“INDYCAR and Green Savoree Racing Promotions, in conjunction with the city of St. Petersburg, announced Thursday that all activities surrounding Sunday’s season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg will be closed to spectators and limited to essential personnel only. This protocol is being put in place to protect the health and welfare of the fans, drivers, teams, workers and officials, as we mitigate the risk of exposure to COVID-19. The race weekend will operate from Friday through Sunday, with INDYCAR on-track sessions limited to Saturday and Sunday. The activities also include Road To Indy, IMSA Porsche GT3 Cup, and SRO Motorsports Group America on a condensed schedule. A press release with full details, including a revised schedule, will be issued with additional details later today.”
Earlier in the day the mayor also announced the city extended its contract with Green Savoree Promotions to host the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg for five more years.
The Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg will be run on a 1.8-mile, 14-turn temporary waterfront circuit that includes a combination of adjacent downtown streets circling Pioneer Park, the Mahaffey Theater, the Salvador Dali Museum and extending onto the runways of Albert Whitted Airport, which overlook the Tampa Bay and the picturesque St. Petersburg harbor and marina.
It will be the biggest field of cars set to run in St. Petersburg in over a decade. There are 26 cars on the entry list for Sunday’s Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg with an even split of 13 Chevrolets and 13 Hondas.
Things will start Friday at 10:45 a.m. ET and 3 p.m. ET. Qualifying is at 2:40 p.m. ET Saturday. All IndyCar practice sessions and qualifying will stream live on NBC Sports Gold.
The broadcast worldwide will get stared at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday. NBCSN was to carry the race broadcast, starting at 2:30 p.m. ET with a prerace show.
