Felix Rosenqvist is riding on waves of determination as the 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES finally springs to life this weekend with the season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.
The first of 18 races on this year’s expanded INDYCAR schedule, St. Petersburg marks the traditional start to North America’s premier single-seater championship yet again as the Florida streets light up with the sounds and smells of racing.
Rosenqvist is entering his eighth season of INDYCAR competition, and his third representing Meyer Shank Racing (MSR). Preparing for battle once again aboard the Ohio-based team’s #60 Dallara-Honda, the Swede comes off the back of a highly successful 2025 campaign in which delivered a fine sixth in the championship standings – an all-time-high for MSR.
Forming part of an unchanged two-car line-up that also features New Zealand’s Marcus Armstrong, Rosenqvist is determined to get the new season underway in style and continue the upward trajectory for himself and his team.
“I really couldn’t be more excited to finally be back to racing,” says Felix Rosenqvist. “It’s been a long break, but here we are and I can’t wait to hit the track. With basically half a year to reflect on the previous season, you always tend to feel more prepared than ever going into the first race – the only issue is, so probably does everybody else!
“This is where the talking stops and the flag drops, and with the current level of competition in INDYCAR, it will be extremely interesting to see where we all rank in.”
After several attention-grabbing music collaborations in 2025, MSR and team partner SiriusXM are sprinting out of the jukebox again in 2026 with a striking livery for Rosenqvist’s car this weekend, featuring iconic American rock band Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.
News for the 2026 INDYCAR season include a slightly altered practice format – where Practice 2 now features the same split-group running as Practice 1 – and a new requirement to run at least two sets of Firestone alternate (soft) tyres in street course races (one more than previously mandated).
As for the primary, harder tyres, the requirement of at least one set per race remains unchanged.
The warm-up sessions on race day mornings have also been extended from 25 to 30 minutes.
25 cars are set to make up the full-time grid in 2026.
“There are a few small tweaks going into this year, but really nothing major,” Felix Rosenqvist continues. ”Likewise on our team and on my personal crew; it’s basically unchanged. It’s the most consistency I’ve had between seasons in my INDYCAR career so far, and I think it’s great. It’s a great group of people. I can’t wait to build on our achievements in 2025 and try to do even better this year.”
While the same consistency that served Rosenqvist so well last year is certain to be key once again this season, the Swede singles out one particular item on his wish list as he moves into 2026: winning a race.
“I think that’s the next step for us,” Felix Rosenqvist concludes. “We’ve had pole positions, we’ve been on the podium, we’ve improved in the standings two years in a row – but that first win has eluded us. That is something I want to achieve this year and I feel we have everything in place now to make that a realistic target. We’ll push for it, starting this weekend in St. Pete!”
With a record four races in March, this weekend’s Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg signals the beginning of the busiest-ever start to an NTT INDYCAR SERIES season. Subsequent races will follow in the coming weeks in Phoenix, Arlington (a new-for-2026 event) and at Barber Motorsports Park.
The blue-riband Indianapolis 500 takes place on May 24, with the season then continuing at full pace throughout the summer – taking in new races in Markham, Canada, and Washington, D.C. – before reaching its climax at Laguna Seca on September 6.
Practice on the Streets of St. Petersburg begins on Friday, with qualifying set for Saturday and the season-opening race taking centre stage on Sunday. It is contested over 100 laps.
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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 February 27
Practice 1: 1:35-3:00 pm
Saturday February 28
Practice 2: 9:35-11:00 am
Qualifying: 4:35-6:00 pm
Sunday March 1
Warm-up: 9:05-9:35 am
Race (100 laps): 12:25 pm
TIMING: INDYCAR App / indycar.com
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