2021 IndyCar season opener at St Petersburg postponed amid COVID concerns
The planned 2021 IndyCar Series opener on the streets of St Petersburg has been postponed to April amid COVID-19 concerns
IndyCar's now-traditional season opener in Florida has been pushed back from 7 March to 25 April in the hope of being to accommodate more fans as coronavirus cases in the state continue to rise.
Florida health officials reported 15,431 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, along with 98 more residents' deaths attributed to COVID-19. The state has now confirmed 1,392,123 COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began and 22,188 casualties.
"I want to thank our friends at IndyCar and our partners at Green Savoree for putting the health and safety of fans first," said St Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman.
"Each of these races takes an incredible amount of work from hundreds of dedicated professionals, and I know the decision to move the date of the race is not made lightly.
"I appreciate the drivers, teams, staff, and most of all the fans for their patience and understanding. I look forward to welcoming everyone to the next Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg."
IndyCar CEO Mark Miles added: "It's not surprising that an event of this magnitude, scheduled for the first week of March, is still subject to the implications of the pandemic.
"We're delighted we were able to work with Mayor Rick Kriseman's administration and Green Savoree Racing Promotions to find a more suitable date, which helps consolidate the beginning of our schedule and allows us to stay on NBC network television."
Due to St Petersburg's postponement, the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama at Barber Motorsports Park is now set to host the 2021 IndyCar curtain raiser on 11 April.
It is the second year in a row the St Petersburg weekend has had to shift dates. Last year's IndyCar opener was called off at the very last moment as the COVID-19 pandemic gathered pace.
Last season's event was moved to the end of the year and became the 2020 season finale, with Chip Ganassi Racing's Scott Dixon clinching his sixth championship and Penske's Josef Newgarden winning the race.
The decision means the returning Indy Lights championship will also have its season opener change from St Petersburg to Barber.
Obituary: Racing patriarch Aldo Andretti 1940-2020
Pat Patrick obituary: IndyCar team owner dies aged 91
How Ericsson achieved Indy immortality as Ganassi's main man stumbled
Chip Ganassi Racing team was strong again in the Indianapolis 500, with poleman Scott Dixon and reigning champion Alex Palou leading almost three quarters of the race between them. But when dominator Dixon was penalised for pitlane speeding, ex-Formula 1 driver Marcus Ericsson stepped up to score the biggest win of his career and seize the IndyCar points lead
Ranking the top 10 IndyCar drivers of 2021
In an enthralling 2021 IndyCar campaign, the series bounced back from its COVID-19 truncated year prior and Alex Palou defeated both the established order and his fellow young guns to clinch a maiden title. It capped a remarkable season with plenty of standout performers
How F1's other IndyCar exile finally unlocked his potential
Romain Grosjean's swashbuckling rookie year in IndyCar captured the imagination of many in 2021. But another ex-Formula 1 driver whose potential was masked by five years of toil in, at best, middling machinery also enjoyed a breakout year in 2021 - winning twice and finishing sixth in points. Here's how Marcus Ericsson finally delivered on his promise
How Ganassi's relentless new champion outfoxed IndyCar's best
IndyCar sophomore Alex Palou stunned by overcoming team-mate Scott Dixon and the rest of a white-hot field in 2021. He was consistently fast and crucially showed a level head, rebounding well from setbacks to put himself in a near unassailable position entering the final round
Have Harvey and RLL formed IndyCar’s next winning match-up?
Despite appearing to have an IndyCar job for life with Meyer Shank Racing, Jack Harvey’s departure and move to Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing sparked plenty of debate. However, Harvey's and RLL's combined strengths could prove to be a winning combination - if they get the balance right
Remembering Dan Wheldon and his last and most amazing IndyCar win
Saturday 16 October marks the 10th anniversary of Dan Wheldon’s death. David Malsher-Lopez pays tribute, then asks Wheldon’s race engineer from 2011, Todd Malloy, to recall that magical second victory at the Indianapolis 500
Why Kyle Kirkwood is America's new IndyCar ace-in-waiting
Kyle Kirkwood, the record-setting junior formula driver, sealed the Indy Lights championship last weekend. But despite an absurdly strong junior career and scholarship money, his next move is far from clear
Why IndyCar title glory is just the start for Ganassi's new star
Newly-crowned IndyCar champion Alex Palou has been lauded as a complete driver and veteran-like in only his second season. The 24-year-old is still in the early days of his career, but the parallels are there for all to see with his six-time champion Chip Ganassi Racing team-mate who has been CGR's team leader since 2014