Drivers ready for 2026 edition of St. Pete Grand Prix
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Street racing in St. Pete is right around the corner.
"There's a lot of anticipation for this race weekend," Marcus Armstrong of Meyer Shank Racing said.
That's because this weekend is the beginning of the IndyCar season.
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What they're saying:
"No better place to start than right here on the streets of St. Pete," Armstrong said.
Winning on these streets is vital to becoming an IndyCar Champion.
Big picture view:
"It's important, man," 2014 St. Pete Grand Prix winner Will Power said. "[It's] the first race. You want to stack those points early in the season so you are not clawing back all year."
While this is the first race of the IndyCar season, winning is certainly no easy task. The drivers are crossing their t's and dotting their i's, because perfection is essential.
"You are basically flirting with the walls every lap, every corner," Felix Rosenqvist of Meyer Shank Racing said. " It could be catastrophic consequences if you are half an inch on the wrong end of things."
These drivers know all too well that they need to be calculated with every move.
"Every mistake is unforgiving around here, especially when there are 25 cars around you as well," Dennis Hauger of Meyer Shank Racing said. "You have to be precise."
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Local perspective:
Precision is key in this sport, but especially in St. Pete.
"You want to keep the flow up and the speed up as much as you can," 2022 St. Pete Grand Prix winner Scott McLaughlin said.
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On top of the flow and the speed, the vibes are also up as the drivers aim to take the checkered flag in the first race of the year.
"We are all excited to get started and score as many points as possible and start an amazing season," 2025 St. Pete Grand Prix winner Alex Palou said.
And this is just the start of what should be a fun couple of days in the sunshine city.
"Excited for the challenge, excited for the weekend and love being in St. Pete," Romain Grosjean of Dale Coyne Racing said.
What's next:
The St. Pete Grand Prix gets going on Sunday at 12:30 P.M. It will be televised on FOX.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered by FOX 13's Mark Skol, Jr. during interviews with IndyCar drivers at the St. Pete Yacht Club.