The 2026 NTT IndyCar Series began on Sunday afternoon on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida, with Alex Palou claiming a commanding victory. Palou’s performance solidified his place early in the season by leading most of the final stages and winning by a sizable margin.
Early Incidents and Lead Changes Mark the Race
Scott McLaughlin started on pole position, closely followed by Marcus Ericsson in second. The race faced its first interruption on the opening lap after Sting Ray Robb, Mick Schumacher, and Santino Ferrucci collided at Turn 4, triggering the first caution. McLaughlin held the lead for the first 35 laps before pitting. Throughout the race, several drivers including Ericsson, Scott Dixon, and Luis Foster took turns leading.
During a pit sequence, Dixon encountered a significant setback when his right rear tire was not secured properly, causing him to lose the wheel on lap 42 and bringing out a second caution. Dixon’s day ended prematurely with a 23rd place finish.
Palou Dominates the Final Stages to Earn His 20th Career Win
Following Foster’s pit stop, Palou moved to the front and controlled the race by leading 56 of the remaining 58 laps. He crossed the finish line 12.4948 seconds ahead of McLaughlin, marking his second straight victory at St. Petersburg and his 20th win in 99 IndyCar starts.
Palou joins a select group of drivers who have won consecutive races at St. Petersburg, including Josef Newgarden (2019-2020), Helio Castroneves (2006-2007), Juan Pablo Montoya (2015-2016), and Sebastien Bourdais (2017-2018).
Top Finishers and Upcoming Race Details
Completing the top five were Christian Lundgaard, Kyle Kirkwood, and Pato O’Ward. The rest of the top ten featured Marcus Ericsson, Josef Newgarden, Roman Grosjean, Rinus VeeKay, and Dennis Hauger. Throughout the event, eight lead changes occurred among seven different drivers, keeping the competition intense.
The IndyCar Series will move on to Phoenix Raceway next Saturday, March 7, with the race set to start at 3 pm and broadcast live on Fox.
