Matt Johnson
There is no victory more important in IndyCar than winning the Indianapolis 500 at the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Sunday marked the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500 and with a field featuring Alex Palou, Josef Newgarden and David Malukas, we got a treat.
Let’s dive into our winners and losers from the Indy 500, which came down to a one-lap shootout to decide this 500-mile race.
Related: Indianapolis 500 Results
Winner: Felix Rosenqvist Wins the Indy 500
Felix Rosenqvist is a first-time Indianapolis 500 winner. The family was already celebrating their newborn baby on May 4, and now, this month becomes even more memorable. The team’s strategy put Rosenqvist in position to win the Indy 500, but a late red flag and another caution forced a one-lap shootout. Rosenqvist snatched victory from the proverbial jaws of defeat, getting a nose past David Malukas for the closest finish (0.0233 seconds) in history.
Loser: Katherine Legge’s The Double Attempt
Katherine Legge made history on Sunday in the Indy 500; unfortunately, she experienced a similar fate as Kyle Larson. Attempting to run The Double, Legge went into Turn 2 when Ryan Hunter-Reay lost control of the No. 31. Hunter-Reay came up after losing control and spinning out, coming right into Legge’s path. She thankfully avoided T-boning the No. 31, but doing so required a maneuver that sent her heading into the inside wall. She lost control from there, slamming into the barrier and sustaining race-ending damage. Legge’s attempt was admirable, but it feels increasingly like pulling off The Double and completing both races just isn’t possible anymore.
Winner: First 40 Laps of the Indy 500
You would’ve thought the first 40 laps of the Indy 500 were the last 40 given some of the battles. Fans at Indianapolis Motor Speedway got to enjoy seeing Indiana native Conor Daly take the lead twice, including from Alex Palou, creating pandemonium in the stands. This early stretch also saw rookie Caio Collet get to lead a few laps, and we got some contact and tight battles after the first two restarts. We expected an exciting race certainly, but the first 40 laps of the Indy 500 were even more intense than anticipated.
Loser: Conor Daly’s Pit Crew
Racing at 200-plus miles per hour, even the slightest disadvantage can be costly in the Indy 500. Unfortunately for Hoosier driver Conor Daly, his team made a costly mistake. On his first green-flag pit stop, Daly’s left-side mirror got clipped and effectively “killed,” as he reported on the radio. While his car still had great speed, losing that mirror absolutely impacted his ability to navigate traffic even with a spotter.
Winner: Meyer Shank Racing
Meyer Shank Racing has plenty of reasons to be celebrating tonight. The team itself deserves credit for its strategy call, which put both Rosenqvist and Marcus Armstrong in a position to compete for the win. It was that very strategy that put them ahead of the likes of Scott Dixon, Alex Palou, and Conor Daly. Strategy deserves to be rewarded, and that was jeopardized with the one-lap shootout, but Rosenqvist (first) and Armstrong (fifth) gave Meyer Shank Racing a pair of top-five finishes in the Indianapolis 500.
Loser: Will Power’s Car Gives Out
Sometimes, circumstances out of your control can pop up and make it a devastating Sunday. That’s what happened to Will Power in Indianapolis. Power’s car started leaking fluid onto the track, and when he started pulling down into the deceleration lane to avoid causing a wreck, the rear wheels locked up, and he spun out. Credit to Power for making a move that avoided wrecking a portion of the field, but that won’t ease the disappointment after the No. 26 car blew up on him.
Winner: Caio Collet, Rinus VeeKay, Nolan Siegel Among Young Standouts
While a 34-year-old won the Indy 500, IndyCar has to feel good about how its young drivers performed on the biggest stage. Caio Collet came out of Indianapolis with a DNF after a nasty wreck in the final 10 laps, but the 24-year-old got to lead multiple laps on Sunday. Meanwhile, 25-year-old Rinus VeeKay placed sixth, and 21-year-old Nolan Siegel matched Pato O’Ward with 20 passes while finishing 11th. Of course, 24-year-old David Malukas will be feeling the emotional pain after a heartbreaking defeat, but his work behind the wheel on Sunday proved he can be a future Indy 500 winner.
Loser: Alexander Rossi’s Car On Fire Again
The Indy 500 hasn’t been kind to Alexander Rossi these last two years. In 2025, Rossi’s race ended on Lap 72 after his car caught fire during a pit stop. This year, he had to race just days after undergoing surgery on his right ankle and the middle finger on his left hand, following a crash in practice last Monday. Rossi was racing in a backup car today when the No. 20 came down pit road and started smoking. He was pulled from the car safely, but, unfortunately, didn’t even make it to the halfway point of the Indianapolis 500 for the second consecutive year because his car caught fire.
Loser: Josef Newgarden’s Costly Mistake
Make it consecutive years where Josef Newgarden does not finish the Indianapolis 500. Newgarden started the race strong, racking up 14 passes and working his way into the top 10. It only takes one mistake, though. In the restart coming out of a rain delay, Newgarden’s left-front hit the curb going into Turn 4 and he predictably lost control and slammed into the wall, destroying the front of the car. From back-to-back winner to consecutive DNFs. The only good news is that he came out of the wreck healthy.
