Dixon happy with ‘nice recovery’ to finish third in opener

Four-time IndyCar champion Scott Dixon has started his 2017 campaign with a third placing in Florida.

Driving a new Honda-powered blue car in the season-opener at the Grand Prix of St Petersburg yesterday, Kiwi Dixon showed plenty of promise, overcoming an early hiccup to make the podium.

France’s Sebastien Bourdais won on his adopted home track with defending IndyCar champion Simon Pagenaud second.

A perennial slow starter, Dixon appears to have a fast car and the ability to make some early inroads into the title race.

Having qualified in second on the starting grid, Dixon was on the pace throughout the 110 laps of the street circuit, although he struck problems when a caution was called for debris on the track.

‘‘I locked the rears going in on the restart, it kicked the anti-stall and then turned the engine off, so lucky to get it re-fired and we were on our way,’’ Dixon said, thankful for his Honda’s speed, as he worked his way back from 14th after the mishap.

‘‘The car was fast today, we had some speed, we made a lot of spots back up, so it was a nice recovery for third spot.’’

Dixon felt the result reflected the high standards of his Chip Gannasi Racing team as they worked extra hard in the offseason because of the major changes in front of them with the new engine and aero kit.

There were concerns that the Honda engines wouldn’t be able to match the Chevrolets on the streets circuits but they filled four of the top five placings.

That will give Dixon plenty of encouragement, especially for the ovals where his sheer speed will be maximised

Bourdais was stunned after coming from last on the starting grid to take the chequered flag while Pagenaud pushed up to second after starting 14th.

‘‘Every time we come here and it looks like we’ve got a reasonable car ... it’s just so hard to recover here,’’ Bourdais said in reference to his qualifying struggles.

‘‘I just didn’t know what to do with myself. To turn that result from yesterday into today, it’s unbelievable. I really don’t know what to say.’’