Written by Jackson Lambros, Edited by Meghana Sree
Alex Palou kicked off the 2025 IndyCar Series with a victorious Sunday on the streets of St. Petersburg, fending off Josef Newgarden and Scott Dixon. With his 12th IndyCar Series win, the Spaniard is off to a strong start in his bid for a championship three-peat. Rolling off in eighth, the No.10 crew had to use strategy and quick work in the pits to get him to the front.
He’d get that opportunity right off the bat, as the first and only yellow of the race came just after the first corner. As the field accordioned into turn three, Will Power, with nowhere to go, ploughed into the back of Nolan Siegel, sending both cars into the wall while collecting rookie Louis Foster, ending the weekend for all three.
Palou and most of the field used the yellow to get off of the fragile but fast alternative compounds. That secured the lead to pole-sitter Scott McLaughlin, who would set sail on the restart, leading 40 of the 100 laps.
Those who stayed out on the primaries would go back and forth during pit cycles, with the lead cycling between McLaughlin, Meyer Shank’s Marcus Armstrong and Andretti’s Colton Herta.
That strategy would begin to show cracks, however, as they were forced to use the alternatives in their middle stint. Despite the softer tyre’s blistering pace, the compound struggled to keep speed for more than 10 laps. After switching the compound on Lap 31, McLaughlin cycled back to the front on Lap 39, but could only hold the lead for six laps before they quit, handing the lead over to Christian Lundgaard.
However, Lundgaard’s strategy would falter as well, and resulted in a transition of power in the pack — those who pitted under yellow worked back to the front, as the podium battle quickly shifted over to Palou, Dixon and Newgarden.
Palou would overtake Newgarden on Lap 72, using the clean air of the overcut to get himself in front of the No.2 Penske. Dixon was suffering radio issues and unable to communicate with strategist Mike Hull, he’d drive the car until the fuel light came on and pitted last of the trio.
Newgarden then snatched second from Dixon several laps later but would take the white flag, struggling to make his fuel number. Dixon pounced on the opportunity and grabbed second back in the penultimate corner of the race.
“We had a shift that was unexpected with a lap to go, and we just had to hit the emergency button,” Newgarden recalled. “To have miscues like that and to still finish third I think is a great day in a lot of ways. Pleased to come out of here with points. Obviously, there’s a lot more that could have been.”
Despite the duel behind him and lapped traffic in front of him, Palou would hold on to lead the final 25 laps of the race and win the first race of the year, a result the three-time champion couldn’t be happier with.
“It’s been a long off-season and a tough off-season for everyone at CGR and HRC,” Palou told the press. “I wanted to be here in victory lane but didn’t expect to be here. It shows the amazing job all the men and women at Chip Ganassi Racing did during the off-season.”
Palou’s maiden victory last year was during the Million Dollar Challenge at Thermal Club, and the series heads back to Palm Springs in three weeks for the points-paying Thermal GP on 23rd March 2025.
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