Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg

Feb 27, 2026 – Mar 1, 2026
See All Dates & Times
400 1st Street South
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
View Website
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, Florida, from February 27 through March 1, 2026.

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

The St. Petersburg Grand Prix brings international attention and high-level motorsports to the Sunshine City.

Get Firestone Grand Prix tickets

Book your hotel now

 

St. Pete Grand Prix Race Schedule & Related Events

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

Thursday, February 26, 2026

The fun starts at 4 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026, with an IndyCar Party in the Park in North Straub Park which is free and open to the public. The party will be attended by drivers and will include music, 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. 

For runners and walkers looking for a super-unique experience, there will be a 5K Run on the Firestone Grand Prix Track at 5 p.m., starting from 400 Bayshore Dr. NE, St. Petersburg. Sign up for the 5K and race the track.

 

Throughout the Weekend (Friday, Saturday, Sunday)

During the three days of racing, spectators can visit the American Legion in Firestone Fan Village, beer gardens, and a Speed Zone with interactive games and exhibits.

 

Friday, February 27, 2026

Gates open at 7:30 a.m.

On Friday, Feb. 27, practice and qualifying sessions run from 8 a.m. to about 11:15 a.m., with the first race (USF2000 series) beginning at 11:30 a.m. 

An autograph session will be held from 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. in the Firestone Fan Experience area.

More practice and qualifying rounds will take place in the afternoon up to 6 p.m., including INDY NXT by Firestone and the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series.

 

Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026

Gates open at 7 a.m. 

Saturday, Feb. 28, will feature two races, the Mazda MX-5 Cup (7:30 a.m.) and the 80-lap NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (noon). 

In addition, there will be practice sessions for INDY NXT cars and NTT INDYCAR Series in the morning, with qualifying in the afternoon. 

An autograph session will be held from 11 - 11:45 a.m. in the Firestone Fan Experience area.

 

Sunday, March 1, 2026

Gates open at 8 a.m. 

On Sunday, March 1, warm-ups for the NTT INDYCAR Series will start the day at 9:05 a.m., followed by the 45-lap INDY NXT by Firestone race around 10 a.m. 

The big race, the 100-lap INTT INDYCAR Series race, will begin just before 12:30 p.m.

Sunday's racing excitement will conclude with race 2 for the USF2000 series at 3 p.m. and race 2 for the Mazda MX-5 Cup at 4 p.m.
 

Ticket Information

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

Prices range from $185 for three days of grandstand seats in Turns 1 and 10, which have the best views, to $30 for general admission on Friday. Three-day general admission tickets cost $80 for adults, $70 for children 12 and younger. Passes are available at additional cost for ticket holders who want access to the paddock (IndyCar 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.

 

Event Category

  • Annual Festivals & Events
  • Festivals
  • Sports & Recreation

Guest Information

  • Family-Friendly
  • Outdoor Event

Address

400 1st Street South
St. Petersburg, FL 33701

Website

View Website

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.

 

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.

 

About Our Writer:

Terry Galvin's ties to St. Pete tourism run deep and decades-long. His grandfather was a photographer who would roam the streets of St. Pete with a big camera around his neck, taking black-and-white photos of tourists, printing them overnight with “St. Petersburg, Florida” in the margin, and delivering them next morning to their hotels. His grandparents also managed the Alexander Hotel in the 500 block of Central Avenue in the 1960s. Terry grew up on the water in Largo, where he learned to love sailing. He has worked as a writer, designer and editor for the Virgin Islands Daily News and the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. A resident of Sarasota with his wife and son, Terry enjoys sailing, rowing and bicycling.

Sponsored Content

Your Quick Guide to Planning a Getaway in St. Pete

Discover where to stay, where to dine out and fun things to do in St. Pete.

Best Downtown Hotels

Where to Dine Out

Find Fun Things to Do

St. Pete Nightlife Guide

Explore the Waterfront Museum District

Visit the St. Pete Pier