Palou Dominates St. Pete to Open IndyCar Season

Palou, driving for Chip Ganassi Racing, led by more than 14 seconds before his final pit stop and held off a late charge to win the St. Petersburg Grand Prix. Kyle Kirkwood finished second on an alternate strategy, with Scott McLaughlin and Christian Lundgaard completing the podium. Team owner Chip Ganassi noted the competition is working hard to close the gap following Palou's record-breaking 2025 campaign.

The race saw significant attrition, including a multi-car crash involving Sting Ray Robb and IndyCar debutant Mick Schumacher. Will Power also struggled in his first race with Andretti, finishing 31 laps down after crashing earlier in the weekend.