Will Power eyes huge IndyCar qualifying record at St. Pete as 44th birthday present

IndyCar driver Will Power holds the record for the most pole positions in IndyCar as he equaled Mario Andretti’s record of 67 pole positions in 2022 at the Gateway. Since then, Power has taken three more pole positions and sits on 70 at the moment.

The Australian celebrates his 44th birthday on March 1, 2025, which happens to be the same day as the qualifying day at the first race of the 2025 IndyCar season. As Power arrived in the paddock at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, reporters gathered around the Team Penske driver and wished him.

A reporter then questioned Power about getting the pole position at St. Pete. Motorsport reporter Bob Pockrass uploaded a video of the same on the social media platform X as the 44-year-old replied:

“I have thought about it coming in like. Imagine getting pole on your birthday. Oh, man.”

“Wouldn't that be number 10 here too?” questioned a reporter.

“That's what someone said,” replied Power.

The 2025 race at St. Petersburg will be the 20th anniversary of the track on the IndyCar calendar. Power has managed to take the pole position at the street circuit nine times out of the 19 races held at the venue. The Australian got the pole position at the race in Florida in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, and 2020.

If Will Power manages to claim the pole position this Saturday, March 1st, it will be his 10th pole at the St. Petersburg Grand Prix and the 71st pole position of his IndyCar career. He ended the first practice session at St. Pete in P10 with a lap time of 1:01.1906, which was over eight-tenths slower than the fastest time set by Kyle Kirkwood.

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Will Power detailed his contract situation with Team Penske

Will Power’s IndyCar contract with Team Penske concludes at the end of the current season, i.e., 2025. Amid this, the Australian has signed with Fernando Alonso's sports management company, A14 management. A14 will be looking after the contract deal and negotiate on the driver's behalf.

INDYCAR Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg - Day 1 - Source: Getty

Power spoke about his performance during the 2024 IndyCar season and detailed how it's not in his hands to make the decision. Speaking with IndyStar, the Team Penske driver said:

“This isn’t my choice, obviously, because I don’t own the team. It always becomes complicated, and there’s other things that play into that, but at the end of the day, if you keep winning races, and you’re very strong, that’s the best defense you have against any of that stuff.”

“Honestly, the way I performed last year, if I do the same thing this year…Winning three races in a year in IndyCar now is very difficult – even the champion only won two (in 2024). So if you’re doing that, you probably should be driving in that series. You deserve a seat,” he added.

Former IndyCar driver Oriol Servia, who works with A14 management and handles the American-based clients for the company, will be handling the negotiations on behalf of Will Power.