Felix Rosenqvist won the 110th Indianapolis 500 on Sunday by edging David Malukas by just 0.0233 seconds—the closest finish in race history—after a thrilling final lap that saw the race restart under a red flag and a last-second pass. The victory, secured by the Meyer Shank Racing driver in his first Indy 500 win, capped a season of dominance that included a rookie-of-the-year award in 2019 and a previous INDYCAR victory in 2020. With 70 lead changes—the most in Indy 500 history—this year’s race defied expectations, leaving fans and pundits stunned by its unpredictability.
A Last-Lap Pass for the Record Books
The race’s final moments were pure chaos. With eight laps to go, a crash by Caio Collet triggered a red flag, halting the race and setting up a sprint to the finish. When the green flag waved, Malukas—last year’s runner-up—took the lead, but Rosenqvist, driving the No. 60 Honda, surged past him in the final corner. The margin? A mere two-hundredths of a second, the slimmest winning gap in Indy 500 history. “I don’t even know what to say, what a car, what a car,” Rosenqvist told Fox after the race. “Massive thanks to the team. I think we were the best car today. We kind of had it under control.” The victory was all the more poignant: Rosenqvist and his wife had welcomed their first child just weeks earlier, fulfilling a pre-race joke about winning the 500 and becoming a father in the same month.
Rosenqvist’s win wasn’t just about speed—it was about strategy. His team, Meyer Shank Racing, executed a near-perfect fuel-and-tire plan, allowing him to avoid a late pit stop while rivals like Pato O’Ward and Alex Palou (the defending champion) faltered. Team owner Mike Shank, speaking to reporters after the race, emphasized the precision of their approach: “We knew we had a car that could handle the race, but today was about execution. Felix and the crew pushed every limit, and it paid off.” The race’s 70 lead changes—surpassing the 2013 record of 68—highlighted how fluid the field remained, with drivers like Marcus Armstrong and Scott McLaughlin trading positions throughout the day.
Armstrong, who finished third, had been a late threat, leading laps 167 and 168 before Rosenqvist’s final pass. “We were fighting for it until the very end,” Armstrong said. “The car was great, but Felix just had that extra something today.” Meanwhile, McLaughlin, who started from the pole in 2025, finished fifth after a strong mid-race run, demonstrating the race’s volatility.
The Race’s Unpredictability: A New Standard for Indy 500 Chaos
This year’s Indy 500 wasn’t just a race—it was a masterclass in unpredictability. The field saw crashes, cautions, and last-lap heroics that would have made even the most seasoned fans clutch their seats. Josef Newgarden, a three-time Indy 500 winner and a fan favorite, spun out on Lap 126 after contact with Collet, dropping him to 12th place. The incident delayed the race by 17 minutes, adding to the tension. Katherine Legge—attempting the rare “double” of winning both the Indy 500 and a NASCAR race in the same year—crash early on Lap 32 when her car lost power, forcing her to withdraw. Her team later confirmed the issue was a fuel pump failure, a setback for her historic bid.
What made the race especially wild was the sheer number of lead changes. With 70, it shattered the previous record of 68 set in 2013 by Tony Kanaan. The back-and-forth nature of the race—driven by pit strategy, tire wear, and late-race drama—proved that Indy 500 isn’t just about who’s fastest on a single lap, but who can outlast the competition in a 200-lap marathon. “This is why the Indy 500 is the greatest spectacle in racing,” said INDYCAR CEO Mark Miles in a post-race statement. “You never know who’s going to win until the checkered flag drops.”
Scott Dixon, a four-time Indy 500 winner, finished fourth after a dominant early run but struggled with tire wear in the final 50 laps. “We had a great car, but the race just got away from us,” Dixon admitted. “Felix and David were in a different world today.” Dixon’s performance underscored how quickly momentum can shift in the Indy 500, where a single mistake or miscalculation can cost a driver the entire race.
The Contenders Who Fell Short—and Why
While Rosenqvist took the checkered flag, the race was far from a foregone conclusion. David Malukas, last year’s runner-up, was the closest challenger, leading laps 147, 166, and 169 before Rosenqvist’s final assault. Malukas’s near-miss—finishing just 0.0233 seconds behind—highlighted how razor-thin the margin was. “It’s been quite a month,” Rosenqvist joked in post-race interviews, referencing his newborn son. “We joked about it in the beginning, ‘Maybe you’ll win the 500 and have a baby.’ It’s just unreal.”
Malukas’s team, Chip Ganassi Racing, expressed disappointment but acknowledged the difficulty of the race. “David fought hard to the end, and the car was solid,” said Ganassi in a statement. “But Felix was just a step faster today.” Malukas, who had qualified on the front row in 2025, will now look to rebound at the next race, the Coca-Cola 600, where he will face a similar field.
Alex Palou, the defending champion, was another major contender. After starting on pole and leading early in the race, he faded in the final laps, finishing sixth—more than 16 seconds behind Rosenqvist. His struggles underscored how quickly fortunes can shift in the Indy 500, where a single mistake or miscalculation can cost a driver the entire race. Palou’s team, Chip Ganassi Racing, cited tire wear and fuel strategy as key factors in his late-race decline. “We knew the race would be tough, but we didn’t expect it to go this way,” Palou said. “Next year, we’ll be back.”
Pato O’Ward—who had been leading late—struggled with fuel strategy, ultimately finishing fourth. His team, Arrow McLaren, confirmed that a miscalculation in the final pit stop cost him valuable time. “We were in the hunt, but the race just got away from us,” O’Ward said. “We’ll learn from this and come back stronger.”
What Happens Next for Rosenqvist and INDYCAR?
Rosenqvist’s victory isn’t just a personal triumph—it’s a statement about the future of INDYCAR. At 34, he becomes the third Swedish driver to win the Indy 500, joining Kenny Brack (1999) and Marcus Ericsson (2022). His win for Meyer Shank Racing also marks the team’s second Indy 500 victory, solidifying their reputation as a force in the series. For Rosenqvist, the next challenge will be defending his title in 2027, when he’ll face a field that includes Palou, Newgarden, and a new generation of drivers hungry for glory.
The race also set the stage for the rest of the INDYCAR season. With the Coca-Cola 600 just weeks away, drivers like Katherine Legge (who crashed early) and Marcus Armstrong (who nearly stole the show) will look to rebound. Legge, who had been a frontrunner in both INDYCAR and NASCAR, will now focus on her NASCAR schedule while working with her team to address the fuel pump issue. Armstrong, meanwhile, will aim to build on his strong performance at Indy, which included leading laps in the final stages.
INDYCAR will also continue to push for more diversity in its driver lineup, as Legge’s attempt at the “double” drew attention to the growing number of women in motorsport. The series has set a goal of increasing female representation in its driver ranks, and Legge’s efforts have been a key part of that conversation. “Katherine’s attempt to win both races in the same year was inspiring,” said INDYCAR’s Director of Diversity and Inclusion, Lisa Pappas. “We’re committed to supporting more women in motorsport, and her story is a great example of what’s possible.”
The Bigger Picture: Why This Indy 500 Will Be Remembered
This year’s Indy 500 wasn’t just about a close finish—it was about the story behind it. From Rosenqvist’s emotional post-race remarks to the sheer unpredictability of the race, it delivered everything fans love about “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” The record number of lead changes, the last-lap drama, and the emotional weight of Rosenqvist’s victory all combined to make this one of the most memorable Indy 500s in decades.
As the field prepares for the next race, one thing is clear: the Indy 500 is evolving. With more lead changes, closer finishes, and a growing emphasis on strategy over sheer speed, the race is becoming even more unpredictable—and that’s exactly what makes it so thrilling. “This is what racing should be about,” said Rosenqvist in his victory press conference. “It’s not just about winning; it’s about the journey, the team, and the fans. Today was everything I could have asked for.”
“I don’t even know what to say, what a car, what a car. Massive thanks to the team. I think we were the best car today. I felt like we were in all situations. We kind of had it under control.”
—Felix Rosenqvist, via The New York Times
For now, though, the focus remains on Rosenqvist’s historic win—a moment that will be remembered for years to come. The next chapter in INDYCAR’s story begins with the Coca-Cola 600, where the drivers who fell short at Indy will look to regroup and reclaim their momentum.
