Josef Newgarden brims with confidence in Team Penske’s ‘foundation’ that likely will quench his third IndyCar title thirst

Team Penske driver, Josef Newgarden, had an amazing start to his 2025 Indycar season at the Firestone Grand Prix of St Petersburg, clinching third place. This has given the two-time champion confidence that the team can quench his thirst for a third title.

Newgarden was the highest finisher among the three Team Penske cars, with the pole sitter Scott McLaughlin finishing behind him in fourth and Will Power crashing out on the first lap. While speaking to Fox Motorsports' Bob Pockrass, Newgarden insisted that he feels Team Penske can challenge for the championship in the future.

"We had some miscues in the race for sure, just a couple fueling-wise. But the team still did a stellar job. It starts with the foundation of a fast car, and we certainly had that all weekend. ... We can go on with that and feel confident at least to challenge for wins in the future," Newgarden said.

Josef Newgarden challenged Alex Palou for the St. Petersburg race win but fuel issues hampered his push. Scott Dixon overtook him on the last lap and he had to settle for third place. Newgarden, however, sees this as a positive.

"Ultimately, we needed a good day just to get points on the board. That's kind of going to be most important for this weekend, so we accomplished that,I can't be too dissatisfied," Newgarden added.

Josef Newgarden, who won his championships in 2017 and 2019, came close to winning another during the 2023 season. But he dropped out of the championship battle with three races remaining.

With Newgarden securing third place at the St. Petersburg Grand Prix, he is 15 points behind the defending champion Alex Palou and is hopeful of a shot at the championship battle. Newgarden will look forward to winning the upcoming race at the Thermal Club Grand Prix to continue his hunt for the championship.

Josef Newgarden stays positive despite issues

AUTO: DEC 04 INDY 500 Winner Josef Newgarden Borg Warner Trophy Ceremony - Source: Getty

The St. Petersburg Grand Prix wrapped up on Sunday, March 2, and saw Alex Palou as the winner, while Josef Newgarden took the third spot. Newgarden chased Palou to the last lap but failed to clinch the win due to fuel issues.

However, Newgarden stayed positive. While speaking to Bob Pockrass, he emphasized how it was important to score points.

"Every year I show up at St. Pete and it's about putting up a solid result on the board, I really mean that. ... You have to get a result on the board to start the year and you’ve got to start thinking championship right away." Newgarden explained.

With just a 15-point difference after the first race, Newgarden might look forward to challenging for the championship this season. He will hope to secure the top spot at the Thermal Club Grand Prix on March 23.