By: Spencer Neff
February 27, 2026
Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin kicked off the 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES campaign by leading opening practice for Sunday’s Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. McLaughlin, the 2022 and 2025 pole winner as well as race winner in the former year, posted a best lap of 1m01.102 (106.052 mph) on the 1.8-mile, 14-turn street circuit in Florida.
Meyers Shank Racing’s Felix Rosenqvist, who set the St. Petersburg track record qualifying lap in 2024, was second, with the Honda entry .064 of a second back of McLaughlin’s Chevrolet.
Andretti Global’s Kyle Kirkwood and Marcus Ericsson finished third and fifth, while Chip Ganassi Racing’s Kyffin Simpson sandwiched between them in fourth.
2025 race winner and INDYCAR Champion Alex Palou was sixth, as he looks to repeat in the opener and kick off his fourth consecutive championship season.
St. Petersburg’s close quarters would provide trouble for several drivers in the session, which featured a pair of 12-minute group sessions after the starting on-track period.
Two separate incidents each brought out red flags during the 40-minute full-field session. Dale Coyne Racing’s Dennis Hauger lost a spring on his car, necessitating a five-minute “hold” in the pits for the ensuing red.
Hauger, the 2025 INDY NXT by Firestone champion, would finish 17th in his first IndyCar practice, best among three rookies in this weekend’s 25-car field. Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s Mick Schumacher and A.J. Foyt Racing’s Caio Collet were 23rd and 24th in the session.
Minutes later, Ed Carpenter Racing’s Alexander Rossi spun in Turn 4 but continued on, albeit with the ensuing penalty added.
Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden would cause another red flag after his Turn 14 spin as well.
During the first 12-minute group session, Scott Dixon got loose and sustained a heavy left-front impact against the wall in Turn 8, prompting another red flag. He was quickly seen and released from the INDYCAR Medical Unit.
Early on in the second and final group of the afternoon, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s Louis Foster slid off track and into Turn 14’s tire barriers as Newgarden did and others had near-misses.
Foster’s incident would be the final red flag and penalty of the session.
Up Next
Here is the remaining on-track schedule for the weekend at St. Petersburg. Stick with IndyCar1909.com and our social media platforms to get all the latest on the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.
At-track schedule (All Times Local/Eastern Time):
Saturday, Feb. 28
9:35-11 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice (two groups), FS1
4:35-6 p.m. – Qualifying for the NTT P1 Award (three rounds of knockout qualifying), FS2
Sunday, March 1
9:05-9:35 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES warmup, FS1
Noon – FOX Sports on air
12:22 p.m. – “Drivers, start your engines.”
12:29 p.m. – Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg (100 laps / 181 miles), FOX, FOX Sports Deportes, FOX One and FOX Sports App (Live)
Header Image By Chris Owens/INDYCAR
IndyCar1909.com 