P1racenews AI automatic summary:
The first round of the 2024 IndyCar season is in the books, and Josef Newgarden is the first winner of
The weekend started strong for the two-time champion who secured pole position by a narrow margin and maintained the lead for most of the race. Newgarden dominated the field in the final stint, finishing almost eight seconds ahead to claim his third victory at St. Petersburg. Pato O’Ward finished second, sandwiched between Scott McLaughlin and Will Power, giving Team Penske a remarkable 1-3-4 finish. Despite starting from ninth and eighth respectively, McLaughlin and Power couldn’t challenge their teammate due to their starting positions. Colton Herta was the first Honda to cross the line in fifth place. The race saw a few incidents, but most were single-car and did not affect the front-runners. The drivers coped well with the less humid conditions and emerged relatively fresh after 100 laps. Several drivers faced mechanical issues or accidents, with Marcus Ericsson, Marcus Armstrong, Sting Ray Robb, and Linus Lundqvist retiring during the race. Looking ahead, the field of 27 drivers anticipates a special all-star exhibition event in two weeks with a $1 million prize on the line.
