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IndyCar's first Grand Prix is done and dusted, and a hoard of storylines dominated the St. Petersburg Grand Prix. While some might like to remember the race for days or even months to come, to others, it appeared as a nightmare.
This begs the question of who were the ones who capitalized the most in an action-packed race, while others drowned? Let's take a look at the IndyCar teams and drivers who are the winners and losers from the 2025 season opener.
IndyCar St. Petersburg GP Winner: Alex Palou
Let's get the easy ones out of the way. Alex Palou won an incredible strategic gamble. His decision to start on the alternate tires paid off with a lap 1 caution that helped him get rid of the delicate tires early on.
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The Spaniard won his first race around the streets of St. Petersburg and won the race despite a late-race scare with a backmarker. Palou has started the 2025 IndyCar title bid on the front foot.
Loser: Colton Herta
While some might expect Scott McLaughlin to be on the list, the Kiwi had done enough to make work of his strategy after starting on the primary tires. However, the same cannot be said for Andretti Global driver Colton Herta, who started on the alternate tires.
All the blame cannot be placed on the 24-year-old, as Herta had a troubled pitstop mid-way through the race, which threw him out of contention for the top spots.
Winner: Kyle Kirkwood
While Herta was tangled up in pitstop woes, Kyle Kirkwood focused on his race and finished a respectable fifth on the road. He was the lead Andretti driver in the race classifications and has started the 2025 campaign with the right intent.
Loser: Will Power
The lap 1 caution was caused by Will Power. He collided with Nolan Seigel on the opening lap, and Louis Foster was caught up in the crossfire. While Seigel was unhappy with how his race ended, he relieved Power of any blame.
However, the lap 1 DNF does not look great on the Team Penske driver's CV. This will not aid him in securing another contract with the Mooresville-based team, as Power is on the last leg of his IndyCar contract.
Winner: Chip Ganassi Racing
Chip Ganassi Racing had an almost dream outing at the St. Petersburg Grand Prix. Palou led home a 1-2 finish, with Scott Dixon following up behind.
The six-time IndyCar champion had made a last-ditch effort on the final lap to bag in P2 from Josef Newgarden and overtook the double-champion for the runners-up spot. Though Kyffin Simpson finished 18th, it was a great day in the office for the Indianapolis-based team.
Loser: Arrow McLaren
Arrow McLaren were victorious 12 months ago around the streets of St. Petersburg at the hands of Pato O'Ward. However, the Mexican driver had a torrid qualifying session this year and started 23rd for the race.
While O'Ward moved up to finish 11th on the road, he was pipped by Christian Lundgaard as the Dane finished eighth. Overall, it was a bad day in the office for Arrow McLaren, with one driver DNFing, another finishing outside the top 10, and a solitary driver bearing the flag within the top 10.
