Round 1 2026: Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, Feb 27-March 1
Round 1 2026: Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, Feb 27 - March 1
The long off season is almost over with Practice 1, for Round 1, of the 2026 NTT IndyCar Series, the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg starting this Friday at 1:30 PM ET.
This year will be the 23rd running of the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, on the current course and the 22nd running as an IndyCar race.
St. Petersburg has traditionally been the season opener for the IndyCar series, the exceptions being 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
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History
The event 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. The race 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 1985–1990 waterfront circuit. In 2004, it was cancelled due to a dispute between the promoters but returned in 2005, this time as part of the IRL IndyCar Series, making it the first non-oval race for the Indy Racing League and becoming a perennial event on the race calendar.
In 2020 and 2021, both seasons were disrupted by the Covid pandemic with the 2020 race intially cancelled, though it was eventually reinstated as the season finale. In 2021, St. Petersburg swaped places with Barber Motosports Park, which then became the season opener. However, in 2022 St. Peterburg returnead as the season opener.
In 2022, Firestone debuted its green-banded race tires, with sidewalls made from sustainable guayule rubber, at the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix in Nashville. In 2023 they were used at all 5 street races starting at St. Petersburg and have now become part of the IndyCar street race program.
Some Trivia:
The driver with most wins: 3
Hélio Castroneves, 2006, 2007, 2012.
The team with most wins: 13,
Team Penske, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2022.
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Track Layout:
Length: 1.8 Miles (2.9 Km)
Turns: 14
Lap Record:
Felix Rosenqvist Mar 9, 2024. 59.271, 109.329 Mph (175.948 km/h).
Meyer Shank Racing,
Dallara IR18-Honda HI24TT V-6.
ITT IndyCar Series.
-
Last Year's Race
https://www.indycar.com/news/2025/03...cs-race-stpete
Pole:
Scott McLaughlin
Team Penske,
Dallara IR18-Chevrolet Indy V6
Winner:
Alex Palou
Chip Ganassi Racing,
Dallara IR18-Honda HI25TT Indy V6
Fastest lap: Josef Newgarden - Team Penske
61.6900 sec.
105.041 Mph (169.047 Km/h)
Lap 89
Laps 100
Distance 180 Miles (289.681 Km)
Race Time 1:51:29.5954
Average Speed 96.867 Mph, (155.892 Km/h)
Caution periods: 1
Laps: 6
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Practice and Qualifications
For those of you with access to Sky Sports F1, every practice session, Qualifications and the race will be broadcast live.
Practice 1
Friday, Feb 27.
FS1 1:30 PM ET
Sky Sports F1 6:30 PM GMT
Practice 2
Saturday, Feb 28
FS1 9:30 AM ET
Sky Sports F1 2:30 PM GMT
Qualifications
Saturday, Feb 28
FS2 4:30 PM ET
Sky Sports F1 9:30 PM GMT
-
Race Broadcast:
Sunday, March 1.
Fox: 12:00 PM ET, 5:00 PM UTC.
Sky Sports F1: 5:00 PM GMT.
The long off season is almost over with Practice 1, for Round 1, of the 2026 NTT IndyCar Series, the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg starting this Friday at 1:30 PM ET.
This year will be the 23rd running of the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, on the current course and the 22nd running as an IndyCar race.
St. Petersburg has traditionally been the season opener for the IndyCar series, the exceptions being 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
-
History
The event 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. The race 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 1985–1990 waterfront circuit. In 2004, it was cancelled due to a dispute between the promoters but returned in 2005, this time as part of the IRL IndyCar Series, making it the first non-oval race for the Indy Racing League and becoming a perennial event on the race calendar.
In 2020 and 2021, both seasons were disrupted by the Covid pandemic with the 2020 race intially cancelled, though it was eventually reinstated as the season finale. In 2021, St. Petersburg swaped places with Barber Motosports Park, which then became the season opener. However, in 2022 St. Peterburg returnead as the season opener.
In 2022, Firestone debuted its green-banded race tires, with sidewalls made from sustainable guayule rubber, at the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix in Nashville. In 2023 they were used at all 5 street races starting at St. Petersburg and have now become part of the IndyCar street race program.
Some Trivia:
The driver with most wins: 3
Hélio Castroneves, 2006, 2007, 2012.
The team with most wins: 13,
Team Penske, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2022.
-
Track Layout:
Length: 1.8 Miles (2.9 Km)
Turns: 14
Lap Record:
Felix Rosenqvist Mar 9, 2024. 59.271, 109.329 Mph (175.948 km/h).
Meyer Shank Racing,
Dallara IR18-Honda HI24TT V-6.
ITT IndyCar Series.
-
Last Year's Race
https://www.indycar.com/news/2025/03...cs-race-stpete
Pole:
Scott McLaughlin
Team Penske,
Dallara IR18-Chevrolet Indy V6
Winner:
Alex Palou
Chip Ganassi Racing,
Dallara IR18-Honda HI25TT Indy V6
Fastest lap: Josef Newgarden - Team Penske
61.6900 sec.
105.041 Mph (169.047 Km/h)
Lap 89
Laps 100
Distance 180 Miles (289.681 Km)
Race Time 1:51:29.5954
Average Speed 96.867 Mph, (155.892 Km/h)
Caution periods: 1
Laps: 6
-
Practice and Qualifications
For those of you with access to Sky Sports F1, every practice session, Qualifications and the race will be broadcast live.
Practice 1
Friday, Feb 27.
FS1 1:30 PM ET
Sky Sports F1 6:30 PM GMT
Practice 2
Saturday, Feb 28
FS1 9:30 AM ET
Sky Sports F1 2:30 PM GMT
Qualifications
Saturday, Feb 28
FS2 4:30 PM ET
Sky Sports F1 9:30 PM GMT
-
Race Broadcast:
Sunday, March 1.
Fox: 12:00 PM ET, 5:00 PM UTC.
Sky Sports F1: 5:00 PM GMT.