The 2026 IndyCar season is about to get underway with the season-opening Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. Alex Palou enters as the defending champion, and the dominant Chip Ganassi Racing driver eyes a fifth crown.
There are several faces in new places, including veteran Will Power, who leaves Penske for a new home at Andretti. David Malukas will take Power’s place as the driver of the #12, and there are three rookies competing full-time. Those new challengers are Mick Schumacher, Dennis Hauger, and Caio Collet.
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IndyCar will be joined by the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at St. Pete, as the third level of NASCAR takes on a street course for the first time in its 30+ years of existence. Former IndyCar stars Dario Franchitti and James Hinchcliffe will be on the grid, as will IMSA veteran Colin Braun.
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Friday, February 27
12:30pm EST — Indy NXT practice — FOX SPORTS 2
1:35pm EST — IndyCar Practice #1 — FOX SPORTS 2
4pm EST — NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series practice — FOX SPORTS 2
5pm EST — NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series qualifying — FOX SPORTS 2
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Saturday, February 28
8:30am EST — Indy NXT practice — FOX SPORTS 1
9:35am EST — IndyCar Practice #2 — FOX SPORTS 1
12pm EST — NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race (80 laps) — FOX
3:05pm EST — Indy NXT qualifying — FOX SPORTS 2
4:30pm EST — IndyCar qualifying — FOX SPORTS 2
Sunday, March 1
9:05am EST — IndyCar warmup — FOX SPORTS 1
10:05am EST — Indy NXT race (45 laps) — FOX SPORTS 1
12pm EST — IndyCar pre-race — FOX
12:22pm EST — Green flag for IndyCar Grand Prix of St. Petersburg (100 laps) — FOX
Scott McLaughlin, Team Penske
Scott McLaughlin, Team Penske
How can I watch the IndyCar season-opener at St. Pete?
Date: Sunday, March 1 TV start time: 12pm EST TV channel: FOX | TSN (Canada) | Other international viewing options Streaming: FOX ONE Radio: IndyCar Radio
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Weather forecast
While Sunday looks clear, there is a 50% chance of late afternoon thunderstorms on Friday, with that chance increasing to over 80% throughout the day on Saturday.
Who is racing this weekend?
There are 25 cars on the St. Pete entry list, and notably, no Prema as the team focuses on restructuring after some recent upheaval.
Car No. – Driver
Team
Manufacturer
#2 – Josef Newgarden
Team Penske
Chevrolet
#3 – Scott McLaughlin
Team Penske
Chevrolet
#4 – Caio Collet
AJ Foyt Enterprises
Chevrolet
#5 – Pato O’Ward
Arrow McLaren
Chevrolet
#6 – Nolan Siegel
Arrow McLaren
Chevrolet
#7 – Christian Lundgaard
Arrow McLaren
Chevrolet
#8 – Kyffin Simpson
Chip Ganassi Racing
Honda
#9 – Scott Dixon
Chip Ganassi Racing
Honda
#10 – Alex Palou
Chip Ganassi Racing
Honda
#12 – David Malukas
Team Penske
Chevrolet
#14 – Santino Ferrucci
AJ Foyt Enterprises
Chevrolet
#15 – Graham Rahal
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
Honda
#18 – Romain Grosjean
Dale Coyne Racing
Honda
#19 – Dennis Hauger
Dale Coyne Racing
Honda
#20 – Alexander Rossi
Ed Carpenter Racing
Chevrolet
#21 – Christian Rasmussen
Ed Carpenter Racing
Chevrolet
#26 – Will Power
Andretti Global
Honda
#27 – Kyle Kirkwood
Andretti Global
Honda
#28 – Marcus Ericsson
Andretti Global
Honda
#45 – Louis Foster
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
Honda
#47 – Mick Schumacher
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
Honda
#60 – Felix Rosenqvist
Meyer Shank Racing w/ Curb Agajanian
Honda
#66 – Marcus Armstrong
Meyer Shank Racing w/ Curb Agajanian
Honda
#76 – Rinus VeeKay
Juncos Hollinger Racing
Chevrolet
#77 – Sting Ray Robb
Juncos Hollinger Racing
Chevrolet
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