The first race of the 2019 season is set to hit the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida on March 10. There will be 24 entries into the race on Sunday, which equals the amount of entries in 2018. The Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg was initially run in the Champ Car Series in 2003, but it has been a part of the NTT IndyCar Series since 2005. It has been the season opening-race since 2009, leading to lots of doubt and questions about which team will emerge on top entering the race each year.
Sebastien Bourdais has won the last two installments of the race, and only four active drivers have ever stood atop the podium at St. Pete’s. Graham Rahal won the race all the way back in 2008, James Hinchliffe won in 2013 and Will Power has finished on top in 2010 and 2014. Power has started on pole position an unbelievable seven times at St. Pete’s, with all seven coming between 2010 and 2017. He also qualified on the front row last season.
The race distance was increased to 110 laps in 2013, which raised it from 180 miles to 198. Since the switch, the race has lasted anywhere between 2 hours and 4 minutes to 2 hours and 22 minutes. Three rookies started within the top-four in the 2018 race, but Matheus Leist and Jordan King never got close to replicating that kind of pace for the rest of the season.
Team Penske has been the most successful team on track by far, winning eight of the 14 races since 2005. Bourdais won the race in 2017 after qualifying in last place, and he stormed back from 14th to grab the victory in 2018. Last year’s race was drama-filled as Alexander Rossi and rookie Robert Wickens battled into turn one on a restart on the final lap. Rossi dove inside and punted Wickens, effectively ending his race as Rossi came in third place. Bourdias benefited from the crash as he came home in front after a caution to end the race.
Race Predictions
Pole: Will Power
Winner: Will Power
2nd place: Alexander Rossi
3rd place: Scott Dixon
These three were the top drivers for the majority of last season, and I think that success will carry over into 2019. While Power hasn’t always converted his poles to wins at St. Pete’s, I think he will start off 2019 on a high note after four podiums in his final five races in 2018. Rossi and Dixon will continue to fight for wins this year, and they should be in close contention entering week two at Circuit of the Americas.
Race: 12:30 p.m. CST, NBC Sports Network
Push2Pass 