Alex Palou, Honda win St. Petersburg, Again!
Streets of St. Petersburg
・Chip Ganassi Racing's Alex Palou goes back-to-back in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES season opener at St. Pete
・Palou seeks his fifth series championship following stellar 2025 season
・Kyle Kirkwood narrowly misses out on podium finish for Andretti Global
Reigning and four-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Alex Palou began his 2026 right where he ended 2025, at the top.
The Chip Ganassi Racing driver drove his Honda-powered #10 machine to victory lane at the season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg for the second-consecutive year. The Spaniard is looking to repeat the success of his 2025 season, which saw him win eight races, including both St. Pete and the Indianapolis 500 en route to his third-consecutive championship and fourth title in five years.
This victory marks Alex Palou's 20th NTT INDYCAR SERIES victory in 99 race starts—all powered by Honda.
Kyle Kirkwood drove an impressive Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, finishing fourth in his home race. The Floridian started 15th and carved his way through the field over the 100-lap event. The Andretti Global driver climbed as high as second before increased tire degradation saw him slip to fourth place in the closing laps of the race.
Other Honda-powered finishers in the top-10 include Kirkwood's Andretti Global teammate Marcus Ericsson in sixth, Dale Coyne Racing's Romain Grosjean in eighth and Grosjean's DCR teammate, Rookie Dennis Hauger in 10th.
Next
The NTT INDYCAR SERIES head to Phoenix for a doubleheader with the NASCAR Cup Series at Phoenix Raceway—the Good Ranchers 250 on Saturday March 7th.
We did it, we're back baby! We just won here again in St. Pete and it was an amazing race. We just felt like we had so much power today from Honda. We couldn't have started the season in a better way. I'm so pumped, so happy. Thank you to all the fans that came to the track this weekend and to those watching at home. I already can't wait for Phoenix next week!
We did it, we're back baby! We just won here again in St. Pete and it was an amazing race. We just felt like we had so much power today from Honda. We couldn't have started the season in a better way. I'm so pumped, so happy. Thank you to all the fans that came to the track this weekend and to those watching at home. I already can't wait for Phoenix next week!
It was a great day overall for the #27 crew and for Honda with Palou's win and us in fourth. We were running in second for the majority of that last stint, but I ultimately just had too much tire degradation. It was beautiful race, and we had some beautiful pace. Everything went great—reliability, fuel saving, everything was up to par. We drove from 15th to fourth, which is a huge deal in the IndyCar series. Everybody knows how hard that is to accomplish, so it was a big day for us in the #27 car.
It was a great day overall for the #27 crew and for Honda with Palou's win and us in fourth. We were running in second for the majority of that last stint, but I ultimately just had too much tire degradation. It was beautiful race, and we had some beautiful pace. Everything went great—reliability, fuel saving, everything was up to par. We drove from 15th to fourth, which is a huge deal in the IndyCar series. Everybody knows how hard that is to accomplish, so it was a big day for us in the #27 car.
It's so great to get the season underway. Congratulations to IndyCar, this place was packed this weekend. Racing is very much alive and well in St. Pete, which was delightful to see. Huge congratulations to the mythical Alex Palou, who did what Alex Palou does, with the mythical CGR team who did what they do best. And of course, my heartfelt thanks to all the men and women at Honda Racing Corporation USA who worked hard during the winter with full attention to detail and continue to show what they are made of and work together brilliantly. This is a great start to the season. We realize how tough this is to achieve and we take nothing for granted. Well done, team!
It's so great to get the season underway. Congratulations to IndyCar, this place was packed this weekend. Racing is very much alive and well in St. Pete, which was delightful to see. Huge congratulations to the mythical Alex Palou, who did what Alex Palou does, with the mythical CGR team who did what they do best. And of course, my heartfelt thanks to all the men and women at Honda Racing Corporation USA who worked hard during the winter with full attention to detail and continue to show what they are made of and work together brilliantly. This is a great start to the season. We realize how tough this is to achieve and we take nothing for granted. Well done, team!
