PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — St. Petersburg boasts one of the most picturesque road courses in all of motorsports. The race runs right along the beach, flanked by palm trees, yachts, and plenty of sunshine.
"It reminds me a little bit about Monaco," said 2022 Rookie of the Year Christian Lundgaard.
"Yeah, a more open Monaco," added two-time St. Pete winner Will Power.
"I call it like a mini-Monaco," joked reigning St. Pete champion Scott McLaughlin.
Locals would say Monaco has nothing on St. Pete, and an informal drivers poll revealed drivers think St. Pete is the place to kick off the INDYCAR season.
"It’s just a great atmosphere. I mean INDYCAR itself, it’s just one big family," Lundgaard added. "I’m enjoying every second of it. Coming here, it’s the perfect place to have the season opener if you ask me."
This track is extra special for New Zealand's Scott McLaughlin. He earned his first career win at last year's St. Pete Grand Prix. He dedicated the win to his family, who he hadn't seen in two and half years - mostly due to the pandemic. McLaughlin said the key to repeating as champion is following the same plan as last year and not backing down from the track's challenges.
"You gotta use the walls and get right up against them. The thing I love about street circuits is that’s your limit, the wall," the 29-year-old said. "You don’t have grass; you don’t have anything else—just a concrete block. You know if you over-exceed the limit, you damage your car. If you get it just right, it’s a fast lap. That’s the fun part about this track."
There are ten races scheduled over multiple circuits this weekend. One of them will be run via the INDY NXT Series, which is one rung below the top-level INDYCAR. 17-year-old Josh Pierson will get his first shot at a big stage, inching closer to his ultimate goal.
"I’m super-grateful for the support that the fans and everybody behind me has given me," the Oregon-native said before Friday's practice. "And for sure, it’s definitely a career opportunity, and I’m super-thankful to be here. So it’s you know, taking it one step at at time and learning as much as I can."
Qualifying for the 19th Grand Prix of St. Petersburg starts Saturday at 2:15 P.M. The green flag drops Sunday afternoon at 12:30 P.M.
