The 2024 IndyCar season had its first winner: Josef Newgarden. The driver, who has already won the championship twice, started the weekend on the right foot by securing pole position and maintained his lead for most of the race.
Despite fierce competition in the early laps, Newgarden managed to pull away from the other competitors in the final stretch, showcasing his impressive form. He crossed the finish line with a lead of almost eight seconds, securing his third victory on the streets of St. Petersburg.
Pato O’Ward finished in second place, sandwiched between Team Penske drivers Scott McLaughlin and Will Power. McLaughlin and Power had a great recovery, moving up from ninth and eighth positions on the starting grid, but were unable to challenge their teammate at the front due to their initial positions.
Colton Herta completed the top five, being the first Honda driver to cross the finish line on Sunday afternoon with his #26 car from the Andretti Global team.
Overall, the race unfolded without much drama. Although there were some incidents, they mainly involved individual cars and did not affect the race leaders.
Despite the typical coastal humidity, the drivers emerged from their cars after 100 laps relatively unscathed.
However, not all drivers completed the full race, with Marcus Armstrong facing issues early on. He lost control of his car while braking in turn 10, with no opportunity to recover.
Unable to navigate the turn, Armstrong collided with the tire barriers, followed by a collision with the concrete wall in his Chip Ganassi Racing Honda car.
Shortly after the race resumed, Sting Ray Robb retired after entering the run-off area of turn 1. Unfortunately, his issue proved to be terminal, and the AMR safety team had to assist in removing his car from the track.
Marcus Ericsson also experienced mechanical problems, forcing him to retire after entering the pits and compromising his chances of a good result in his debut for the Andretti Global team. He finished in 25th place.
The next yellow flag was caused by Linus Lundqvist, who also ended up in the tire barriers at turn 10 with his CGR Honda car. Romain Grosjean received a penalty for attempting to pass Lundqvist on the inside, but the Swede was able to return to the track after replacing the rear wing.
With the first race concluded, the 27 drivers on the grid will eagerly await a special all-star exhibition event in two weeks, where a $1 million prize will be at stake.
