INDYCAR Power Rankings: Alex Palou Stays in the Top Spot After St. Petersburg

Staff Writer - Jeffrey Hrunka

Marvin Hernandez Jr.

Alex Palou began his championship defense by winning last week’s Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, presented by RP funding. The Chip Ganassi Racing star led 26 laps and led the charge on the alternate, softer tires to secure his 12th career NTT INDYCAR SERIES victory.

Many drivers faced ups and downs throughout the race. With that said, Motorsports Today's first edition of the 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES power rankings is here.

10) Rinus Veekay (#18 Dale Coyne Racing Honda)

Veekay secured the final full-time seat on the 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES grid just days before the start of the season and started the new campaign off strong. After a short off-season, he surprised everyone in his first weekend back with an appearance in the “Top-12 Shootout,” qualifying 12th. He advanced three spots on the primary strategy for a ninth-place finish.

9) Pato O’ Ward (#5 Arrow McLaren Chevorlet)

After a cut tire set, O’Ward rebounded from a disastrous qualifying effort. He charged through the field to finish 11th, even with an extra stop on pit road. While the defending winner did not have the opening weekend he wanted, a career-year last season with three wins and a fifth-place points finish proves he’s slated to find his consistency when things go his way.

8) Marcus Ericsson (#28 Andretti Global)

Ericsson had a quiet yet successful day on the streets of St. Petersburg, coming home sixth. Throughout the weekend, he showed consistent speed, finishing in the top 10 in both practice sessions and qualifying. However, he wasn’t able to translate that speed into winning speed.

7) Christian Lundgaard (#7 Arrow McLaren)

Lundgaard's first outing with Arrow McLaren saw him start fifth and lead 23 laps en route to an eighth-place finish. He was the best finishing Arrow McLaren driver in an otherwise lackluster weekend for the team.

6) Colton Herta (#26 Andretti Global)

A promising result turned into a 16th place finish, with constant issues on pit road. Herta started second and led the charge on his strategy until back-to-back pit road blunders. Even with this poor result, he should rebound after finishing last year with back-to-back podiums and a career-best second-place points finish.

5) Kyle Kirkwood (#27 Andretti Global)

Kirkwood's tagline in his three seasons at Andretti Global has been consistent improvement. He has improved his championship finishing position from 11th to 7th to 5th. This was no different at St. Petersburg. He was the fastest car from practice, started ninth, and finished fifth.

4) Josef Newgarden (#2 Team Penske Chevorlet)

Team Penske has a dominant history on the street of St. Petersburg, with 11 wins. However, a disqualification last year took away the “12th” from Newgarden. He started the race tenth and made his way through the field for a third-place finish, even while running out of fuel coming to the checkered flag.

3) Scott McLaughlin (#3 Team Penske Chevrolet)

McLaughlin had one of the most chaotic weekends at St. Petersburg. A wreck in practice that totaled his car was followed the next day by the NTT P1 award. He led a race-high 40 laps and finished fourth, his sixth straight top-eight finish.

2) Scott Dixon (#9 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda)

Dixon finished second to Palou at St. Petersburg after he made a last-lap pass on Newgarden. “The Iceman started sixth and led the charge on the preferred, primary tire strategy until Palou passed him with 27 laps left in his final pit sequence. If the six-time champion wants to win his seventh championship, he must deal with his three-time champion teammate and win some of these head-to-head battles.

1) Alex Palou (#10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda)The Spaniard starts his season where he left off the last two years: at the top of the standings. A win on the Streets of St. Petersburg, where he has struggled in years past, solidified his position as the best driver in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.

The NTT INDYCAR SERIES season will continue next weekend as drivers and teams travel to Southern California for the first points race at the Thermal Club, which hosted an exhibition event last spring.