Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Speedway, Ind.) — David Malukas sat motionless in his No. 12 Team Penske Chevrolet in his pit box for a moment. Dejected, he took his time before climbing out, leaning against his car with one hand and burying his helmet-covered face in the other.
He was frozen, heartbroken and seemingly in disbelief after being on the losing end of the closest Indianapolis 500 finish in the 110th running of the race Sunday.
He was devastated with tears in his eyes.
“Every strategy, everything — we did everything correct with this team,” 24-year-old Malukas told us and other reporters on pit road. “This just comes down to the IMS gods not picking us — yet. But it’s coming.”
Despite Malukas taking the lead going into Turn 1 on a one-lap shootout for the crown, Felix Rosenqvist won the drag race down the frontstraight to the Yard of Bricks finish line, winning by .0233 seconds.
Few could believe the finish, Malukas included.
“Lot of anger, lot of pain. I feel like I’m mourning and just a lot of shock,” Malukas continued, choking up and fighting through tears. “I just — I still can’t believe it. Just to be that close to winning the damn thing. I just can’t believe it.”
It’s the second straight year Malukas earned a second-place Indy 500 finish. Last year, with A.J. Foyt Enterprises, he got bumped up from third after Marcus Ericsson’s second-place finish was disallowed after his car failed the post-race inspection.
When Malukas finally stood up, his pit crew was ready with hugs and words of encouragement. But those are hard to embrace after being oh-so-close to his first INDYCAR win in the biggest race in the world.
He couldn’t believe he squandered “perfect position” off the final restart. He had the checkered flag within his grasp until the final few feet of the 200-lap race on the iconic 2.5-mile track.
“We had that opportunity right there,” Malukas said. “I really thought we could hold it, and I don’t know what else we could have done. Maybe something different with deployment racing, but I don’t know. …
“Felix had such an incredible run. So I don’t know, I don’t think there was anything else we could have done.”
Felix Rosenqvist barely edges out David Malukas to win the 2026 Indy 500. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)
While barely missing out on an Indy 500 crown is brutal, Malukas’ teammate, Scott McLaughlin, had an entirely different attitude after finishing third.
In last year’s Indy 500, McLaughlin infamously crashed on the pace laps before the race even began, later calling it the “worst day of [his] life.”
“It is zero to 3rd,” McLaughlin advised us and different reporters on pit highway. “It is nice, however I need to win.”
The No. 3 Crew Penske driver stated he was “glad” together with his third-place end, notably as a result of he stated his group did not have “a quick sufficient automotive.” However he acknowledged that, along with a bit of luck, Indy 500-winning groups efficiently assemble all of the puzzle items, he and his staff weren’t fairly there.
Whereas congratulating Rosenqvist, McLaughlin empathized with Malukas’ post-race heartbreak.
“You are younger, pal. You are gonna be round for a very long time,” McLaughlin stated when requested what he’d say to Malukas. “And if he drives like that, he is gonna be simply effective.
“Hopefully, he will get one, I get one, and I’ve little doubt our automobiles are quick sufficient. It is nearly placing ourselves in place. It is gonna harm for him for a bit, however he’ll be proud that he was main the Indy 500 with a lap to go.”
