Photo Credit: Chris Owens/IndyCar
After an extended off season following the conclusion of the 2015 Verizon IndyCar Series season in late August, 22 car/driver combinations are ready to tackle the racer-friendly confines of the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida to open the 2016 campaign. With last season’s opening verse largely affected by numerous debris full course cautions induced through the introduction of the new manufacturer-specific aerodynamic kits and aggressive driving, the reduction in the size and amount of wickers and gurneys attached to the front wings, plus the increase of power provided through the road and street circuit Push to Pass system should allow for multiple chances to overtake and not necessarily solely on restarts.
The site of the first road race for the current IndyCar sanctioning body in 2005, the 14 turn, 1.8 mile layout features three realistic chances to overtake, the most notable being at the challenging turn one. At the end of airport runway number nine of the St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport, the opening challenge is bumpy, features a change in surface from concrete to asphalt, and with the funnel down from a wide, pit straightaway to a narrow exit is often the scene for contact and opening lap accidents. The most notable of these saw Andretti Autosport’s Marco Andretti end his race upside down in 2011. Turn four and turn ten are also common places to gain positions and many an out-braking duel has seen the less fortunate nose first into the tire barriers.
For reigning series champion Scott Dixon, the defense of his well earned 2015 title begins here. However, the Chip Ganassi Racing pilot has had tough luck in years past in St. Petersburg, despite earning three runner-up results here. Contact relegated him to a 15th-place showing in 2015. Of course, IndyCar’s current king of road racing Will Power of Team Penske also has to be viewed among those most likely to win, having finished second or better in four of the last six events here, including victories in 2010 and 2014. The Australian appeared headed for a third win on the Western Florida coast last year, however he succumbed to teammate Juan Pablo Montoya’s late surge to claim the checkered flag first. St. Pete represented one of two victories for the Colombian, who also won his second Indianapolis 500 in 2015 whilst placing second on the final points table.
Three other former winners of the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg are on the entry list this upcoming weekend, including 2013 race winner James Hinchcliffe, who rejoins Schmidt Peterson Motorsports after suffering serious leg injuries in a practice crash at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway last May. Helio Castroneves of Team Penske is the most successful driver at this venue, having climbed the fence three times following wins, most recently in 2012 the first race run following the tragic death of two-time Indy 500 champion Dan Wheldon. Also among the victory candidates is Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s Graham Rahal, who became the youngest race winner in American open wheel racing history with his surprise triumph in 2008. After several frustrating seasons, the Ohio-native returned to prominence in 2015, earning two race wins and placing fourth in the championship, the best among the Honda-powered runners last season.
Four drivers are taking to the layout for the first time likewise. Former Formula One pilots Max Chilton of Chip Ganassi Racing and Alexander Rossi of Herta-Andretti Autosport could be competitive in their first IndyCar efforts, while Conor Daly of Dale Coyne Racing and Spencer Pigot of Rahal Letterman Lanigan bring impressive lower division resumes into their debuts at St. Pete.
PICK TO WIN: Graham Rahal (Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda): 2015 was far from a fluke and with Honda Performance Development expected to bring a competitive power plant to the IndyCar fold, expect Rahal to back up his efforts with a hard earned victory at St. Pete over Team Penske’s Will Power.
KEYS TO VICTORY: 1) Surviving Turn One. The opening lap has ruined many a season opener for multiple drivers in years past and 2016 could follow that same story line. A conservative approach to starts and restarts could benefit on Sunday.
2) Pit Strategy. As with any road and street circuit event, getting on the right pit stop plan could shuffle the order to the advantage of certain teams and drivers. Expect drivers eliminated in the first phase of Saturday qualifying to go off sequence early in an effort to gain ground later on the potentially faster runners.
3) Making the Firestone Fast Six. A good grid position can avoid trouble on the opening lap as a more cautious approach should be able to be achieved without losing ground.
