 11th.

Robert Shwartzman was best among the rookies in the field in 20th. Teammate Callum Ilott was 19th in the first INDYCAR race for new team PREMA Racing.

Race Recap

Turn 3 was once again the trouble spot at the start of the race. Team Penske’s Will Power collided with Arrow McLaren’s Nolan Siegel, making heavy contact with the inside wall. Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s Louis Foster also spun in the accident. All three drivers would see their day come to an end before completing a lap.

The early caution would also provide a chance for the 14 remaining drivers to switch off the alternate Firestone tires which they started the race utilizing.

Rosenqvist pressured McLaughlin at the Lap 7 restart but was unable to grab the lead away.

The Kiwi would hold the lead until Lap 32, handing the lead over to Armstrong, who made his first stop on Lap 35. Herta’s crew would have issues on the right-rear during their stop. After Newgarden, Palou and Dixon led, McLaughlin found his way back to the front on Lap 40.

Armstrong would sustain damage to the left-rear of his suspension, ending his Meyer Shank Racing debut after completing just 46 laps.

Pushing his stint on the alternate tires until the end, Lundgaard made his last pit stop of the afternoon on Lap 70.

On Lap 75, Palou would take the lead of the race and never look back. Slowed by only the caution at the beginning of the race for six laps, the average speed was 97.173 mph. There were nine lead changes between seven drivers in the first of 17 rounds for the 2025 Championship.

Up Next

In three weeks, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES heads to Indio, California for The Termal Club INDYCAR Grand Prix. It will be the first points event at the 3.067-mile, 19-turn road course after it hosted the $1 Million Challenge in 2024, won by Palou.

Practice 1 is scheduled for March 21 at 6:35 p.m. ET. Second practice will be at 1:00 p.m. Et on March 22, with qualifying at 4:00 p.m. ET.

The warmup is set for 11:02 a.m. on March 23 race will be at 3:17 p.m. ET. FOX will begin the broadcast at 3:00 ET. All practice and qualifying sessions will be on FS1 or FS2. Stay with IndyCar1909.com for all the latest on the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.

Header Image By Chris Jones/INDYCAR