ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Scott McLaughlin won Sunday’s Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg from the pole to earn his first career IndyCar Series victory.
The 28-year-old New Zealand native led 49 of the 100 laps around this 1.8-mile, 14-turn street course. He held off reigning series champion Alex Palou by half a second to take the checkered flag in front of a crowd that looked to be one of the biggest in Grand Prix history.
“What a day,” McLaughlin said.
McLaughlin made his IndyCar debut at the Grand Prix in 2020, after the race was moved from the beginning of the year to the finale because of the pandemic. He finished 22nd that year and 11th here last season. The three-time Australian Supercars champion had only one finish on the podium (second at Texas) last season in his first full year in this series.
Belleair resident Colton Herta, the defending Grand Prix winner, spent much of his day in the top five but never challenged for the win. He had to pit earlier than some of the other contenders after the crew of his No. 26 Andretti Autosport Honda didn’t get his tank full during a stop. He finished fourth.
McLaughlin led the field into Turn 1 in his No. 3 Chevrolet and controlled the first stretch of the race. He only relinquished the lead after he (and most other drivers) pitted during a caution on lap 27. Alexander Rossi, who stayed out, inherited the lead.
That caution, caused by rookie David Malukas hitting the wall in Turn 3, was a lucky break for McLaughlin. His Team Penske teammate, Will Power, had been charging toward the front. Power used the primary black tires — which are slower at first but more durable than the red alternate tires McLaughlin started with. That allowed Power to cut a second away from McLaughlin’s lead every lap until that yellow flag. Power finished third.
For the first half of the race, the only lead changes happened thanks to pit stops. Rossi gave way to six-time series champion Scott Dixon, who passed it to Rinus VeeKay.
McLaughlin took the lead for good on lap 80, after Dixon pitted from the lead. He held off a late charge from Palou to earn the 11th Grand Prix victory for Team Penske.
Romain Grosjean finished fifth for Andretti Autosport. NASCAR legend Jimmie Johnson finished one lap down, placing 23rd in the 26-car field.
