IndyCar Preview: Grand Prix of Long Beach

Written by Dan Jones, Edited by Morgan Holiday

Credit: James Black

It's anniversary weekend for the Streets of Long Beach, as IndyCar hits the track once again on America's longest running street race, some 50 years after Formula One cars first graced the circuit on the California coast. It's the most prestigious IndyCar event of the year outside the Indianapolis 500, as Long Beach plays host to Round 3 of 17 in the 2025 IndyCar season.

What happened in Thermal?

Palou became the first driver since Scott Dixon in 2020 to win the opening two races of a season | Credit: Chris Owens

There was little doubt coming into the Thermal weekend at who would find themselves in victory lane, and Álex Palou certainly did not let his backers down. With a vintage Palou performance culminating in a sensational final stint. he hounded down the Arrow McLaren pair of Christian Lundgaard and Pato O'Ward to become the first driver since 2020 to win the opening two races of the season.

There was a collective shock in the Coachella Valley when McLaren romped up and took what felt like an inevitable Palou pole, but as was the case in the closing laps in St. Petersburg, the Spaniard found a way as he always does. O'Ward and Lundgaard rounded out the podium, and although both were disappointed at not being able to hold off Palou, they proved that the Chevrolet-powered team were Palou's closest challengers early doors.

Andretti's Colton Herta finished fourth, but has since been docked 25 points in the entrants championship for an unauthorised part usage, with Felix Rosenqvist rounding out the top five. The race was the first caution-free event since Indianapolis in 2020.

You can read the full race report here and listen to the DIVEBOMB IndyCar Podcast's race review here. Read my weekend gradebook here.

The top ten in points after Thermal are as follows:

Palou - 102

O'Ward - 63

Dixon - 61

Lundgaard - 60

Rosenqvist - 56

Kirkwood - 54

Newgarden - 53

Herta - 47

Rossi - 43

McLaughlin - 41

What to expect from Long Beach

Maybe the most picturesque photo spot of the year! | Credit: James Black

The Grand Prix of Long Beach is one of America's most famous races, having hosted F1 for nine years, and is now a staple on both the IndyCar and IMSA schedules, with both sharing the track this weekend. After the cancellation of the event in 2020, 2025 marks both the 50th anniversary and 50th running of the weekend.

Long Beach is a notoriously tight and tricky circuit, featuring several bumps, tight turns and not a lot of opportunity for error. There's an incident history at almost every corner of the race track, so don't be surprised to see a few more over the course of this weekend.

It's one of prestige too, as Kyle Kirkwood noted to DIVEBOMB pre-weekend: "The history behind it is what makes it so special, the fans that come out to it. It made it even more special that I won it with Andretti, given that they have so much history around that track. It's prestigious because of how many people show up, really, the history behind it, which is the same reason for the Indy 500, right? It still is our second biggest race of the year. It was a really big deal for me to win there."

The drivers start their lap on the main straightaway on Shoreline Drive, apart from the fact it isn't actually straight as it gently shifts over to the right, before the best overtaking zone on the circuit into Turn 1. The lanes dramatically narrow for a medium-speed left-hander. It's such a good overtaking opportunity that Sébastien Bourdais overtook three cars in one go here in 2018, two on the outside and one on the inside - if you've never watched it, get on YouTube after this preview because my jaw drops every time I watch it.

The single-file section between Turns 2 and 4 are some of the most famous in motorsport, as drivers navigate around a fountain before two fiddly right-handers with little margin for error. The run down to Turn 6 provides a good overtaking opportunity before drivers swing left for the medium-speed Turn 8, which has been a particularly tricky spot for some in recent years. The last overtaking spot on the lap is the tight right-hander at Turn 9 before a fiddly double-apexed left hander takes you to the infamously tight hairpin at the end of the lap.

Dixon took the most Dixon-esque of victories here last year | Credit: Travis Hinkle

We may have seen Palou's perfection so far in 2025, but last year's event at Long Beach was all about Scott Dixon's brilliance. He stretched his fuel more than anybody else could to take a magical strategical win, after holding off Josef Newgarden, Herta and Palou in the closing laps, which added to his 2015 success at the circuit.

The last five races at Long Beach have seen five different winners. Kirkwood took his maiden win here in 2023, with Newgarden winning the year prior. Herta took victory in his hometown race when it was the season finale in 2021. Alexander Rossi won the two races prior to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2018 and 2019 when racing for Andretti Autosport. Will Power is the other active driver with Long Beach success, but that was in 2012, with the Australian also finding victory lane in 2008.

Palou is the glaring admission off the previous winners list, Long Beach being one of two road and street courses on the 2025 calendar that the three-time champion has not been victorious at, alongside the Streets of Toronto. That being said, Palou has never finished lower than fifth in his four visits to the circuit, claiming podiums in 2022 and 2024. With his current form, who's to say Palou won't also cross Long Beach off that list this year?

Sunday's race will consist of 90 laps, up from 85 in previous years, one of five races that had their lap count extended in the off-season. This was done in an attempt to stop processional, fuel-saving races, which Long Beach was one of last year.

Drivers will have access to 200 seconds of push-to-pass around the 1.968 mile (3.167 km) circuit, with a maximum usage of 20 seconds at a time. This will also mark the first Long Beach event with the hybrid unit in use, which is under immense scrutiny after Thermal, where several drivers suffered hybrid failures. Firestone have brought five sets of primary and five sets of alternate tyres for each driver.

This weekend will mark Rossi's 150th IndyCar start and the 100th for Marcus Ericsson.

Who to watch this weekend?

The man they're all trying to beat | Credit: Joe Skibinski

Palou's dominant start to the season leaves him with a comfortable 39 point gap at the top of the standings - an unheard of number just two rounds into the season. He aims to be the first individual to win three races in a row since he accomplished the feat in Detroit, Road America and Mid-Ohio in 2023.

Another win for Palou would make a championship fight incredibly unlikely - even at a stage this early in the season - and will likely leave his competition continuing to question what they need to do to beat them.

Andretti Global have always been strong on the Long Beach Streets, winning four of the last six races. Herta has finished inside the top four at Long Beach in three of his last four visits, whilst Ericsson has finished in the top five the previous two seasons.

Team Penske had a disastrous weekend at Thermal, and will be hoping to bounce back at Long Beach if any of their drivers wish to put in a serious championship bid. Will Power's contract continues to be a talking point, although he was the standout driver in the team at Thermal, but every weekend matters for his Team Penske future.

This has been a bit of a disastrous venue for Scott McLaughlin though. His best finish remains 10th in four visits, and after a frustrating start to 2025, it is critical that he starts to pick up some early season momentum.

Arrow McLaren have proved to be Palou's closest challengers this season, but this has never been a kind venue to the team, their best finish being fifth at the circuit since they returned to the series in 2020. They did spring a surprise performance in Thermal, but it remains to be seen if that form will carry on over to Long Beach.

Rosenqvist was the surprise pole sitter here last year, and Meyer Shank Racing have started 2025 in excellent fashion, with Thermal being their best result as a two-car operation. Rosenqvist has been excellent in qualifying, and their newfound alliance with Chip Ganassi Racing continues to prove beneficial with both Rosenqvist and teammate Marcus Armstrong regularly competing at the front.

Timings:

Practice 1: 18:05 ET, 15:05 Local Friday

Practice 2: 11:30 ET, 08:30 Local Saturday

Qualifying: 14:35 ET, 11:35 Local Saturday

Warmup: 12:02 ET, 09:02 Local Sunday

Grand Prix of Long Beach: 16:52 ET, 13:52 Local Sunday

DIVEBOMB will bring you all the latest news and updates throughout the weekend as well as post-race action and analysis. Palou firmly remains as the man to beat coming into the weekend - will anybody be able to stop him on Long Beach's 50th anniversary weekend?