Dixon left to rue radio woes

New Zealand driver Scott Dixon overcame radio problems to finish second in the opening race of the 2025 IndyCar season.

Dixon, pictured, only had radio communications with his crew for the first 10 laps of the 100-lap Grand Prix of St Petersburg in Florida before the system cut out.

Despite the setback, the 44-year-old climbed from sixth on the grid to finish the March 3 race behind his Chip Ganassi teammate and defending champion Alex Palou.

Dixon, who is chasing a seventh championship crown, overtook Josef Newgarden on the final lap to earn Chip Ganassi their first 1-2 since 2023.

“We had no radio, so I was just flying blind out there,” he says of his radio woes.

“Definitely frustrating. I think we had the speed, we had a great car … just would have been nice to have a radio so I knew what was going on out there [in regard to pitting strategy].”

His result was the 52nd time he has finished second in an IndyCar race and was his 143rd time on the podium.

New Zealand’s Scott McLaughlin started the race on pole before coming home in fourth place and his compatriot Marcus Armstrong failed to finish.

The victorious Palou is seeking a fourth IndyCar championship and his third in a row.

The next race in the series is the Thermal Club IndyCar Grand Prix in California on March 24 (NZ time).

Drivers’ standings

1. Alex Palou, 51 points
2. Scott Dixon, 41pts
3. Scott McLaughlin, 36pts
4. Josef Newgarden, 36pts
5. Kyle Kirkwood, 30pts
Also: 24. Marcus Armstrong, 7pts