The city of St. Petersburg has an extensive history in motorsport, starting in the mid-1980s and briefly returning in the mid-1990s with two different circuits and Trans-Am as its anchor series. In 2003, CART organized a return to the city with a modified version of its original waterfront course, and in 2005, INDYCAR made the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg its first event outside of an oval. It's been a staple of the seres ever since, often serving as the INDYCAR season opener.

The 1.808-mile, 14-turn circuit includes extensive sections of 1st Street SW and Bayshore Drive SE, while a runway of Albert Whitted Airport serves as the start-finish straightaway. Most of its turns are fairly sharp and tight, with the first corner often causing drama at the start of the race as drivers funnel into a chicane. Turns 4 through 9 represent one of the most technical track sections on the INDYCAR calendar, before multiple long straightaways and a sweeping pair of right-handers conclude the lap.