"Strategy was flying blind": Scott Dixon expresses discontent with Chip Ganassi Racing over St. Petersburg setback 

Chip Ganassi racing driver, Scott Dixon, expressed his displeasure after he had to complete the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg without communication. The six-time champion had to navigate his way through the 100-lap race with a faulty radio.

The NTT Indycar Series' opening race took place in St. Petersburg, Florida, on March 2. Alex Palou, the defending champion, emerged victorious as his teammate ended up in the second spot, which helped Chip Ganassi achieve its first 1-2 after July 2023.

However, Chip Ganassi Racing's #9 car driver, Scott Dixon, was not happy with the race's outcome, despite finishing on the podium. The New Zealander has 58 wins under his belt but has never stood on the top step of the podium at the St. Petersburg Grand Prix.

Dixon qualified in P6 on Saturday (March 1). He put out a post on Instagram after the race, captioned:

"Not going to lie. Bummed with the finish. It was a tough race with no radio. Strategy was flying blind. Ultimately it cost us the race. Congrats to Alex and the 10 car group. Great way to start the season with a 1-2."

Scott Dixon commented on how the breakdown of radio cost him a win at St. Petersburg since he couldn't communicate the strategy or pit stops with his team. The problem with the radio reportedly began around lap 10 as the team could hear Dixon after certain intervals, and at some point, they lost him completely.

"It kind of worked on the warmup laps and kind of for the first 10 and that was about it," Dixon said (via FOX Sports).

Dixon mentioned how if he had heard his team on the radio, he would have pitted earlier, which would have helped him win the race. While speaking to Bob Pockrass, Fox Motorsports insider, Dixon said:

"You know when the car is going to run out, I didn't know if they could hear me, so I was just telling them I'm just go to run to the light and see what happens," Dixon said.

When it was time for the last pit stop, Dixon was caught in traffic and lost around two-three seconds to his teammate, but he somehow managed to pass Josef Newgarden to take up the second spot. Chip Ganassi, the owner of Chip Ganassi Racing, also commented that if the radio communication had worked, Dixon could have emerged as the race winner.

On the bright side, it was a stellar race for Chip Ganassi Racing to secure a 1-2 finish in the season opener. All eyes will now be on the Thermal Club Indycar Grand Prix, which will be held on March 23.

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Scott Dixon's winless streak on the St. Petersburg track continues

Verizon IndyCar Series - DXC Technology 600 - Source: Getty

Scott Dixon has been racing for around 25 years but is yet to win at the St. Petersburg track. The 44-year-old Chip Ganassi racing driver came close to winning the 2025 St. Petersburg Grand Prix only to be let down by his radio. This podium makes it his fifth runner-up finish.

During the race, Dixon was undercut by his teammate, Alex Palou. This further added to his woeful race. However, his raced ended up much better as compared to the 2024 St Petersburg Grand Prix, where Dixon ended up in the middle of the grid finishing in 17th position.

Despite the chaos of various stratergies and technical issues, Chip Ganassi Racing ended up with a great season-opening race. The team is hopeful that they can regroup and bounce back with no issues during the next Thermal Club Grand Prix.