Round 2: Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, 23-25 April.
Round 2: Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, 23-25 April.
Like last year, the start of this season has been effected by the Covid-19 pandemic and for a second year in a row, it was decided that the season opener, scheduled for March 7 and which has traditionally been held at St. Petersburg since 2005, would not go ahead. However, instead of the race initially being cancelled like last year, it was put back swapping with Barber Motorsports Park, which held the 2021 season opener last weekend.
This year's race will be the 17th running on the current course and the 16th as an IndyCar event. The race was first held as part of the SCCA Trans-Am Series, on the downtown waterfront circuit, from 1985-1990 but when local residents and businesses complained about the noise it was cancelled. It returned briefly from 1996-1997 on a new course around Tropicana Field.
After a second hiatus, the event returned in 2003 but as a Champ Car race, using a modified layout of the original 1985–90 waterfront circuit. In 2004, the event was cancelled due to a dispute between the promoters but returned in 2005, this time as part of the IRL IndyCar Series, making this the first non-oval event for the Indy Racing League.
Some trivia:
The driver with most wins: Hélio Castroneves, 2006, 2007, 2012.
The team with most wins: Team Penske, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020.
Track layout:
Length: 1.8 Miles (2.9 Km)
Turns: 14
Lap record:
Jordan King 1:00.0476, 107.914 Mph (173.670 km/h).
Ed Carpenter Racing,
Dallara IR18-Chevy IndyCar V6.
Verizon IndyCar Series.
Last year's race:
https://www.motorsport.com/indycar/n...paign=widget-6
Pole:
Will Power, 1:01.0369, 106.165 mph, (170.856 Km/h)
Team Penske,
Dallara IR18-Chevy IndyCar V6.
Winner:
Josef Newgarden,
Team Penske,
Dallara IR18-Chevy IndyCar V6.
Laps 100
Distance 180 Miles (289.681 Km)
Race Time 2:06:12.5948
Average Speed 85.872 Mph, (138.197 Km/h)
Fastest lap: Marcus Ericsson, Chip Ganassi Racing, Lap 52. 61.7350 sec, 104.965 mph (168.924 km/h)
Caution periods: 6
Laps 26: 36-39, 41-45, 47-51, 70-73, 75-78, 80-83.
Race Broadcast:
Sunday, April 25.
NBC, 12:00pm ET, 4:00pm UTC.
Sky Sports F1, 5:00pm BST.
Like last year, the start of this season has been effected by the Covid-19 pandemic and for a second year in a row, it was decided that the season opener, scheduled for March 7 and which has traditionally been held at St. Petersburg since 2005, would not go ahead. However, instead of the race initially being cancelled like last year, it was put back swapping with Barber Motorsports Park, which held the 2021 season opener last weekend.
This year's race will be the 17th running on the current course and the 16th as an IndyCar event. The race was first held as part of the SCCA Trans-Am Series, on the downtown waterfront circuit, from 1985-1990 but when local residents and businesses complained about the noise it was cancelled. It returned briefly from 1996-1997 on a new course around Tropicana Field.
After a second hiatus, the event returned in 2003 but as a Champ Car race, using a modified layout of the original 1985–90 waterfront circuit. In 2004, the event was cancelled due to a dispute between the promoters but returned in 2005, this time as part of the IRL IndyCar Series, making this the first non-oval event for the Indy Racing League.
Some trivia:
The driver with most wins: Hélio Castroneves, 2006, 2007, 2012.
The team with most wins: Team Penske, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020.
Track layout:
Length: 1.8 Miles (2.9 Km)
Turns: 14
Lap record:
Jordan King 1:00.0476, 107.914 Mph (173.670 km/h).
Ed Carpenter Racing,
Dallara IR18-Chevy IndyCar V6.
Verizon IndyCar Series.
Last year's race:
https://www.motorsport.com/indycar/n...paign=widget-6
Pole:
Will Power, 1:01.0369, 106.165 mph, (170.856 Km/h)
Team Penske,
Dallara IR18-Chevy IndyCar V6.
Winner:
Josef Newgarden,
Team Penske,
Dallara IR18-Chevy IndyCar V6.
Laps 100
Distance 180 Miles (289.681 Km)
Race Time 2:06:12.5948
Average Speed 85.872 Mph, (138.197 Km/h)
Fastest lap: Marcus Ericsson, Chip Ganassi Racing, Lap 52. 61.7350 sec, 104.965 mph (168.924 km/h)
Caution periods: 6
Laps 26: 36-39, 41-45, 47-51, 70-73, 75-78, 80-83.
Race Broadcast:
Sunday, April 25.
NBC, 12:00pm ET, 4:00pm UTC.
Sky Sports F1, 5:00pm BST.