Photos courtesy of Isabella Ferrou
The Final Day of the 2026 St. Pete Grand Prix was unforgettable, with record-breaking performances and history made. Alex Palou, a 28-year-old Spaniard, didn’t just win, but took the victory with the largest margin in over 23 years. While his victory came as no surprise to many fans, Palou was not self-assured with the next race set in Phoenix on March 6. His goal is to continue to work hard with his team to generate these types of results. As for the NXT developmental series, 17-year-old St Pete native Nikita Johnson won his first race as a full-time driver. A hometown win is nothing new for Johnson, winning both USF2000 and USF Pro 2000 races in 2023 and 2024 and has now added another to the list. Johnson’s recent success signals a promising future, as it was his fourth race in the NXT series and his first with Cape Motorsports. The St Pete Grand Prix had a thrilling finish with a new star emerging, records being broken, and the most electrifying crowd.
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