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2019 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg: 3 IndyCar takeaways

By Brittany Frederick

Josef Newgarden celebrates after winning the 2019 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. Photo Credit: Joe Skibinski/Courtesy of IndyCar.
Josef Newgarden celebrates after winning the 2019 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. Photo Credit: Joe Skibinski/Courtesy of IndyCar. /
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Felix Rosenqvist of Chip Ganassi Racing on his pit stand at St. Petersburg. Photo Credit: Chris Owens/Courtesy of IndyCar. /

Felix Rosenqvist is the driver Ganassi’s been waiting for

Just a year after Robert Wickens took IndyCar by surprise by nearly winning the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, another rookie driver delivered a heck of a follow-up performance in 2019. Chip Ganassi Racing’s Felix Rosenqvist started third and led 31 of Sunday’s 110 laps on the Florida street course. Only eventual winner Newgarden had more time at the front.

While one can’t judge the success of a driver based solely on one race, the Swedish newcomer did show a tremendous amount of promise, as well as capacity for growth in how he battled with pole sitter Will Power (who eventually passed him for a podium finish). Rosenqvist lacks the knowledge of this sport and these cars, obviously, but he clearly has talent and as he gains knowledge during the rest of the season he could be a force to be reckoned with.

That’s even more important considering the team he’s driving for. Chip Ganassi Racing have been trying to find a spark for the No. 10 entry for a while now; even having a former Indianapolis 500 winner in Tony Kanaan couldn’t get that car to where it needed to be. The Ganassi roster has been missing someone who can be as dangerous as Scott Dixon.

Rosenqvist demonstrated in this race that he has speed, and he also seems to have the right attitude — coming in to learn and letting his actions on the track speak for him. If he can do what he just did in even half of the races during the 2019 IndyCar season, he will be phenomenal to watch.