Rinus ‘Veekay’ van Kalmthout can look back on a solid top-10 finish in the opening weekend of the 2025 IndyCar season. Making his debut for Dale Coyne Racing, he finished ninth in the season’s first race in St. Petersburg, after starting from P12. The victory went to reigning champion Alex Palou.
Van Kalmthout’s sudden dismissal from Ed Carpenter Racing last season was a blow, but the Dutch driver secured a seat with Dale Coyne, partly due to an impressive test performance. He is expected to be better off with this team than at his old spot with the sometimes subpar Ed Carpenter team. The opening weekend showed promising signs for the season, with Van Kalmthout and his new team performing well.
Palou Aims for Third Title
The ninth place is a good start, but competing for the win was not realistic. That honor ultimately went to Palou. The Spaniard, who is chasing his third consecutive title this year, claimed the twelfth IndyCar victory of his career in St. Petersburg. Palou beat Chip Ganassi teammate Scott Dixon for the win, with Josef Newgarden (Penske Chevrolet) rounding out the podium.
