By Curt Cavin
THIS STORY IS FROM INDYCAR.COM – YOUR SOURCE FOR THE BEST RACE INFO
The NTT INDYCAR SERIES is ready to present a new look for the 2025 season.
For the first time in the sport’s history, all races will air live on the same network. Beginning with Sunday’s Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding on the streets of St. Petersburg, all 17 series races will be on FOX.
SEE: St. Petersburg Event Details
Adding to the season of continuity is all practice and qualifying sessions, including those of INDY NXT by Firestone, also will air live on television. That action will be found on FS1 and FS2.
The new broadcast offerings will feature a new look for the competitive lineup. Of the 27 car-and-driver combinations set to compete full-time, 11 have a different element. Leading the way is PREMA Racing, an organization that has been one of Europe’s best junior programs for four-plus decades. In its cars this year will be series veteran Callum Ilott and newcomer Robert Shwartzman.
Eight-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES race winner Alexander Rossi, who captured the 2016 Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, was the highest-profile driver to switch teams during the offseason. He moved from Arrow McLaren, where he spent the past two years, to Ed Carpenter Racing, which beefed up its infrastructure with the addition of new co-owner Ted Gelov, the founder of Heartland Food Products Group, which makes Splenda and Java House coffee. ECR also has a reimagined logo.
Dale Coyne Racing added one-time series race winner Rinus VeeKay to go with INDY NXT by Firestone graduate Jacob Abel. INDY NXT by Firestone champion Louis Foster and Devlin DeFrancesco have joined Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, David Malukas has moved to AJ Foyt Racing, Marcus Armstrong is new to Meyer Shank Racing, Christian Lundgaard is now with Arrow McLaren, and Sting Ray Robb’s third season will be with Juncos Hollinger Racing.
For something that remains the same, look no further than Chip Ganassi Racing’s Alex Palou, who is bidding to become the series’ first three-peat championship winner since Dario Franchitti in 2011. Palou has won seven races over the past two seasons, and he has three season titles in the past four years.
Contenders to dethrone Palou are numerous, and they start with Team Penske’s trio. Scott McLaughlin, who won in St. Petersburg in 2022, has finished third each of the past two seasons while Will Power and Josef Newgarden are two-time series champions. Team Penske has won a record 11 races in St. Petersburg, with Power, who finished second last year, earning a record nine NTT P1 Awards in qualifying on the sunny Florida streets.
Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward won last year’s season-opening race and seems prepared to challenge for his first series title after finishing fifth last year. His longtime rival, Colton Herta of Andretti Global, is another to watch as he finished second in last year’s standings. Herta won the 2021 race at this 14-turn, 1.8-mile street circuit.
Other St. Petersburg race winners in this field include Graham Rahal of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (2008) and Marcus Ericsson of Andretti Global (2023).
NTT INDYCAR SERIES action begins with Friday’s practice at 3:05 p.m. ET. The session will air live on FS1. Qualifying is Saturday at 2:30 p.m., also on FS1.
Sunday’s 100-lap race also airs live on FOX Deportes and the INDYCAR Radio Network, and fans can follow through audio on SiriusXM Channel 218 and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA. The 45-lap INDY NXT by Firestone race will air live on FS1 at 10 a.m.
Buckle up, race fans. The action is about to heat up.
