Starting Grid
Row 1:
Álex Palou
This will be Palou’s seventh Indianapolis 500 start.
2025 Indianapolis 500 Winner.
Palou’s victory last year was the second time car #10 has won the Indianapolis 500.
Twenty-one times has the pole-sitter won the race, most recently Simon Pagenaud 2019.
This is Palou’s second Indianapolis 500 pole-position. He is now one of 19 drivers with multiple pole positions for the event. He has started in one of the first three rows in six of his seven Indianapolis 500 appearances.
Palou could become the seventh driver to win consecutive Indianapolis 500s. This would be the first time there would be successive instances of consecutive winners as Josef Newgarden won in 2023 and 2024. Palou would become the second international driver to win consecutive Indianapolis 500s joining Hélio Castroneves.
Palou has four top five finishes in six Indianapolis 500 starts, and he has five consecutive top ten finishes in the Indianapolis 500.
A top five finish would make Palou the ninth driver to have four consecutive top five finishes in the Indianapolis 500. He has nine top five finishes in his last ten starts and 13 top five finishes in his last 15 starts.
Palou has led 133 laps in his Indianapolis 500 career, 52nd all-time. If he leads five laps, he will enter the top 50 in laps led in an Indianapolis 500 career. He has led a lap in five consecutive Indianapolis 500s.
Spain became the 14th different nation to produce an Indianapolis 500 winner last year.
Palou is attempting to become the third driver to win the Grand Prix of Long Beach and Indianapolis 500 in the same season (Al Unser, Jr. 1994, Hélio Castroneves 2001).
Palou has the ninth-best average finish among the 266 drivers with at least five Indianapolis 500 starts at 8.1667. A victory would lower Palou’s average finish to 7.1428. The worst his average finish can be after this race is 11.7142.
Alexander Rossi
This will be Rossi’s 11th Indianapolis 500 start.
2016 Indianapolis 500 winner.
Car #20 has won the Indianapolis 500 three times but not since Emerson Fittipaldi in 1989.
Eleven times the winner started second, most recently Juan Pablo Montoya in 2000.
This is Rossi’s best starting position in the Indianapolis 500, and it is his first front row start since he started third in 2017.
Rossi suffered an accident during practice on Monday, which required surgery to a finger on his left hand and right ankle. Rossi was cleared to race, but his team switched to a back-up car. The back-up car was Rossi's race car in last year's Indianapolis 500.
Rossi has led 107 laps in the Indianapolis 500, ranking him tied for 64th with Sam Hornish, Jr.
Rossi could become the first driver to win the Indianapolis 500 for Chevrolet and Honda in the DW12-era. He would become the 13th driver to win the Indianapolis 500 with multiple engine manufacturers.
Rossi has six top five finishes and seven top ten finishes in ten Indianapolis 500 starts.
Rossi has the 63rd-best average finish among the 266 drivers with at least five Indianapolis 500 starts at 13.1818. A victory would lower his average finish to 12.1667. The worst Rossi’s average finish can be after this race is 14.833.
Rossi has made 60 starts since his most recent victory, the July 2022 IMS road course race.
David Malukas
This will be Malukas’ fourth Indianapolis 500 start.
Best Finish: 2nd (2025)
Car #12 has won the Indianapolis 500 twice, most recently with Will Power in 2019. The other was Peter DePaolo in 1925 driving the #12 Miller.
Fourteen times the winner started third, most recently Josef Newgarden in 2024.
This is Malukas’ best starting position in the Indianapolis 500.
Malukas could become the 15th driver to win the Indianapolis 500 the year after finishing second in the race. The most recent driver to do it was Dan Wheldon in 2011.
Malukas could become the first Illinois-born driver to win the Indianapolis 500 since Floyd Davis was a co-winner with Mauri Rose in 1941.
Malukas could become the seventh-youngest Indianapolis 500 winner at 24 years, seven months and 27 days old. Malukas could become the first Indianapolis 500 winner born in the 21st century.
Malukas is still looking for his first career victory, and this will be his 68th career start. Fourteen drivers in IndyCar history have taken 68 starts or more for a first career victory.
Row 2:
Felix Rosenqvist
This will be Rosenqvist’s eighth Indianapolis 500 start.
Best Finish: 4th (2022, 2026)
Car #60 has never won the Indianapolis 500.
Seven times the winner started fourth, most recently Takuma Sato in 2017.
This is the fifth consecutive year Rosenqvist is starting on one of the first three rows.
Rosenqvist could become the third Swedish driver to win the Indianapolis 500.
Rosenqvist could become the second driver with victories in the Macau Grand Prix and the Indianapolis 500 joining Takuma Sato.
Rosenqvist needs to lead 39 laps to reach the 100 laps led milestone in the Indianapolis 500. Sixty-seven drivers have led 100 laps in the Indianapolis 500.
In his last five Indianapolis 500 starts, Rosenqvist has finished 27th, fourth, 27th, 27th and fourth. He is tied with Wilbur Shaw and Russ Snowberger for most 27th-place finishes in Indianapolis 500 history. He has completed all 500 miles in only three of seven starts.
Rosenqvist is tied with John Paul, Jr. for the 177th-best average finish among the 266 drivers with at least five Indianapolis 500 starts at 18.4285. A victory would lower his average finish to 16.25. The worst Rosenqvist's average finish can be after this race is 20.25.
It has been five years, ten months and 13 days since Rosenqvist’s only IndyCar victory (July 12, 2020 at Road America). It has been 98 starts since that victory. It would be the second-most starts between victories in IndyCar history.
Santino Ferrucci
This will be Ferrucci’s eighth Indianapolis 500 start.
Best Finish: 3rd (2024)
Car #14 has won the Indianapolis 500 six times, most recently with Kenny Bräck in 1999.
Eight times the winner started fifth, most recently Marcus Ericsson in 2022.
Rossi has led 107 laps in the Indianapolis 500, ranking him tied for 64th with Sam Hornish, Jr.
Rossi could become the first driver to win the Indianapolis 500 for Chevrolet and Honda in the DW12-era. He would become the 13th driver to win the Indianapolis 500 with multiple engine manufacturers.
Rossi has six top five finishes and seven top ten finishes in ten Indianapolis 500 starts.
Rossi has the 63rd-best average finish among the 266 drivers with at least five Indianapolis 500 starts at 13.1818. A victory would lower his average finish to 12.1667. The worst Rossi’s average finish can be after this race is 14.833.
Rossi has made 60 starts since his most recent victory, the July 2022 IMS road course race.
David Malukas
This will be Malukas’ fourth Indianapolis 500 start.
Best Finish: 2nd (2025)
Car #12 has won the Indianapolis 500 twice, most recently with Will Power in 2019. The other was Peter DePaolo in 1925 driving the #12 Miller.
Fourteen times the winner started third, most recently Josef Newgarden in 2024.
This is Malukas’ best starting position in the Indianapolis 500.
Malukas could become the 15th driver to win the Indianapolis 500 the year after finishing second in the race. The most recent driver to do it was Dan Wheldon in 2011.
Malukas could become the first Illinois-born driver to win the Indianapolis 500 since Floyd Davis was a co-winner with Mauri Rose in 1941.
Malukas could become the seventh-youngest Indianapolis 500 winner at 24 years, seven months and 27 days old. Malukas could become the first Indianapolis 500 winner born in the 21st century.
Malukas is still looking for his first career victory, and this will be his 68th career start. Fourteen drivers in IndyCar history have taken 68 starts or more for a first career victory.
Row 2:
Felix Rosenqvist
This will be Rosenqvist’s eighth Indianapolis 500 start.
Best Finish: 4th (2022, 2026)
Car #60 has never won the Indianapolis 500.
Seven times the winner started fourth, most recently Takuma Sato in 2017.
This is the fifth consecutive year Rosenqvist is starting on one of the first three rows.
Rosenqvist could become the third Swedish driver to win the Indianapolis 500.
Rosenqvist could become the second driver with victories in the Macau Grand Prix and the Indianapolis 500 joining Takuma Sato.
Rosenqvist needs to lead 39 laps to reach the 100 laps led milestone in the Indianapolis 500. Sixty-seven drivers have led 100 laps in the Indianapolis 500.
In his last five Indianapolis 500 starts, Rosenqvist has finished 27th, fourth, 27th, 27th and fourth. He is tied with Wilbur Shaw and Russ Snowberger for most 27th-place finishes in Indianapolis 500 history. He has completed all 500 miles in only three of seven starts.
Rosenqvist is tied with John Paul, Jr. for the 177th-best average finish among the 266 drivers with at least five Indianapolis 500 starts at 18.4285. A victory would lower his average finish to 16.25. The worst Rosenqvist's average finish can be after this race is 20.25.
It has been five years, ten months and 13 days since Rosenqvist’s only IndyCar victory (July 12, 2020 at Road America). It has been 98 starts since that victory. It would be the second-most starts between victories in IndyCar history.
Santino Ferrucci
This will be Ferrucci’s eighth Indianapolis 500 start.
Best Finish: 3rd (2024)
Car #14 has won the Indianapolis 500 six times, most recently with Kenny Bräck in 1999.
Eight times the winner started fifth, most recently Marcus Ericsson in 2022.
This is the third time in four years Ferrucci is starting on the second row.
Last year, Ferrucci extended his Indianapolis 500 record of seven top ten finishes in his first seven Indianapolis 500 starts. The previous record was five top ten finishes in the first five Indianapolis 500 starts for each Harry Hartz and Hélio Castroneves. Hartz and Castroneves each finished 25th in their sixth Indianapolis 500 starts.
Ferrucci has led a lap in five of his seven Indianapolis 500 starts, but he has led two laps or fewer in four of those races.
Ferrucci could become the first Connecticut-born driver to win the Indianapolis 500 and he would be just the second Nutmugger to win an IndyCar race, joining Scott Sharp.
Ferrucci has the fourth-best average finish among the 266 drivers with at least five Indianapolis 500 starts at 6.1428. A victory would lower Ferrucci’s average finish to 5.5. The worst Ferrucci’s average finish can be after this race is 9.5.
Ferrucci is still looking for his first career victory, and this will be his 100th career start. It would be the fourth-most starts before a first career victory in IndyCar history.
Patricio O’Ward
This will be O’Ward seventh Indianapolis 500 start.
Best Finish: 2nd (2022, 2024)
Car #5 has won the Indianapolis 500 six times but not since Arie Luyendyk in 1997.
Last year, Álex Palou became the sixth winner to win from sixth on the grid.
This is the fifth consecutive year O’Ward is starting on one of the first three rows. However, this is the first time O’Ward has started on the second row.
O'Ward was caught in Alexander Rossi's accident during Monday practice, and O'Ward was also forced to switch to a back-up car. This was the car he used last year in his victories at Iowa and Toronto.
O’Ward has four top five finishes in six Indianapolis 500 starts.
O’Ward could become the fourth past Indy Lights champion to win the Indianapolis 500 joining Scott Dixon, Tony Kanaan and Josef Newgarden.
O’Ward could become the first Mexican driver to win the Indianapolis 500. Mexico would become the 15th different nation to produce an Indianapolis 500 winner.
O'Ward needs to lead five laps to reach the 100 laps led milestone in the Indianapolis 500. Sixty-seven drivers have led 100 laps in the Indianapolis 500.
O’Ward has four top five finishes from the first six races this season.
O’Ward has the sixth-best average finish among the 266 drivers with at least five Indianapolis 500 starts at 6.8333. A victory would lower O’Ward’s average finish to 6.0. The worst his average finish can be after this race is 10.5714.
Row 3:
Kyffin Simpson
This will be Simpson’s third Indianapolis 500 start.
Best Finish: 21st (2024)
Car #8 has won the Indianapolis 500, most recently with Marcus Ericsson in 2022.
Five times the winner started seventh, most recently A.J. Foyt in 1961.
This is Simpson’s best start in the Indianapolis 500, and it is his best start on an oval in his IndyCar career.
In 2024, Simpson led three laps during a pit cycle before finishing 21st with all 200 laps completed.
Last year, Simpson was caught in a lap 91 accident when Kyle Larson spun in turn two and collected Simpson and Sting Ray Robb.
Simpson has three career top five finishes, and they all came last season when he was fifth in Detroit, third in Toronto and fourth in Nashville.
Simpson could become the youngest Indianapolis 500 winner at 21 years, seven months and 15 days old. This is the third and final chance for Simpson to become the youngest Indianapolis 500 winner. He would be the youngest non-American winner. Simpson could become the first Indianapolis 500 winner born in the 21st century.
Conor Daly
This will be Daly’s 13th Indianapolis 500 and hopefully his 12th start.
Best Finish: 6th (2022)
Car #23 has won the Indianapolis 500 twice, 1931 with Louis Schneider and 1938 with Floyd Roberts. Those are the only race victories for car #23 in IndyCar history.
Three times the winner started eighth, most recently Hélio Castroneves 2021.
This is Daly’s best starting position in the Indianapolis 500.
Daly could become the first Hoosier-born driver to win the Indianapolis 500 since Wilbur Shaw in 1940.
Daly has finished in the top ten in four consecutive Indianapolis 500s, and he has led a lap in four of the last five Indianapolis 500s.
Daly is tied with Mario Andretti for the 173rd-best average finish among the 266 drivers with at least five Indianapolis 500 starts at 18.25. A victory would lower his average finish to 16.923. The worst Daly’s average finish can be after this race is 19.384.
Daly is still looking for his first IndyCar victory and this will be his 132nd career start. No driver has taken this many starts before a first career victory.
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing’s only victory was on the team’s debut on January 29, 2000 at Walt Disney World Speedway in Orlando, Florida with Robbie Buhl.
Scott McLaughlin
This will be McLaughlin’s sixth Indianapolis 500 start.
Best Finish: 6th (2024)
Car #3 has won the Indianapolis 500 eleven times, the most victories for a car number. The last victory was in 2009 with Hélio Castroneves.
Only once has the winner started ninth and that was Emerson Fittipaldi in 1993.
Last year, McLaughlin was classified in 30th after his accident behind the pace car before the race had gone green. No driver has won the Indianapolis 500 after finishing 30th the year prior.
McLaughlin needs to lead 34 laps to reach the 100 laps led milestone in the Indianapolis 500. Sixty-seven drivers have led 100 laps in the Indianapolis 500.
McLaughlin has completed all 500 miles in three of his five Indianapolis 500 starts.
McLaughlin is tied with Art Klein and Bill Whittington for 207th-best average finish among the 266 drivers with at least five Indianapolis 500 starts at 19.8. A victory would lower McLaughlin’s average finish to 16.667. The worst his average finish can be after this race is 22.
McLaughlin could become the first driver to win the Bathurst 1000 and the Indianapolis 500.
McLaughlin could become the second New Zealander to win the Indianapolis 500, but the first New Zealand-born driver to win the race. New Zealand could become the sixth nation to produce multiple Indianapolis 500 winners.
Row 4:
Scott Dixon
This will be Dixon’s 24th Indianapolis 500 start.
2008 Indianapolis 500 winner.
Car #9 has won the Indianapolis 500 four times with Dixon’s 2008 victory being the most recent.
Twice has the winner started tenth, most recently Gil de Ferran in 2003.
Dixon is the all-time leader in Indianapolis 500 laps led with 677.
Dixon is 33 laps ahead of Al Unser in second.
Dixon is 339 laps ahead of the next closest active driver (Hélio Castroneves, 326 laps led).
Dixon has led in 16 Indianapolis 500s, the most all-time.
Dixon has led the most laps in the Indianapolis 500 a record six times.
Dixon is currently in an eight-way tie for most runner-up finishes in Indianapolis 500 history. Harry Hartz, Wilbur Shaw, Bill Holland, Jim Rathmann, Tom Sneva, Al Unser, Hélio Castroneves and Dixon have all finished runner-up three times in this race.
Dixon has the 32nd-best average finish among the 266 drivers with at least five Indianapolis 500 starts at 10.9565. A victory would lower his average finish to 10.541667. The worst his average finish can be after this race is 11.875.
Dixon’s one top five finish through the first six races this season is his fewest to start a season since he had zero top five finishes in the first six races of the 2005 season.
Dixon could become the fifth-oldest Indianapolis 500 winner at 45 years, ten months and two days old.
Rinus VeeKay
This will be VeeKay’s seventh Indianapolis 500 start.
Best Finish: 8th (2021)
Car #76 has never won the Indianapolis 500.
Three times the winner started 11th, most recently Alexander Rossi in 2016.
This is the best starting position for Juncos Hollinger Racing in the Indianapolis 500. Last year, Juncos Hollinger Racing scored its first top ten finish in the Indianapolis 500 when Conor Daly finished eighth.
VeeKay could become the second Dutchman to win the Indianapolis 500 after Arie Luyendyk.
VeeKay has led a lap in four of the last five Indianapolis 500s.
VeeKay has two top ten finishes in his last 14 starts.
VeeKay is tied with Roger McCluskey and Graham Rahal for the 166th-best average finish among the 266 drivers with at least five Indianapolis 500 starts at 17.8333. A victory would lower Rahal’s average finish to 16.9473. The worst Rahal’s average finish can be after this race is 18.6315, dropping him into 183rd all-time.
VeeKay could become the tenth-youngest Indianapolis 500 winner at 25 years, eight months and 13 days old. VeeKay could become the first Indianapolis 500 winner born in the 21st century.
It has been four years and nine days since VeeKay’s only career IndyCar victory, the 2021 Grand Prix of Indianapolis. He has made 84 starts since his only victory.
Takuma Sato
This will be Sato’s 17th Indianapolis 500 start.
Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner (2017, 2020).
Car #75 has never won the Indianapolis 500.
Twice has the winner started 12th, most recently Tony Kanaan in 2013.
Last year, Sato led a race-high 51 laps on his way to a ninth-place finish. Sato has led 138 laps in his Indianapolis 500 career, tied with George Robson, Pat Flaherty and Gary Bettenhausen for 48th all-time.
Sato started second in last year’s race, a career-best for him, before finishing ninth. This is his fifth consecutive year starting on one of the first five rows.
Only once has Sato finished in the top ten in consecutive Indianapolis 500s. He was third in 2019 before he won in 2020.
Sato has the 104th best average finish among the 266 drivers with at least five Indianapolis 500 starts at 15.4375. A victory would lower Sato's average finish to 14.5882. The worst Sato’s average finish can be after this race is 16.4705.
Sato could become the oldest Indianapolis 500 winner at 49 years, three months and 26 days old. Sato would become the first driver to win three Indianapolis 500s after turning 40 years old.
Row 5:
Ed Carpenter
This will be Carpenter’s 23rd Indianapolis 500 start.
Best Finish: 2nd (2018)
Car #33 has never won the Indianapolis 500.
Four times the winner started 13th, most recently Hélio Castroneves in 2002.
Carpenter is tied with George Snider for the most Indianapolis 500 starts without a victory.
Carpenter could become the first Illinois-born driver to win the Indianapolis 500 since Floyd Davis was a co-winner with Mauri Rose in 1941.
Carpenter led one lap last year, becoming the 41st driver to lead at least 150 laps in an Indianapolis 500 career.
Carpenter has finished outside the top ten in four consecutive Indianapolis 500s. He was 15th in last year’s race. No driver has won the Indianapolis 500 the year after finishing 15th in the race. It is the best finishing position to not produce an Indianapolis 500 winner in the following year.
Carpenter is tied with Danny Ongais for the 111th-best average finish among the 266 drivers with at least five Indianapolis 500 starts at 15.909. A victory would lower his average finish to 15.2608. The worst Carpenter’s average finish can be after this race is 16.6521.
Carpenter could become the sixth-oldest Indianapolis 500 winner at 45 years, two months and 21 days old.
It has been 11 years, 11 months and 18 days since Carpenter’s most recent IndyCar victory (June 6, 2014 at Texas Motor Speedway). It would be the third-longest streak between victories in IndyCar history behind John Paul, Jr., who went 15 years, two months and three days between victories, and Juan Pablo Montoya, who went 13 years, nine months and 20 days between victories.
Hélio Castroneves
This will be Castroneves’ 26th Indianapolis 500 start.
Four-time Indianapolis 500 winner (2001, 2002, 2009, 2021).
Castroneves’ victory in 2022 was the first Indianapolis 500 victory for car #06.
Only once has the winner started 14th and that was Bob Sweikert in 1955.
Castroneves could become the first five-time Indianapolis 500 winner.
Castroneves is one the four drivers with at least 25 Indianapolis 500 starts, trailing only A.J. Foyt (35), Mario Andretti (29) and Al Unser (27)
With a tenth-place finish last year, Castroneves tied A.J. Foyt for the most top ten finishes in the Indianapolis 500 with 17.
A top five finish would be Castroneves’ tenth in the Indianapolis 500 and he would join Al Unser and A.J. Foyt as the only drivers to reach that milestone.
If Castroneves completes 112 laps, he will surpass A.J. Foyt’s record for most laps completed in an Indianapolis 500 career. Foyt completed 4,909 laps or 12,272.5 miles in 35 starts. Castroneves has completed 4,798 laps or 11,995 miles in 25 starts.
Castroneves has completed all 500 miles in a record 19 starts.
Castroneves has the 14th-best average finish among the 266 drivers with at least five Indianapolis 500 starts at 9.12. A victory would lower his average finish to 8.807. The worst Castroneves’ average finish can be is 10.038.
Castroneves could become the oldest Indianapolis 500 winner at 51 years and 14 days old. Castroneves would join Emerson Fittipaldi and Takuma Sato as the only drivers to win multiple Indianapolis 500s after turning 40 years old.
Castroneves could become the third-oldest winner in IndyCar history behind only Mario Andretti (53 years, one month and seven days old) and Louis Unser (57 years, five months and 22 days old).
Christian Rasmussen
This will be Rasmussen’s third Indianapolis 500 start.
Best Finish: 6th (2025)
Car #21 has never won the Indianapolis 500.
Four times the winner started 15th, most recently Juan Pablo Montoya in 2015.
Rasmussen led eight laps in last year’s race on his way to finishing sixth.
In each of his first two Indianapolis 500 starts, Rasmussen has made up exactly 12 spots from his starting position.
Rasmussen could become the fourth past Indy Lights champion to win the Indianapolis 500 joining Scott Dixon, Tony Kanaan and Josef Newgarden
Rasmussen has yet to finish in the top ten this season. His best finish was 14th at Phoenix. He scored his first career victory last August in Milwaukee.
Rasmussen could become the tenth-youngest Indianapolis 500 winner at 25 years, ten months and 25 days old. Rasmussen could become the first Indianapolis 500 winner born in the 21st century.
Row 6:
Marcus Armstrong
This will be Armstrong’s third Indianapolis 500 start.
Best Finish: 18th (2025)
Car #66 has won the Indianapolis 500 once, Mark Donohue 1972.
Twice has the winner started 16th, most recently Dario Franchitti in 2012.
Armstrong started 16th in his Indianapolis 500 debut two years ago before an engine failure ended his race after six laps.
Armstrong’s best finish this season was fifth at Phoenix, the only other oval race held in 2026.
Armstrong could become the second New Zealander to win the Indianapolis 500, but the first New Zealand-born driver to win the race. New Zealand could become the sixth nation to produce multiple Indianapolis 500 winners.
Armstrong could become the second driver alphabetically by last name among Indianapolis 500 winners behind only Mario Andretti.
Armstrong could become the tenth-youngest Indianapolis 500 winner at 25 years, nine months and 25 days old. He would become the youngest non-American winner. Armstrong could become the first Indianapolis 500 winner born in the 21st century.
Marcus Ericsson
This will be Ericsson’s eighth Indianapolis 500 start.
2022 Indianapolis 500 winner
Car #28 has won the Indianapolis 500 once, Ryan Hunter-Reay 2014.
Three times the winner started 17th, most recently Josef Newgarden in 2023.
Ericsson was second on the road last year before being disqualified post-race for having a modified Energy Management System cover. He was relegated to 31st in the final result with 17 laps led.
Three times has Ericsson finished outside the top 30 in his Indianapolis 500 career, including the last two years. The only driver to have three consecutive finishes outside the top 30 in the Indianapolis 500 was Paul Bost, who finished 31st, 37th and 40th from 1931 to 1933.
Ericsson has led 60 laps in his Indianapolis 500 career, ranking him 96th all-time.
Ericsson is one of 14 drivers to have won the Indianapolis 500 and finished last in the Indianapolis 500. The others are Howdy Wilcox, Louis Schneider, Bill Cummings, Sam Hanks, Jimmy Bryan, Bobby Unser, Mario Andretti, Tom Sneva, Buddy Lazier, Danny Sullivan, Kenny Bräck, Takuma Sato and Juan Pablo Montoya.
Ericsson is tied with Andy Linden, Geoff Brabham, Paul Tracy and Colton Herta for the 189th-best average finish among the 266 drivers with at least five Indianapolis 500 starts at 19.0. A victory would lower his average finish to 16.75. The worst Ericsson’s average finish can be after this race is 20.75.
Christian Lundgaard
This will be Lundgaard’s fifth Indianapolis 500 start.
Best Finish: 7th (2025)
Car #7 has won the Indianapolis 500 twice but not since Bill Holland in 1949.
The best finish for the 18th-starter is second, which occurred in 1920 by René Thomas and in 2009 and 2010 by Dan Wheldon.
Lundgaard enters as the most recent winner in IndyCar after he won the Grand Prix of Indianapolis. It was the second victory of Lundgaard’s career.
Three drivers have won the Grand Prix of Indianapolis and the Indianapolis 500 in the same year. Will Power did it in 2018, Simon Pagenaud did it in 2019 and Álex Palou did it last year.
Since returning to IndyCar, McLaren has yet to have a driver win consecutive races. The last time a McLaren driver won consecutive races was when Johnny Rutherford swept the Atlanta doubleheader in 1979.
Last season, Lundgaard had consecutive podium finishes on two occasions, including a three-race streak that covered Thermal Club, Long Beach and Barber Motorsports Park.
In each of his first three Indianapolis 500 starts, Lundgaard has finished better than his starting position. In his first three starts, he finished at least 11 spots better than where he started.
Lundgaard could become the ninth-youngest Indianapolis 500 winner at 24 years, ten months and one day old. Lundgaard could become the first Indianapolis 500 winner born in the 21st century.
Row 7:
Will Power
This will be Power’s 19th Indianapolis 500 start.
2018 Indianapolis 500 winner.
Car #26 has won the Indianapolis 500 twice, Dan Wheldon in 2005 and Takuma Sato 2017.
Twice has the winner started 19th, most recently Ryan Hunter-Reay in 2014.
Power could become the first driver to win the Indianapolis 500 for Chevrolet and Honda in the DW12-era. He would become the 13th driver to win the Indianapolis 500 with multiple engine manufacturers.
Power is currently tied with Johnny Rutherford for the fifth-most 500-mile race victories in IndyCar history with five.
Power has six consecutive finishes of 14th or worse in the Indianapolis 500. While he was third at Arlington in March, that remains his only top ten finish this season.
Power needs to lead five laps to become the 42nd driver to lead at least 150 laps in an Indianapolis 500 career. Since winning the Indianapolis 500 in 2018, Power has led ten laps over the last seven Indianapolis 500s. He has failed to finish on the lead lap in four of the last five years.
Power is tied with Gordon Johncock for the 79th-best average finish among the 266 drivers with at least five Indianapolis 500 starts at 14.333. A victory would lower his average finish to 13.631. The worst his average finish can be after this race is 15.315.
Power needs to lead five laps to become the 42nd driver to lead at least 150 laps in an Indianapolis 500 career. Since winning the Indianapolis 500 in 2018, Power has led ten laps over the last seven Indianapolis 500s. He has failed to finish on the lead lap in four of the last five years.
Power is tied with Gordon Johncock for the 79th-best average finish among the 266 drivers with at least five Indianapolis 500 starts at 14.333. A victory would lower his average finish to 13.631. The worst his average finish can be after this race is 15.315.
Power could become the sixth-oldest Indianapolis 500 winner at 45 years, two months and 23 days old.
Nolan Siegel
This will be Siegel’s second Indianapolis 500 start.
Best Finish: 13th (2025)
Car #6 has won the Indianapolis 500 five times, most recently with Sam Hornish, Jr. in 2006.
Three times the winner started 20th, most recently Al Unser in 1987.
Siegel’s best two finishes of the season have come in the last two races. He was 12th at Long Beach and tenth in the Grand Prix of Indianapolis, ending a 12-race slump without a top ten finish.
Siegel had an accident in turn two on the final lap of last year’s Indianapolis 500, and he was classified in 13th.
Siegel’s only top ten finish on an oval was a seventh at Gateway in 2024, his first oval start.
Siegel could become the youngest Indianapolis 500 winner at 21 years, six months and 20 days old. This is the second and last chance Siegel will have at becoming the youngest Indianapolis 500 winner. Siegel could become the first Indianapolis 500 winner born in the 21st century.
Louis Foster
This will be Foster’s second Indianapolis 500 start.
Best Finish: 12th (2025)
Car #45 has never won the Indianapolis 500.
Only once has the winner started 21st and that was L.L. Corum and Joe Boyer in 1924.
Foster was the best finishing rookie in last year’s Indianapolis 500 in 12th.
In the Grand Prix of Indianapolis, Foster was seventh, his first career top ten finish in IndyCar.
At 23 starts, Foster is tied with James Jakes for the sixth-most starts before a first career top ten finish in IndyCar history.
Foster could become the fourth past Indy Lights champion to win the Indianapolis 500 joining Scott Dixon, Tony Kanaan and Josef Newgarden.
In only one race this season has Foster finished better than his starting position. He was 16th at Long Beach after starting 17th. He did start and finish 13th at Arlington. Foster has finished better than his starting position in five of 23 career starts.
Foster could become the second-youngest Indianapolis 500 winner at 22 years, nine months and 27 days old. He would be the youngest non-American winner. Foster could become the first Indianapolis 500 winner born in the 21st century.
Row 8:
Ryan Hunter-Reay
This will be Hunter-Reay's 18th Indianapolis 500 start.
2014 Indianapolis 500 winner.
Car #31 has won the Indianapolis 500 once, 1994 with Al Unser, Jr.
Twice has the winner started 22nd but not since Kelly Petillo in 1935.
Hunter-Reay could become the first driver to win the Indianapolis 500 for Chevrolet and Honda in the DW12-era. He would become the 13th driver to win the Indianapolis 500 with multiple engine manufacturers.
Hunter-Reay led 49 laps in last year’s race, moving him to 27th all-time on 219 laps led. He is one of 31 drivers to lead at least 200 laps in an Indianapolis 500 career.
With Hunter-Reay running out of fuel in last year’s race and failing to restart the car, he has finished outside the top ten in four consecutive Indianapolis 500 starts.
Hunter-Reay has the 125th-best average finish among the 266 drivers with at least five Indianapolis 500 starts at 16.411. A victory would lower his average finish to 15.554. The worst Hunter-Reay's average finish can be after this race is 17.333.
Hunter-Reay could become the sixth-oldest Indianapolis 500 winner at 45 years, five months and seven days old.
It has been seven years, eight months and eight days since Hunter-Reay’s most recent IndyCar victory (September 16, 2018 at Sonoma Raceway).
Josef Newgarden
This will be Newgarden’s 15th Indianapolis 500 start.
Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner (2023-24).
Newgarden’s victory in 2024 was the 11th time car #2 has won the Indianapolis 500.
The best finish for the 23rd-starter is second by Wilbur Shaw in 1933.
This is the fifth time in six years Newgarden is starting outside one of the first four rows.
Newgarden could become the third driver to win three times in four Indianapolis 500 starts. Wilbur Shaw did it over 1937 to 1940. Mauri Rosi did it from 1941 to 1948 with three years where the race did not occur due to World War II.
Newgarden is one victory away from having 20 oval victories in his career. He would become the 12th driver in IndyCar history to win 20 oval races.
Newgarden is the only driver to win the Freedom 100 and Indianapolis 500 in a career.
Newgarden was the third past Indy Lights champion to win the Indianapolis 500 joining Scott Dixon and Tony Kanaan.
Newgarden needs to lead 31 laps to reach the 100 laps led milestone in the Indianapolis 500. Newgarden is the only multi-time Indianapolis 500 winner to have led fewer than 100 laps. Sixty-seven drivers have led at least 100 laps in the Indianapolis 500.
Newgarden is tied with Earl Cooper for 58th-best average finish among the 266 drivers with at least five Indianapolis 500 starts at 12.85714. A third victory would lower Newgarden’s average finish to 12.0667. The worst his average finish can be after this race is 14.2.
Romain Grosjean
This will be Grosjean’s fourth Indianapolis 500 start.
Best Finish: 19th (2024)
Car #18 has never won the Indianapolis 500.
The best finish for the 24th-starter is fourth on five occasions (Denny Hulme in 1967, Mel Kenyon in 1969, Sammy Sessions in 1972, Eliseo Salazar in 1995 and Townsend Bell in 2009).
Grosjean's car suffered damage during Monday practice after Alexander Rossi spun in turn two. Grosjean's team was able to repair the car and continue.
Grosjean could become the first Indianapolis 500 veteran to win the race a year after not participating since Al Unser won in 1970.
Foster could become the second-youngest Indianapolis 500 winner at 22 years, nine months and 27 days old. He would be the youngest non-American winner. Foster could become the first Indianapolis 500 winner born in the 21st century.
Row 8:
Ryan Hunter-Reay
This will be Hunter-Reay's 18th Indianapolis 500 start.
2014 Indianapolis 500 winner.
Car #31 has won the Indianapolis 500 once, 1994 with Al Unser, Jr.
Twice has the winner started 22nd but not since Kelly Petillo in 1935.
Hunter-Reay could become the first driver to win the Indianapolis 500 for Chevrolet and Honda in the DW12-era. He would become the 13th driver to win the Indianapolis 500 with multiple engine manufacturers.
Hunter-Reay led 49 laps in last year’s race, moving him to 27th all-time on 219 laps led. He is one of 31 drivers to lead at least 200 laps in an Indianapolis 500 career.
With Hunter-Reay running out of fuel in last year’s race and failing to restart the car, he has finished outside the top ten in four consecutive Indianapolis 500 starts.
Hunter-Reay has the 125th-best average finish among the 266 drivers with at least five Indianapolis 500 starts at 16.411. A victory would lower his average finish to 15.554. The worst Hunter-Reay's average finish can be after this race is 17.333.
Hunter-Reay could become the sixth-oldest Indianapolis 500 winner at 45 years, five months and seven days old.
It has been seven years, eight months and eight days since Hunter-Reay’s most recent IndyCar victory (September 16, 2018 at Sonoma Raceway).
Josef Newgarden
This will be Newgarden’s 15th Indianapolis 500 start.
Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner (2023-24).
Newgarden’s victory in 2024 was the 11th time car #2 has won the Indianapolis 500.
The best finish for the 23rd-starter is second by Wilbur Shaw in 1933.
This is the fifth time in six years Newgarden is starting outside one of the first four rows.
Newgarden could become the third driver to win three times in four Indianapolis 500 starts. Wilbur Shaw did it over 1937 to 1940. Mauri Rosi did it from 1941 to 1948 with three years where the race did not occur due to World War II.
Newgarden is one victory away from having 20 oval victories in his career. He would become the 12th driver in IndyCar history to win 20 oval races.
Newgarden is the only driver to win the Freedom 100 and Indianapolis 500 in a career.
Newgarden was the third past Indy Lights champion to win the Indianapolis 500 joining Scott Dixon and Tony Kanaan.
Newgarden needs to lead 31 laps to reach the 100 laps led milestone in the Indianapolis 500. Newgarden is the only multi-time Indianapolis 500 winner to have led fewer than 100 laps. Sixty-seven drivers have led at least 100 laps in the Indianapolis 500.
Newgarden is tied with Earl Cooper for 58th-best average finish among the 266 drivers with at least five Indianapolis 500 starts at 12.85714. A third victory would lower Newgarden’s average finish to 12.0667. The worst his average finish can be after this race is 14.2.
Romain Grosjean
This will be Grosjean’s fourth Indianapolis 500 start.
Best Finish: 19th (2024)
Car #18 has never won the Indianapolis 500.
The best finish for the 24th-starter is fourth on five occasions (Denny Hulme in 1967, Mel Kenyon in 1969, Sammy Sessions in 1972, Eliseo Salazar in 1995 and Townsend Bell in 2009).
Grosjean's car suffered damage during Monday practice after Alexander Rossi spun in turn two. Grosjean's team was able to repair the car and continue.
Grosjean could become the first Indianapolis 500 veteran to win the race a year after not participating since Al Unser won in 1970.
Since finishing eighth in the season opener at St. Petersburg, Grosjean has finished outside the top twenty in four of the last five races. His best finis on an oval was seventh in the first Iowa race in 2022.
Grosjean could become the fifth different Frenchman to win the Indianapolis 500. Only the United States and the United Kingdom have had at least five different drivers win the Indianapolis 500.
Grosjean is still looking for his first career victory, and this will be his 71st career start. Thirteen drivers in IndyCar history have taken 71 starts or more for a first career victory. Bryan Herta’s first career victory came in his 71st career start at Laguna Seca in 1998
Row 9:
Kyle Kirkwood
This will be Kirkwood’s fifth Indianapolis 500 start.
Best Finish: 7th (2024)
Car #27 has won the Indianapolis 500 three times, most recently with Dario Franchitti in 2007.
Only once has the winner started 25th and that was Johnny Rutherford in 1974.
Kirkwood was sixth on the road last year before being disqualified post-race for having a modified Energy Management System cover. He was relegated to 32nd in the final result with two laps led.
No driver has ever won the Indianapolis 500 after finishing 32nd the year prior.
This is the third time in five Indianapolis 500 starts Kirkwood is starting outside the first seven rows.
Kirkwood is the only driver this season to finish in the top ten in all six races, and he had finished in the top five in the first five races this season.
Kirkwood scored his first career victory on an oval last June at Gateway Motorsports Park.
Kirkwood could become the fourth Indy Lights championship to win the Indianapolis 500 joining Scott Dixon, Tony Kanaan and Josef Newgarden.
Kirkwood could become the first Florida-born driver to win the Indianapolis 500. He was the first Florida-born driver to win any IndyCar race when he won at Long Beach in 2023.
Katherine Legge
This will be Legge's fifth Indianapolis 500 start.
Best Finish: 22nd (2012)
Car #11 has won the Indianapolis 500 once, 2013 with Tony Kanaan.
The best finish for the 26th-starter is third by Don Freeland in 1956, Paul Goldsmith in 1960 and Simon Pagenaud in 2021.
Legge is attempting to become the sixth driver to start the Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. Kyle Larson started both races last year after he was only able to start at Indianapolis in 2024 due to a lengthy rain delay, and he was unable to replace Justin Allgaier mid-race in Charlotte due to rain ending the NASCAR race early.
Only Tony Stewart completed all 1,100 miles between both races. Stewart did that in 2001.
Legge has not finished on the lead lap in her first four Indianapolis 500 starts. She has not finished on the lead lap in an IndyCar race since the 2007 Champ Car race in Assen, Netherlands, where she was 12th. In 47 starts, she has finished on the lead lap only six times.
Legge’s most recent top ten finish was at Fontana on September 15, 2012.
Legge could become the fifth-oldest Indianapolis 500 winner at 45 years, ten months and 12 days old.
Mick Schumacher
This will be Schumacher’s first Indianapolis 500 start.
Car #47 has never won the Indianapolis 500.
Only once has the winner started 27th and that was by Fred Frame in 1932.
Through his first six IndyCar starts, Schumacher has yet to finish better than 18th.
Schumacher will join Jack Brabham, Clay Regazzoni and Romain Grosjean as Formula Two/GP2 champions to compete in the Indianapolis 500.
It has been five years, seven months and 28 days since Schumacher’s most recent victory. He won the 2020 Formula Two feature race from Sochi, Russia.
Schumacher will be the first German to start the Indianapolis 500 since Max Sailer, Christian Werner and Christian Lautenschlager all started the 1923 race in a three-car Mercedes effort. Sailer was eighth with his nephew Karl running the final 128 laps in relief. Werner was 11th with Max Sailer running two relief stints in his car and Lautenschlager also running a relief stint. Lautenschlager was 23rd out of 24 starters due to an accident after 14 laps in turn one.
Schumacher could become the third Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing driver to win Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year after Danica Patrick and Ryan Hunter-Reay.
Row 10:
Graham Rahal
This will be Rahal’s 19th Indianapolis 500 start.
Best Finish: 3rd (2011, 2020).
Car #15 has won the Indianapolis 500 three times, most recently with Buddy Rice in 2004.
Twice has the winner started 28th, inaugural winner Ray Harroun in 1911 and Louis Meyer in 1936.
This is the second consecutive year Rahal is starting 28th. He started 33rd in the two years prior to that.
It has been 146 starts since Rahal’s most recent IndyCar victory (Belle Isle II in 2017). Rahal currently holds the record for most starts between victories. He made 124 starts between his victories at St. Petersburg in 2008 and Fontana in 2015.
Rahal has led 28 laps in his Indianapolis 500 career. His father Bobby led 126 laps in his 13 Indianapolis 500 starts.
Rahal could tie Salt Walther and George Snider for most 33rd-place finishes in the Indianapolis 500 at three.
Rahal has finished outside the top ten in five consecutive Indianapolis 500s.
Rahal is tied with Roger McCluskey and Rinus VeeKay for the 166th-best average finish among the 266 drivers with at least five Indianapolis 500 starts at 17.8333. A victory would lower Rahal’s average finish to 16.9473. The worst Rahal’s average finish can be after this race is 18.6315, dropping him into 183rd all-time.
Dennis Hauger
This will be Hauger’s first Indianapolis 500 start.
Car #19 has never won the Indianapolis 500.
The best finish for the 29th-starter is second in 1911 by Ralph Mulford and in 2002 by Paul Tracy.
Hauger is currently the top rookie in the championship, sitting 15th on 100 points. He is coming off his best finish of the season as he was eighth in the Grand Prix of Indianapolis.
Hauger will become the second Norwegian-born driver to start the Indianapolis 500, joining Gil Andersen, who started the first six Indianapolis 500s. Andersen started first in 1912. His best finish was third in 1915 where he led 26 laps.
Hauger could become the second Dale Coyne Racing driver to win Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year after Santino Ferrucci.
Hauger could become the fourth-youngest Indianapolis 500 winner at 23 years, two months and seven days old. Hauger could become the first Indianapolis 500 winner born in the 21st century.
Jacob Abel
This will be Abel's first Indianapolis 500 start.
Car #51 won the 1998 Indianapolis 500 with Eddie Cheever.
The best finish for the 30th-starter was fourth in 1936 by Mauri Rose.
Abel failed to qualify for last year’s race with Dale Coyne Racing. This year, Abel is running with his family’s team, Abel Motorsports, which currently fields four cars in Indy Lights.
The most recent driver to win Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year a year after failing to qualify for the race was Patricio O'Ward in 2020.
Abel’s best finish in his rookie season was 11th in the second Iowa race.
Abel could become the second Kentucky-born driver to win the Indianapolis 500 joining Danny Sullivan, who won in 1985.
Abel’s best finish in his rookie season was 11th in the second Iowa race.
Abel could become the second Kentucky-born driver to win the Indianapolis 500 joining Danny Sullivan, who won in 1985.
Abel could become the ninth-youngest Indianapolis 500 winner at 25 years, two months and 15 days old. Abel could become the first Indianapolis 500 winner born in the 21st century.
Row 11:
Sting Ray Robb
This will be Robb’s fourth Indianapolis 500 start.
Best Finish: 16th (2024)
Car #77 has never won the Indianapolis 500.
The best finish for the 31st-starter is fourth in 1951 by Andy Linden.
Last year, Robb was caught in a lap 91 accident when Kyle Larson spun in turn two and collected Robb and Kyffin Simpson.
After finishing outside the top twenty in the first five races of this season, Robb was 17th in the Grand Prix of Indianapolis.
Robb could become the ninth-youngest Indianapolis 500 winner at 24 years, eight months and 21 days old. Robb could become the first Indianapolis 500 winner born in the 21st century.
Robb could become the first Idahoan to win the Indianapolis 500.
Robb led 23 laps two years ago in the Indianapolis 500, the third-most behind Scott McLaughlin (66) and Josef Newgarden (26).
Caio Collet
This will be Collet’s first Indianapolis 500 start.
Car #4 has won the Indianapolis 500 five times, most recently with Emerson Fittipaldi in 1993.
The best finish for the 32nd-starter is second in 1957 by Jim Rathmann and 1981 by Mario Andretti.
Collet originally qualified tenth, but his qualifying time was disallowed after his car was found to have unapproved hardware on his car for the Energy Management System cover.
Collet could become the fourth Brazilian to win Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year joining Christian Fittipaldi, Hélio Castroneves and Rubens Barrichello.
Collet could become the third A.J. Foyt Racing driver to win Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year joining Donnie Allison and Benjamin Pedersen.
Collet could become the sixth-youngest Indianapolis 500 winner at 24 years, one months and 21 days old. Collet could become the first Indianapolis 500 winner born in the 21st century.
Jack Harvey
This will be Harvey’s ninth Indianapolis 500.
Best Finish: 9th (2020)
Car #24 has won the Indianapolis 500 once, Graham Hill 1966.
The best finish for the 33rd-starter is second in 1980 by Tom Sneva and 1992 by Scott Goodyear.
Harvey originally qualified 29th, but his qualifying time was disallowed after his car was found to have unapproved hardware on his car for the Energy Management System cover.
This will be the fourth time Harvey has started on the last row in his career.
Last year, Harvey led three laps in the Indianapolis 500, his first time ever leading the race.
This will be Harvey’s second IndyCar start in a Chevrolet-powered car. His first was last year's Indianapolis 500 with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing.
Harvey has not had a top ten finish in his last 32 IndyCar starts. His most recent top ten finish on an oval was seventh in the first Texas race in 2021.
Harvey is tied with Derek Daly and Louis Tomei for the 201st-best average finish among the 266 drivers with at least five Indianapolis 500 starts at 19.5. A victory would lower his average finish to 17.444. The worst Harvey's average finish can be after this race is 21.0.
Harvey is still looking for his first IndyCar victory, and this will be his 95th start. Only four drivers made more starts before their first career victory.
Fox's coverage of the 110th Indianapolis 500 will begin at 10:00 a.m. ET on Sunday May 24 with green flag scheduled for 12:45 p.m. ET. The race is scheduled for 200 laps.
