ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The sounds of race car engines and tens of thousands of IndyCar fans have taken over downtown St. Petersburg.

The 21st annual Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg formally kicked off when gates opened at 8:30 a.m. Friday morning. The three-day race is the start of the six-month IndyCar season once again this year.

The 1.8 mile track has 14 turns and brings drivers down the runway of Albert Whitted Airport, around Pioneer Park and the Mahaffey Theater, and parallels the water in the center of downtown St. Petersburg.

Being the first race of the year, Kyle Kirkwood, IndyCar driver for Andretti Global, says so many drivers are itching to get back out there after the offseason.

“There’s a lot of built up energy coming into this event and it's because we have such a long offseason, but this event brings energy itself. St. Petersburg has become such a historic place for IndyCar being our 21st year coming back here,” he said.

The event brings in roughly 200,000 race fans each year, filling up downtown hotels and restaurants.

Hundreds of volunteers also help to execute the race.

This year, volunteers were trained in CPR and first aid skills through Orlando Health Bayfront Hospital. With the grounds so tight and packed with people in some places, it can be hard to navigate through parts of the grounds. Now, if there’s a medical emergency, volunteers know where to start and what to do while they wait for first responders to arrive.

“People don’t expect to have a heart attack or they’d drive to the hospital right? But it’s hot at the Grand Prix, there’s alcohol, they’re climbing up and down stairs, they’re doing strenuous activity that can put people at a higher risk for something like this to happen,” explained Lorraine Parker with Orlando Health Bayfront Hospital. “So kudos to the Grand Prix for sending them here to learn this skill because it’s really making the event safer.”

Volunteer Mark Franchetti says last year, he was there when a vendor collapsed from heat stroke and he wanted to make sure he had all the skills needed to help others headed into this year’s race.

“I really feel blessed. It really gave me something… if you can help someone stay alive that’s a good thing,” he said.

Practice and qualifying rounds will take place on Friday and Saturday with the final rounds set for Sunday, March 2. 

FIRESTONE OF GRAND PRIX 2025 EVENT MAP