The 2025 IndyCar Series season opens this Sunday at St. Petersburg (12 p.m. ET on FOX).
If final season is any indication, this might be one other yr of nice parity. No driver had greater than three wins over the 17 races in 2024 and no driver recorded greater than seven top-three finishes.
This is a take a look at the facility rankings (from tenth to 1st) heading into the yr. These might be up to date after every race weekend:
On the verge: Marcus Armstrong, Christian Lundgaard, Alexander Rossi
10. Kyle Kirkwood
Kirkwood completed highest within the standings (seventh) among the many drivers who did not win a race final yr. He managed one podium. The Andretti driver will want extra to remain on this checklist in 2025.
9. Nolan Siegel
Siegel is working his first full season for McLaren. He had one top-10 in his 10 begins for the staff final yr. However he is younger and there are excessive hopes for him in 2025.
8. Santino Ferrucci
Ferrucci completed ninth within the standings and his return to A.J. Foyt Racing for an additional yr ought to solely imply he improves. There might be drama, but in addition doubtlessly even higher finishes as nicely.
7. Scott Dixon
Dixon’s ending sixth within the standings was his worst since ending the season sixth in 2016. The Ganassi group has trimmed from 5 groups to a few (and added two Indy NXT automobiles), and whether or not Dixon will get his mojo again to the place he could be dominant at full throttle in addition to gasoline mileage will decide the place he results in 2025.
Scott Dixon’s No. 9 Honda for 2025.
6. Will Energy
Energy was fourth within the standings in 2024 and placing the Penske driver this low appears to be a little bit of a disservice. He’ll extra possible go up than down.
5. Pato O’Ward
O’Ward had a win and a second-place end among the many ultimate three races in 2024 but in addition 4 finishes of fifteenth or worse among the many ultimate six. The McLaren driver is the defending winner of St. Pete, though he has no reminiscence of a celebration as that win was awarded to him a number of weeks later with the disqualification of Josef Newgarden (push-to-pass violation).
4. Josef Newgarden
Newgarden gained the Indy 500 to make it back-to-back triumphs within the sport’s greatest race and is likely one of the stars of the game. However the Penske driver additionally noticed potential good runs slip away final yr.
3. Colton Herta
Herta ended up second within the standings final yr, a season through which he capped with a win at Nashville. So does he have momentum coming into this yr? He ought to. Numerous modifications, although, at Andretti International.
2. Scott McLaughlin
McLaughlin gained on a few ovals final yr in addition to the highway course at Barber. The New Zealander is coming into his personal at Staff Penske — and he must proceed that progress.
1. Alex Palou
Palou — the three-time champion, including back-to-back in 2023 and 2024 — tops the facility rankings. But it surely’s not as secure as one may suppose. The Chip Ganassi Racing driver had “simply” two wins final yr and nonetheless seeks his first oval victory.
Full IndyCar on FOX protection:
Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and IndyCar for FOX Sports activities. He has spent many years overlaying motorsports, together with over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting Information, NASCAR Scene journal and The (Daytona Seashore) Information-Journal. Comply with him on Twitter @bobpockrass.
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