Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg

The 2026 Firestone Grand Prix of  St. Petersburg kicks off IndyCar season on the waterfront in downtown St. Petersburg

North America’s premier open-wheel race series will hold its inaugural 2026 contest in St. Petersburg from February 27 through March 1, 2026.

For just a few days, the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding will transform downtown streets and the runway of Albert Whitted Airport into a 1.8-mile, 14-turn street-racing circuit. The event’s four days of parties and other festivities draws an estimated 200,000 fans. 

This, the 22nd consecutive running of the St. Petersburg Grand Prix, brings international attention and high-level motorsports to the city.  

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Editor's Note: The information below is for the 2025 race. We will update this information as soon as 2026 details are available (most likely in Fall 2025), but expect that events surrounding the race will be similar to 2025.

St. Pete Grand Prix Race Schedule of Races & Related Events

The festival of speed has a jam-packed schedule both on and off the track. When not filled with the top-level, IndyCar series contestants, the circuit will entertain race fans with competition by four other motorsports series.

Thursday, February 27

The fun starts at 4 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27 – a day earlier than in past races, with an IndyCar Party in the Park in North Straub Park that is free and open to the public. The party will be attended by drivers and will include music, giveaways, food and drink, through 7 p.m. that evening. It also offers a chance for fans to see race cars from each series up close. In addition, at 5 p.m., a 5K walk and run will be held on the racetrack.

Throughout the Weekend (Friday, Saturday, Sunday)

For the three days of racing, spectators can visit an IndyCar Series Fan Village, beer gardens, and a Speed Zone with interactive games and exhibits.

Friday, February 28

On Friday, Feb. 28, the track will be busy with all the race series, starting with a sportscar event, the Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Michelin, followed by the three open-wheel feeder series that are steps toward IndyCar, the USF2000 Presented by Continental Tire, the USF Pro 2000 Presented by Continental Tire and Indy NXT Presented by Firestone. The day will end with the NTT IndyCar series cars on the track and a driver’s autograph session.

Saturday, March 1

Saturday, March 1, will again have the Mazda MX-5 Cup, the USF2000 and the USF Pro 2000 on the track. The Indy NXT cars will then have qualifying and an autograph session with these future stars. The day will conclude with practice and qualifying for the IndyCar racers.

Sunday, March 2

The action on Sunday, March 2, will start with a race for one of the feeder series. A 45-lap race of the Indy NXT cars will be held, followed by the grand finale, the 100-lap IndyCar race.
 

Ticket Information

Single-day and three-day tickets are available now.

Prices range from $165 for three days of grandstand seats in the top rows, which have the best views, to $30 for general admission on Friday. Three-day general admission tickets cost $75 for adults, $65 for children 12 and younger. Passes are available at additional cost for ticket holders who want access to the paddock (race car garage) and pits (service areas during races). 

Pro tip: If you aren’t interested in sitting in the grandstands, buy a general admission ticket. It will cost less and will allow you to roam around the course’s infield area, getting close to various turns and almost all areas of the racecourse except for the airport straight.

Details on the Grand Prix Course

St. Pete’s street course offers spectators up-close views as cars roar past just feet away and drivers jockey for the lead at speeds of more than 100 mph, braking hard for the tight turns and flying through the straight sections. The temporary track is narrow (26 feet at its narrowest) but the course’s long straight sections (the front straight is 2,350 feet) and big braking zones allow drivers an average of almost 185 thrilling passes per race.

Passing opportunities involve risks. The narrow, open-wheel racecars’ design with wheels sticking out means that even the slightest brush with another car or the temporary concrete walls lining the course can be disastrous. The drivers’ skill and willingness to take chances grip spectators. 

St. Pete’s nearby restaurants, bars and shops lend a festive and fun atmosphere to the event, which circles Pioneer Park, the Duke Energy Center for the Arts - Mahaffey Theater and the Dalí Museum. It’s a far cry from other racetracks that are often in remote locations and offer fewer (and less luxurious) food and entertainment options. 

The great racing, the beautiful setting on the St. Petersburg waterfront and the many amenities attract a stream of well-heeled fans, race drivers and teams to Florida’s only IndyCar race. Luxury yachts fill downtown marinas, and hotels and bars are busy (book your hotel stay now).

Food & Drink at the Event

Pedestrian bridges carry spectators into the mostly shady interior of the track, Pioneer Park, where food and beverages are available from a variety of vendors. In between practice sessions or races, a track crossing is opened, allowing people to cross the track at ground level.

Of course, dining in St. Pete is an experience you won't want to miss, as the city is full of great restaurants and bars where you can grab a bite before or after the racing excitement.

The Engineering Feat to Get St. Petersburg Ready for the Race

Staging the St. Pete Grand Prix requires something of an engineering marvel. Transforming public streets into a track on which cars will race safely at an average of about 100 mph requires 8,000 feet of steel-reinforced concrete blocks, totaling 20 million pounds of concrete, being placed along the track; 25,000 feet of chain-link spectator fencing; and 18,000 feet of panel fencing securing the steel-reinforced concrete barriers. Other safety measures include trackside walls of more than 12,000 tires wrapped with 1,500 feet of 40-inch-wide, half-inch-thick reinforced rubber.

Despite the enormity of the task, the 300-person track-build team will complete installation and teardown in 27 days. Track construction will take 18 days; teardown and removal will be completed within one week.

Where to Stream the Race

FOX will broadcast the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding, beginning at noon EST Sunday, March 2.