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2019 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg preview

By Brittany Frederick

SAINT PETERSBURG, FL - MARCH 11: Sebastien Bourdais, of France, drives the #18 Honda IndyCar on the track during the Firestone Grand Prix of Saint Petersburg IndyCar race on March 11, 2018 in Saint Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Brian Cleary/Getty Images)
SAINT PETERSBURG, FL - MARCH 11: Sebastien Bourdais, of France, drives the #18 Honda IndyCar on the track during the Firestone Grand Prix of Saint Petersburg IndyCar race on March 11, 2018 in Saint Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Brian Cleary/Getty Images) /
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The Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg opens the 2019 IndyCar season. Here’s what to watch for in IndyCar from St. Petersburg.

The 2019 IndyCar season kicks off with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, and this year’s Florida opener naturally has all kinds of questions surrounding it.

IndyCar returns to the Sunshine State with the usual anticipation that comes with a fresh start. It includes new drivers, new teams, and drivers who have changed teams—it’s been a busy hiatus! So will rookies make a splash here, like Robert Wickens did in 2018, or will the veterans flex their muscles once again?

The entire IndyCar field has a shot here, and everyone will want to get their season off to the best possible start. However, with changing things up for the new season comes the unpredictability of the unknown; will Ed Jones do better driving for Ed Carpenter Racing than he did for Chip Ganassi Racing? How will Jones’ replacement, Felix Rosenqvist, do in his stead? Will the 2019 race have as crazy an ending as the one in 2018?

What should IndyCar fans be watching for on Sunday? Let’s break the race down in our Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg preview:

ONE THING TO KNOW:

  • The 2018 race saw three previous winners claim the top four spots: Sebastien Bourdais, Graham Rahal, and James Hinchcliffe. The lone exception was Alexander Rossi, who’d go on to become the 2018 championship runner-up. Competition is obviously fierce at St. Pete.

THREE DRIVERS TO WATCH:

  • Sebastien Bourdais: In addition to winning last year’s event, the Dale Coyne Racing driver also finished at the top in 2017. He has all the momentum when it comes to this race, and it’s never wise to bet against him considering his reputation for always finding a way into the middle of the action. He could easily win a third time, and if he doesn’t, he’ll definitely be in the mix till the very end.
  • Will Power: Team Penske owns the record for most victories at St. Petersburg (eight), and Power qualified second for this event last year. While that didn’t pan out for him in the race itself (he finished tenth), Power can often find incredible speed. There’s a reason he keeps winning pole positions! Between that and having Team Penske behind him, he should get off to a hot start.
  • Marcus Ericsson: It’ll be bittersweet to watch this race, remembering that last year it was dominated by Robert Wickens, who is not competing in 2019 thanks to the terrible crash he had later in 2018. But Wickens’ teammates will be carrying on for him, and former Formula 1 driver Marcus Ericsson will likewise make his IndyCar debut at St. Pete. Ericsson looked good in spring training, and it’d be fitting to see a Schmidt Peterson Motorsports car finish on the podium.

Next. 2019 IndyCar season storylines to watch. dark

The 2019 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg takes place Sunday, March 10 at 12:30 p.m. ET. For complete 2019 IndyCar season coverage, follow the IndyCar category at FanSided.