NTT INDYCAR SERIES | Rd. 1
Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg (USA)
It’s a new dawn for Felix Rosenqvist as the 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES begins this weekend with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, with the Swedish driver set for his first race with new team Meyer Shank Racing.
Rosenqvist has joined the Ohio-based MSR squad over the winter, forming part of a two-car assault alongside new team-mate Tom Blomqvist.
Although pre-season testing has been highly limited, the early signs have been positive for the new alliance, with Rosenqvist topping the times on his first day aboard the #60 Honda and then going a close fourth quickest in last week’s collective test at Sebring.
Approaching the season-opener on Florida’s palm-lined streets, Rosenqvist is already feeling very much at home in his new environment.
“Time to get the new season going, and I couldn’t be more thrilled,” says Felix Rosenqvist. “It’s been very straightforward clicking with the car, and the team itself is just a fantastic group of people. There is so much motivation here right now and I feel incredibly relaxed and determined at the same time. Going into a new season is always highly exciting, but maybe even more so this year – I can’t wait to hit the track.”
As per modern INDYCAR tradition, the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg once again plays host to the opening round of the campaign, having cemented itself firmly as a curtain-raising favourite among fans and drivers alike.
Rosenqvist, who made his INDYCAR debut at the Florida venue in 2019, is eager to get the season up and running as the early pecking order is established.
“INDYCAR is always such a competitive series, and it’s really hard to tell where everyone will stack up,” Felix Rosenqvist concludes. “I honestly think nobody really knows – and that’s the beauty of this championship.
“For us, we’re going in open-minded. We’re a new constellation, and some things will probably take some time. New procedures to learn, new relationships, but let’s see how we fare in the heat of the moment. We’ll take it step by step, learn as we go, and hopefully we can have a solid first race.”
The Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg begins with opening practice on Friday. In a trial for this weekend, INDYCAR will split the field in the first practice session following 20 minutes of initial collective running.
Second practice takes place on Saturday morning, followed by the first qualifying session of the year later on in the afternoon.
Following a short warm-up session, the opening race of the 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES then takes centre stage at 12:15 pm local time on Sunday, with 100 laps set to be completed.
TIME TABLE
All times local (U.S. Eastern)
NTT INDYCAR SERIES | Rd. 1
Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg
Streets of St. Petersburg (USA)
Friday 8 March
Practice 1: 2:45-4:00 pm
Saturday 9 March
Practice 2: 9:35-10:35 am
Qualifying: 2:00-3:30 pm
Sunday 10 March
Warm-up: 9:10-9:40 am
Race (100 laps): 12:15 pm
TIMING: INDYCAR App / racecontrol.indycar.com
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