Even the long offseason couldn’t halt Alex Palou’s momentum. The reigning and four-time IndyCar Series champion opened up the 2026 season with a runaway victory on the Streets of St. Petersburg.
Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin finished a distant second, ahead of Arrow McLaren’s Christian Lundgaard. There were periods of tight battles in what was otherwise a straightforward 100-lap race around the 1.8-mile, 14-turn temporary street circuit, which featured just two caution periods.
Let’s take a look at some of the biggest winners and losers from the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.
WINNER: Alex Palou can’t stop, won’t stop
Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing
Photo by: Brandon Badraoui / Lumen via Getty Images
This one’s obvious. Anyone that leads 59 laps and scores a walk-off win by a race-record 12.4948s margin of victory is going to be at the top of this list, and that’s exactly what the Spaniard did on Sunday. The driver of the #10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda started fourth and utilized his notorious pit strategy – this time going for an extended overcut that ran 38 laps on the first stint – to vault frontrunner rivals Scott McLaughlin and Andretti Global’s Marcus Ericsson. From there, it was simply a matter of controlling the pace for Palou, which he did comfortably en route to his 20th victory in career start 99.
LOSER: Scott Dixon’s loose wheel dashes chance of victory
Scott Dixon was poised to be the one for Chip Ganassi Racing, at least until the wheels, literally, fell off. The opening lap caution period left the New Zealander pitting twice – on Lap 2 and 4 – to top off for fuel. In turn, he found himself in position to run away with what would have been his 60th career victory. The six-time series champion found the lead on Lap 38 and pitted the following lap. Upon rejoining is when everything unraveled as the right-rear was not secured and came off as he approached Turn 4. He ended up in the run-off area, with his wheel skating by and colliding with the tire barriers. The incident, which left Dixon finishing 23rd, brought out the second caution and officially elevated his teammate, Palou, to the lead.
WINNER: Josef Newgarden marches through the field
Josef Newgarden, Team Penske
Photo by: Gavin Baker / Lumen via Getty Images
Josef Newgarden turned his weekend around with a march through the field from 23rd to seventh. It was the kind of rebound the Tennessee native desperately needed after multiple issues in the buildup, with an off into the tire barriers in Turn 13 in opening practice, and then faltering in qualifying. In all, the driver of the #2 Team Penske Chevrolet called it a “boring day” as he leaned on strategy calls by race strategist – and Penske Racing President – Jonathan Diuguid. Gaining 16 positions to score a strong top 10 finish undoubtedly helps Newgarden carry momentum into the next round at Phoenix Raceway, where he is the most recent winner when IndyCar last raced there in 2018.
LOSER: Will Power’s no good, very bad weekend
Will Power, Andretti Global
Photo by: Michael L. Levitt / Lumen via Getty Images
Will Power was carrying a ton of buzz into this next phase of his career with Andretti Global, but it has started off on a rough note. Struggles in opening practice were met with a crash less than three minutes into the second session in Turn 10. Things appeared promising after his #26 Honda was repaired and he narrowly missed out on the Fast 12 in qualifying, ending up 13th. That would all be short-lived, however, as the Aussie, who turned 45 on the day of the race, found Turn 10 again after 20 laps. He was put behind the wall for extensive repairs, but returned to complete 55 laps and finished 22nd.
WINNER: Dale Coyne Racing shines in the Florida sun
Dennis Hauger, Dale Coyne Racing Honda
Photo by: Penske Entertainment
The duo of rookie Dennis Hauger and veteran Romain Grosjean executed a remarkable weekend for Dale Coyne Racing. Not only did both drivers make the Fast Six, led by Hauger’s third-place run in qualifying, the pair converted the outing into a double top 10 outing. Both Grosjean, 39, and Hauger, 22, were regulars in the top 10 throughout, only falling down the running order during pit cycles. In the end, it was the Swiss-born Frenchman Grosjean leading the way, with his #18 Honda crossing the finish line eighth, with the ‘Norwegian Nightmare’ Hauger’s #19 in 10th.
LOSER: Mick Schumacher gets stung
Mick Schumacher’s much-anticipated debut in North America’s premier open-wheel championship ended seconds after taking the green flag. On the approach to Turn 4 during the opening lap, 26-year-old German was left with nowhere to go as the collision between Sting Ray Robb (Juncos Hollinger Racing) and Santino Ferrucci (AJ Foyt Racing) blocked the track. The collision led to Schumacher’s #47 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda climbing over the back of Ferrucci’s #14 Chevrolet. It is an awful result considering the biggest thing Schumacher, son of seven-time Formula 1 World Champion Michael Schumacher, needs is experience in an Indy car. Now, with limited running alongside his competitors, the uphill climb just got even more steep as he braces for his first oval start this upcoming weekend in Phoenix.
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