Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Speedway, Ind.) — Who will have the speed on Sunday in the Indianapolis 500?
Good question. Many of the drivers who were fast before they got the extra 100 horsepower boost for qualifying did not have the best qualifying results. The temperatures and the wind have impacted who has shown speed and who has not.
And there is something to be said about bringing it when it means the most and navigating a 200-lap, 500-mile race.
So here’s my best attempt at ranking the Indy 500 field, all the way from 33rd to 1st.
33. Sting Ray Robb (Starting: 31st)
Juncos Hollinger Racing No. 77 Chevrolet
This is, admittedly, a little bit harsh to put Robb here behind some of the one-off drivers. But he struggled so much in qualifying, that it’s going to be hard for him to get out of his head. He did finish on the lead lap in the 2024 race as he finished 23rd.
32. Katherine Legge (Starting: 26th)
HMD Motorsports w/ A.J. Foyt Racing No. 11 Chevrolet
Katherine Legge is attempting to become the first woman to complete The Double.
Legge makes her fifth career start in the race, and starting 26th is the best starting position for Legge in her career. She arguably has the fastest car she has ever had in this race. She’ll need more than that to be fast as she tries to get from Indy to Charlotte for the NASCAR race Sunday night in her quest to race 1,100 miles in one day for The Double.
31. Jacob Abel (Starting: 30th)
Abel Motorsports No. 51 Chevrolet
Abel failed to qualify for the race last year, so making this race is big, even if there were only 33 entries. He is also doing it with his family team, certainly giving them a sense of pride. A solid day finishing all the laps with a top-20 would be considered a respectable finish.
30. Dennis Hauger (Starting: 29th)
Dale Coyne Racing No. 19 Honda
The defending Indy NXT Series champion has not had an Indy to remember … yet. He has steadily improved his results throughout his INDYCAR rookie season and I expect him to finish better than where starts.
29. Mick Schumacher (Starting: 27th)
Rahal Letterman Lanigan No. 47 Honda
Schumacher has competed on an oval just once before (earlier this year at the 1-mile Phoenix Raceway) and nothing compares to Indianapolis. The former F1 driver is still learning. He’ll get an education on Sunday.
28. Caio Collet (Starting: 32nd)
A.J. Foyt Racing No. 4 Chevrolet
Collet had an impressive qualifying run of 10th wiped out after his car failed tech. The Brazilian appears comfortable at Indy, but the 500 is so unique and he’s starting from the back, so he’s going to have to be patient.
27. Jack Harvey (Starting: 33rd)
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing No. 24 Chevrolet
Harvey had a transmission issue in his qualifying lap and then his car failed tech. So a bummer of qualifying day for Harvey, who is in his ninth Indy 500 — but his first INDYCAR race since the Indy 500 a year ago, when he finished 19th. Harvey will relish every minute of this week before returning to his full-time role as a FOX analyst.
26. Romain Grosjean (Starting: 24th)
Dale Coyne Racing No. 18 Honda
Grosjean returns to Indy after a one-year absence, and this hasn’t been one of his best tracks. He failed to finish his first two 500s and then was 19th in 2024. This one could be a struggle for the former Formula 1 driver.
Former F1 driver Romain Grosjean hopes to find success at Indy.
25. Louis Foster (Starting: 21st)
Rahal Letterman Lanigan No. 45 Honda
Foster was more than respectable as an Indy 500 rookie last year as he started 20th and finished 12th. The field seems a little tighter this year, and matching that finish could be a challenge.
24. Ryan Hunter-Reay (Starting: 22nd)
Arrow McLaren No. 31 Chevrolet
A week ago, he might have been 10 spots or better on this list, but he didn’t have a good week of practice leading into qualifying and where he’s starting is frankly disappointing. Yet, last year he started 25th and nearly won in a backup car that the team had used for pit-stop practice. The 2014 winner knows how to get it done, but the question is if he can shake the funk of practice and qualifying.
23. Ed Carpenter (Starting: 13th)
ECR No. 33 Chevrolet
Carpenter was frustrated with his qualifying lap and yet he’s starting in the fifth row — he has started in the fifth or sixth row in the last three years. The team co-owner now just races the Indy 500, continuing his quest to win this race — he has three top-fives in 22 career starts.
22. Graham Rahal (Starting: 28th)
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing No. 15 Honda
Graham Rahal seeks his first Indy 500 win in his 19th start in the race.
This could be another frustrating year at Indy for the Rahal team. They thought they had a little more speed for 2026, but qualifying didn’t prove that out. The good thing is that the race is different than qualifying. Rahal will lean on his 18 Indy 500s to help him methodically gain spots.
21. Rinus VeeKay (Starting: 11th)
Juncos Hollinger Racing No. 76 Chevrolet
VeeKay is used to starting in the first few rows as he qualified in the top-seven in each of his first five seasons, with a best finish of eighth in 2021. But that was with an Ed Carpenter team that typically had some of the best cars at the track. VeeKay does have three top-10 finishes in the 500, so to see him in the top-10 wouldn’t rank as a surprise.
20. Nolan Siegel (Starting: 20th)
Arrow McLaren No. 6 Chevrolet
Siegel finished 13th last year as a rookie as he was involved in an accident on the final lap. So he has shown potential top-10 ability at Indy. But qualifying overall was not kind to Arrow McLaren and that doesn’t ooze confidence for the race. Veteran drivers might be able to shake it off, but will Siegel?
19. Christian Rasmussen (Starting: 15th)
ECR No. 21 Chevrolet
Rasmussen enjoys his best starting spot in his third Indy 500, but he didn’t seem all that happy after his qualifying lap. When you finished sixth the previous year, you want to feel like you have something to build on. And Rasmussen does — just look that his teammate Alexander Rossi is on the front row.
18. Takuma Sato (Starting: 12th)
Rahal Letterman Lanigan No. 75 Honda
Sato won the Indy 500 in 2017 and 2020, so this annual quest for a third is always a dynamic one to watch. He led 51 laps last year before winding up ninth. He has the race craft but whether he has the car and the team (a fourth RLL car) remains questionable.
[INDY 500 QUALIFYING: 4 Takeaways From Alex Palou Snagging Pole]
17. Kyffin Simpson (Beginning: seventh)
Chip Ganassi Racing No. 8 Honda
Simpson practically made the Quick Six for his finest beginning spot in his third Indy 500. He acquired collected within the Kyle Larson accident final yr. He has a quick sufficient automobile that he ought to earn his finest end (his finest in his two begins is twenty first); the query is by how a lot.
16. Will Energy (Beginning: nineteenth)
Andretti International No. 26 Honda
It’s exhausting to place Energy this low, however he hasn’t completed higher than 14th in his final six Indy 500 begins. And he nonetheless appears to be adapting to what the Andretti automobile likes. As a lot because the storyline of him profitable this race in his first yr after 17 at Penske, it’s in all probability not within the playing cards.
15. Christian Lundgaard (Beginning: 18th)
Arrow McLaren No. 7 Chevrolet
Christian Lundgaard is coming off a win within the Indy Grand Prix.
Lundgaard comes off the Indy Grand Prix win a few weeks in the past, however the oval is a special beast. He has completed higher than he has certified in every of his 4 500 begins, together with a seventh final yr when he began eighth. However your entire Arrow McLaren group appears to be scratching their head extra this yr.
14. Kyle Kirkwood (Beginning: twenty fifth)
Andretti International No. 27 Honda
Kirkwood has 4 Indy 500 begins and this can be his third with Andretti. He’s accustomed to not qualifying nice, however twenty fifth is worse than predicted and doubtless a little bit irritating for a driver who has proven velocity with the automobile in race configuration. Mix that with how robust he runs most weeks, you’d prefer to say he’s a gimmie for a top-10 if he has no points, however that isn’t essentially the vibe.
13. Marcus Armstrong (Beginning: sixteenth)
Meyer Shank Racing No. 66 Honda
Placing him this excessive appears a little bit optimistic contemplating he has not completed on the lead lap in his two Indy 500 begins. However he’ll construct on these experiences and will have a sooner automobile than the qualifying end result.
12. Helio Castroneves (Beginning: 14th)
Meyer Shank Racing No. 06 Honda
Castroneves received his first Indy 500 only a mere 25 years in the past as he went back-to-back in 2001 and 2002. He additionally received in 2009 and 2021. The Drive For 5 continues. Castroneves can be robust, however will he be stronger than his teammate Felix Rosenqvist or a few of the Ganassi alliance vehicles? That might be a troublesome ask.
11. Conor Daly (Beginning: eighth)
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing No. 23 Chevrolet
Daly, the hometown favourite, has by no means began higher than eleventh, so he was thrilled with what he did in qualifying. He has proven spectacular velocity the entire time at Indy, the one race the Dreyer & Reinbold workforce competes in throughout the yr. He’s a longshot, however a professional longshot.
10. Josef Newgarden (Beginning: twenty third)
Workforce Penske No. 2 Chevrolet
Josef Newgarden goals to seize his third Indy 500 title in 2026.
The 2-time Indy 500 winner (2023, 2024) actually had a disappointing qualifying end result, which shocked many, however Newgarden stated it didn’t essentially shock him, that he didn’t assume he would submit a prime qualifying velocity. He appeared optimistic, although, for the race. However possibly not as optimistic as he was in the beginning of the month. Don’t rely him out, however he won’t rank as the favourite many had pegged in the beginning of the month.
9. Marcus Ericsson (Beginning: seventeenth)
Andretti International No. 28 Honda
Ericsson received the 2022 Indy 500 and has come shut a pair different occasions. So the very fact he’s beginning seventeenth isn’t inspiring, however his historical past at Indy is. Don’t be shocked if he finds his means into competition once more.
8. Santino Ferrucci (Beginning: fifth)
A.J. Foyt Racing No. 14 Chevrolet
Ferrucci has achieved one wonderful feat in his profession — he has by no means completed outdoors the top-10 within the Indy 500. And that’s over seven races. This place simply matches his model, and don’t be shocked to see him within the combine.
7. David Malukas (Beginning: third)
Workforce Penske No. 12 Chevrolet
Malukas completed second within the race final yr and that was driving for the Penske technical affiliate A.J. Foyt Racing. Now he’s in a full-fledged Penske automobile and is working higher at each observe. So shouldn’t he be greater? Sure, however he has veteran teammates and the Ganassi-Shank alliance who’re going to be powerful to beat. Plus, though he has carried out nicely for Penske this yr, can he deal with the stress of racing for Penske on the Indy 500?
6. Scott McLaughlin (Beginning: ninth)
Workforce Penske No. 3 Chevrolet
Scott McLaughlin hopes 2026 is the yr of his Indy 500 breakthrough.
McLaughlin exorcised one demon from final yr as he didn’t crash on pole day. So beginning ninth actually feels good. Now he wants to simply get by means of the tempo laps. He ought to, after which he’ll search his first top-five end in an Indy 500.
5. Felix Rosenqvist (Beginning: 4th)
Meyer Shank Racing No. 60 Honda
Rosenqvist historically qualifies nicely at Indy as that is his fifth consecutive begin within the entrance three rows. He has proven velocity in each race and qualifying setups, and that bodes nicely for him on Sunday. Final yr, he began fifth and completed fourth with out main a lap. The same end result appears extra doubtless than a win for a driver with one profession INDYCAR victory.
4. Alexander Rossi (Beginning: 2nd)
ECR No. 20 Chevrolet
Rossi received the Indy 500 as a rookie in 2016. Since then, he’s had a second, two fourths and two fifths. So he’s at all times run stable and felt comfy at Indy. And he feels that ECR has made strides, indicative by him beginning on the entrance row. There’s quite a bit to love about Rossi and his possibilities Sunday.
3. Pato O’Ward (Beginning: sixth)
Arrow McLaren No. 5 Chevrolet
O’Ward feeling pissed off together with his qualifying run regardless of beginning sixth tells you every thing you must know in regards to the driver. He loves this place, however he desperately needs to carry out at a observe the place he has led 95 laps and has completed second or third in three within the final 4 years. Is that this the yr to finish the heartbreak?
2. Scott Dixon (Beginning: tenth)
Chip Ganassi Racing No. 9 Honda
Dixon hasn’t received this race since 2008, however this might be a type of 500s the place expertise issues much more than traditional. Dixon by no means acquired an opportunity to problem final yr after an early brake problem. Don’t sleep on Dixon. However the large query: How will he beat his teammate Palou?
1. Alex Palou (Beginning: 1st)
Chip Ganassi Racing No. 10 Honda
Can Alex Palou pull off a repeat within the Indy 500?
Who else would fill this spot? You’d need to say Palou isn’t the favourite — it’s getting a little bit irritating or previous that he wins every thing, proper? — however he received this race final yr and sits on the pole this yr. He has completed top-five in 4 of his final 5 500 begins. He easily adjusts to what the observe and technique provides him. He’s actually beatable, however the race will run by means of him.
