| Indianapolis Motor Speedway | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis 500 | |||||
| Sanctioning body | IndyCar | ||||
| Season | 2025 IndyCar season | ||||
| Date | May 25, 2025 [1] | ||||
| Pre-race ceremonies | |||||
| Pace car | Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 | ||||
| Pace car driver | Michael Strahan [2] | ||||
| TV in the United States | |||||
| Network | FOX [3] | ||||
| Announcers | Will Buxton, James Hinchcliffe, Townsend Bell | ||||
| Chronology | |||||
| |||||
The 2025 Indianapolis 500 (branded as the 109th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge) is an IndyCar Series event scheduled to be held on Sunday, May 25, 2025, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana. The race will be part of the 2025 NTT IndyCar Series season. The month of May activities will formally began with the IndyCar Grand Prix on the combined road course. The race will be broadcast on FOX for the first time in its history.
Josef Newgarden is the two-time defending race winner. Kyle Larson will attempt another "Double Duty" as he was unable to do so in 2024, as that year's Coca-Cola 600 was called for rain. [4] [5] [6] The 2025 race marks the first year of hybrid energy recovery system powertrains at Indianapolis. The new ERC powertrains were first introduced in the series in July 2024 at Mid-Ohio. [7]
All entries utilize a spec Dallara IR18 chassis with universal aero kit and 2020-adopted aeroscreen. Honda (HRC) and Chevrolet (Ilmor) are the current engine providers. Firestone is the exclusive tire supplier. There are currently 33 confirmed entries with 32 confirmed drivers, including seven former winners and four race rookies.
Rookie rules for the Indianapolis 500 include the mandate that a driver pass a supervised high-speed oval test before he/she is allowed to participate in the official Rookie Orientation Program (ROP) at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. [37] Approved venues for the initial high-speed oval track test include Texas Motor Speedway, Homestead–Miami Speedway, and a few other select venues. [38]
The Rookie Orientation Program at Indianapolis consists of three phases. For phase 1, each driver is required to complete ten laps between 205–210 mph (330–338 km/h), while demonstrating satisfactory car control, proper racing line, and safe interaction with other cars on the circuit. The laps do not have to be consecutive. Phase 2 is fifteen laps between 210–215 mph (338–346 km/h), and phase 3 is fifteen laps over 215 mph (346 km/h). Veteran drivers that have not competed in an IndyCar oval race since the previous year's Indy 500 are required to take a refresher test. The refresher test consists of phase 2 and phase 3 of the aforementioned rookie test. [39]
A private Rookie Orientation Program session was held October 10, 2024 for Nolan Siegel of Arrow McLaren. [40] Siegel had passed ROP the previous May, however, he failed to qualify for the race, necessitating a re-take of the rookie test. Siegel passed the three-phase test without incident.
A two-day offseason test was held On October 10–11, 2024. Eleven teams were in attendance to evaluate the hybrid energy recovery system powertrains which were adopted midway through the 2024 IndyCar season. On Thursday, Josef Newgarden (Team Penske), Pato O'Ward (Arrow McLaren), and Álex Palou (Ganassi) primarily conducted tire tests for Firestone. On Friday, all eleven teams participated. Álex Palou (224.342 mph) turned the fastest lap of the day. No incidents were reported. [41]
The race will be carried live by FOX for the first time, as the network will take over from NBC, who had been the television broadcaster since 2019. [3] On January 14, 2025, FOX announced their primary broadcast team for the full IndyCar season, with Will Buxton serving as lead commentator and James Hinchcliffe and Townsend Bell retaining their analyst roles they had previously held with NBC. [42]
Chip Ganassi Racing, LLC (CGR), also sometimes branded as Chip Ganassi Racing Teams, is an American auto racing organization with teams competing in the NTT IndyCar Series, IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and the FIA World Endurance Championship. They have formerly competed in the NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series, Global Rallycross Championship, Extreme E and the Rolex Sports Car Series. It was founded in 1990 by businessman and former racecar driver Chip Ganassi from the assets of Patrick Racing to compete in the CART IndyCar World Series.
The IndyCar Series held auto racing events at Texas Motor Speedway, near Fort Worth, Texas, from 1997 until 2023. The races had a variety of different title sponsors and distances over the years, and therefore the Texas round has changed names frequently. The latest event, held in 2023, was called the PPG 375.
Álex Palou Montalbo is a Spanish racing driver who drives for Chip Ganassi Racing in the IndyCar Series, where he won the 2021, 2023, and 2024 championships, and winner in the $1 Million Challenge. He is the first Spanish racing driver to win a National Championship in American open-wheel racing history and also the first Spaniard to win in the GP3 Series.
Colton Thomas Herta is an American racing driver who competes in the NTT IndyCar Series for Andretti Global with Curb Agajanian. He is the youngest person to ever win an IndyCar Series race.
Patricio "Pato" O'Ward Junco is a Mexican professional auto racing driver who competes full-time in the IndyCar Series, driving the No. 5 Chevrolet for Arrow McLaren. He is the 2018 Indy Lights champion. He is signed to the McLaren Driver Development Programme and is McLaren's reserve driver for the 2024 Formula One season.
The 2017 Verizon IndyCar Series was the 22nd season of the Verizon IndyCar Series and the 106th official championship season of American open wheel racing. The premier event was the 101st Indianapolis 500 won by Takuma Sato. Josef Newgarden, the 2011 Indy Lights champion, in his sixth full-time season in the IndyCar Series, won the championship. It was Newgarden's first season as part of Team Penske, and he collected four wins, one pole position, and ten top-five finishes. It was Team Penske's 15th Indy car season championship, and third in four years.
Oliver Clark Askew is an American racing driver. He is the 2019 Indy Lights champion.
The 2019 NTT IndyCar Series was the 24th season of the IndyCar Series and the 108th official championship season of American open wheel racing. The premier event was the 2019 Indianapolis 500, with Will Power entering as the defending winner. Honda entered as the defending Manufacturers' Cup champion. Scott Dixon entered the season as the defending National Champion.
The 2019 Indianapolis 500 was an IndyCar Series event held on Sunday, May 26, 2019, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana. The premier event of the 2019 IndyCar Series, the event ran 500 miles. Simon Pagenaud won the race from the pole position, earning Team Penske's record-extending 18th Indy 500 victory. Pagenaud led 116 laps, taking the lead for the final time with just over one lap to go from 2016 winner Alexander Rossi. He became the first French-born winner since Gaston Chevrolet in 1920, and the first pole-sitter to win the race since 2009.
The 2020 NTT IndyCar Series was the 25th season of the IndyCar Series and the 109th official championship season of American open wheel racing. The premier event was the 2020 Indianapolis 500. Josef Newgarden entered the season as the defending National Champion. Honda entered as defending Manufacturers' Cup champion for the second consecutive season. It was the first year under Penske management after they took over in late 2019.
The 2020 Indianapolis 500 was a 500-mile automobile race held on Sunday, August 23, 2020, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana. It was the premier event of the 2020 IndyCar Series. Takuma Sato won the race for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, his second Indianapolis 500 win, having previously won the 2017 race. It was also the second Indy 500 victory for car owners Bobby Rahal and David Letterman. It was Rahal's third overall victory overall in the event, as he won as a driver in 1986. It was also Honda's first Indy 500 win in the Reiwa era.
The 2021 NTT IndyCar Series was the 26th season of the IndyCar Series and the 110th official championship season of American open wheel racing. The premier event was the 2021 Indianapolis 500, won by Hélio Castroneves. It was the second year under Penske management after they took over in late 2019. Scott Dixon entered his 21st season competing for a National Championship as the defending champion, but ultimately finished the campaign in fourth place.
The 2021 Indianapolis 500 was a 500-mile race in the 2021 IndyCar Series, held on May 30, 2021, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana. The month of May activities formally began on May 15 with the GMR Grand Prix on the combined road course. Practice for the Indianapolis 500 began on May 18, and time trials were held May 22–23. Carb Day, the traditional final day of practice, took place on May 28.
The 2022 NTT IndyCar Series was the 111th official championship season of American open wheel racing and the 27th season under IndyCar Series sanction. The showcase event was the 2022 Indianapolis 500. It was the third year under Penske management after they took over in late 2019.
The 2022 Indianapolis 500 was a 500-mile race in the 2022 IndyCar Series, held on Sunday, May 29, 2022, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana. The month of May activities formally began on May 14 with the GMR Grand Prix on the combined road course. Practice on the oval opened on May 17, and time trials took place on May 21–22. Carb Day, the traditional final day of practice, along with the Pit Stop Challenge, took place on May 27.
The 2023 NTT IndyCar Series was the 112th official championship season of American open wheel racing and the 28th season under IndyCar Series sanction. The showcase event was the 107th Indianapolis 500, which was won by Josef Newgarden.
The 2023 Indianapolis 500, branded as the 107th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge for sponsorship reasons, was a 500-mile race in the 2023 IndyCar Series, held on Sunday, May 28, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana, United States. The month of May activities formally began on Saturday, May 13 with the GMR Grand Prix on the combined road course. Practice on the oval was slated to begin on May 16 but was canceled due to rain and as a result, the first practice was held on May 17. Time trials took place on May 20–21, while Carb Day, the traditional final day of practice, along with the Pit Stop Challenge, took place on May 26.
The 2024 NTT IndyCar Series was the 113th official championship season of American open wheel racing and the 29th season under IndyCar Series sanction. Its showcase event was the 108th running of the Indianapolis 500.
The 2024 Indianapolis 500, branded as the 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge for sponsorship reasons, was a 500-mile race in the 2024 IndyCar Series, that was held on Sunday, May 26, 2024, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana, United States. The month of May activities formally began on Saturday, May 11 with the Sonsio Grand Prix on the combined road course. Practice on the oval began on Tuesday May 14. Time trials were held on May 18–19, and Carb Day, the traditional final day of practice, along with the Pit Stop Challenge, took place on May 24. It was the final Indy 500 to air on NBC because less than a month later, Fox would gain the rights to the NTT IndyCar Series from NBC.
The 2025 NTT IndyCar Series is scheduled to be the 114th official championship season of American open wheel racing and the 30th season under IndyCar Series sanction. Its showcase event will be the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500.
