2025 Indianapolis 500

Last updated
109th Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis Motor Speedway 2024.svg
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Indianapolis 500
Sanctioning body IndyCar
Season 2025 IndyCar season
DateMay 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
PreviousNext
2024 2026

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.

Contents

Josef Newgarden of Team Penske enters as the two-time defending race winner. Kyle Larson will make another attempt at the "Double Duty" after failing to succeed 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]

Race background

The Pagoda, the control tower, which houses officials, broadcasting, and hospitality suites, is an icon at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Pagoda (47966303762).jpg
The Pagoda, the control tower, which houses officials, broadcasting, and hospitality suites, is an icon at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Turn one at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. 2018Indy500Start.jpg
Turn one at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The Indianapolis 500, commonly called the Indy 500, is held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a 2.5-mile (4.02 km) paved oval. First held in 1911, it is currently a points-paying race of the NTT IndyCar Series. The event is contested by "Indy cars", a formula of professional-level, single-seat, open cockpit, open-wheel, purpose-built race cars. The race is the most prestigious event of the IndyCar calendar, and one of the oldest and most important automobile races in the world. [9] The race traditionally has a field of 33 cars.

Sponsorship

On May 25, 2022, it was announced that online financial services company Gainbridge reached a multiyear agreement to extend their presenting sponsorship of the Indianapolis 500. [10] The extension was for an undisclosed length. This will be the third year under the current deal. [11] Gainbridge originally signed a four-year deal which was in place from 2019 to 2022. [12]

2025 IndyCar Series

The 2025 Indianapolis 500 will be the sixth race of the 2025 NTT IndyCar Series season. [13] Álex Palou won the first two races of the season at St. Petersburg and Thermal Club. The season continues with races at Long Beach, Alabama and the Sonsio Grand Prix on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course.

Entry list

Josef Newgarden enters as the two-time defending winner, having won in both 2023 and 2024 Josef Newgarden Iowa 2022.png
Josef Newgarden enters as the two-time defending winner, having won in both 2023 and 2024
Four-time race winner Helio Castroneves (2001, 2002, 2009, 2021) has the most previous starts in the field with 24. Helio Castroneves 2018 Indy 500.jpg
Four-time race winner Hélio Castroneves (2001, 2002, 2009, 2021) has the most previous starts in the field with 24.

All entries use 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 34 confirmed entries, including eight former winners and four race rookies. With the confirmation of Takuma Sato's Honda entry, bumping was confirmed. [14] Abel Motorsports declined to enter, instead electing to provide technical support and a back-up car for Jacob Abel's entry at Dale Coyne Racing. [15] Katherine Legge, the lone female driver in the race in 2023 & 2024, confirmed on April 10 that she would not enter the 2025 race when she announced multiple races in NASCAR including one Memorial Day weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway. [16]

No.DriverTeamEngineSponsorRef.
2 Flag of the United States.svg Josef Newgarden  W  Team Penske Chevrolet Shell [17]
3 Flag of New Zealand.svg Scott McLaughlin Team Penske Chevrolet DEX Imaging [18]
4 Flag of the United States.svg David Malukas A. J. Foyt Racing Chevrolet TBD [20]
5 Flag of Mexico.svg Pato O'Ward Arrow McLaren Chevrolet Arrow Electronics [21]
6 Flag of the United States.svg Nolan Siegel  R  Arrow McLaren Chevrolet Arrow Electronics [22]
06 Flag of Brazil.svg Hélio Castroneves  W  Meyer Shank Racing Honda TBD [23]
7 Flag of Denmark.svg Christian Lundgaard Arrow McLaren Chevrolet VELO [24]
8 Flag of the Cayman Islands.svg Kyffin Simpson Chip Ganassi Racing Honda Journie [25]
9 Flag of New Zealand.svg Scott Dixon  W  Chip Ganassi Racing Honda PNC Bank [26]
10 Flag of Spain.svg Álex Palou Chip Ganassi Racing Honda DHL [27]
12 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Will Power  W  Team Penske Chevrolet Verizon [28]
14 Flag of the United States.svg Santino Ferrucci A. J. Foyt Racing Chevrolet Sexton [19]
15 Flag of the United States.svg Graham Rahal Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda Fifth Third Bank [29]
17 Flag of the United States.svg Kyle Larson Arrow McLaren with Rick Hendrick Chevrolet Hendrick Cars [30]
18 Flag of the Netherlands.svg Rinus VeeKay Dale Coyne Racing Honda askROI [31]
20 Flag of the United States.svg Alexander Rossi  W  ECR Chevrolet Java House [32]
21 Flag of Denmark.svg Christian Rasmussen ECR Chevrolet Splenda [32]
23 Flag of the United States.svg Ryan Hunter-Reay  W  DRR-Cusick Motorsports Chevrolet TBD [33]
24 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jack Harvey DRR-Cusick Motorsports Chevrolet INVST [33]
26 Flag of the United States.svg Colton Herta Andretti Global with Curb-Agajanian Honda Gainbridge [34]
27 Flag of the United States.svg Kyle Kirkwood Andretti Global Honda TBD [35]
28 Flag of Sweden.svg Marcus Ericsson  W  Andretti Global Honda Bryant [36]
30 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Devlin DeFrancesco Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda EVTEC Group [37]
33 Flag of the United States.svg Ed Carpenter ECR Chevrolet TBD [32]
45 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Louis Foster  R  Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda MI Jack [38]
51 Flag of the United States.svg Jacob Abel  R  Dale Coyne Racing Honda TBD [39]
60 Flag of Sweden.svg Felix Rosenqvist Meyer Shank Racing Honda Sirius XM [40]
66 Flag of New Zealand.svg Marcus Armstrong Meyer Shank Racing Honda Sirius XM [41]
75 Flag of Japan.svg Takuma Sato  W  Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda Amada [42]
76 Flag of the United States.svg Conor Daly Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet TBD [43]
77 Flag of the United States.svg Sting Ray Robb Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet TBD [44]
83 Flag of Israel.svg Robert Shwartzman  R  Prema Racing Chevrolet TBD [45]
90 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Callum Ilott Prema Racing Chevrolet TBD [46]
98 Flag of the United States.svg Marco Andretti Andretti Global Honda Mapei [47]

Testing and Rookie Orientation

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. [48] Approved venues for the initial high-speed oval track test include Texas Motor Speedway, Homestead–Miami Speedway, and a few other select venues. [49]

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. [50]

Rookie Orientation – October 2024

A private Rookie Orientation Program session was held October 10, 2024 for Nolan Siegel of Arrow McLaren. [51] Siegel had passed ROP the previous May, however, he failed to qualify for the race, necessitating a re-taking of the rookie test. Siegel passed the three-phase test without incident.

Hybrid testing – October 2024

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. [52]

Rookie oval testing

The series hosted a high-speed oval rookie evaluation test at Nashville Superspeedway on March 26. Two drivers participated: Robert Shwartzman and Louis Foster. Both drivers completed their evaluations and were approved to take the Rookie Orientation Program at the April Open Test at Indianapolis. [53] Jacob Abel had previously completed his evaluation at Texas on November 14. [54]

Open Test

The full-field Open Test is scheduled for April 23–24, 2025.

Broadcasting

Television

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. [55] On February 27, FOX announced their full season pit reporters to be Kevin Lee and Georgia Henneberry. Jack Harvey was also announced as a pit reporter, but will not participate in FOX's broadcast of the Indianapolis 500 as he is set to drive in the event. [56]

FOX
Booth announcersPre/Post-race Pit reporters
Announcer: Will Buxton
Color: Townsend Bell
Color: James Hinchcliffe

FOX Host: TBA
Studio Analyst: TBA
Analyst/Features: Tom Rinaldi
Features: TBA
Features: TBA

Georgia Henneberry
Kevin Lee
Jamie Little

References

  1. ↑ "Indianapolis Motor Speedway". indianapolismotorspeedway.com.
  2. ↑ "Hall of Famer, Fox Analyst Strahan to drive Indy Pace Car". indycar.com. IndyCar LLC. November 24, 2024. Retrieved November 24, 2024.
  3. 1 2 Weprin, Alex (June 13, 2024). "Fox Gets Indianapolis 500 Rights in Deal With IndyCar". Hollywood Reporter.
  4. ↑ "Larson to Attempt Indy 500/Coke 600 Double Again in 2025". Racing America On SI. 2024-09-10. Retrieved 2024-09-10.
  5. ↑ "'Obviously, I'd love to do it;' Larson on running 2025 Indy 500". July 22, 2024. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
  6. ↑ Fryer, Jenna (September 4, 2024). "Larson and Hendrick Motorsports in discussion on a 2025 return to Indianapolis 500". Associated Press. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
  7. ↑ Pruett, Marshall (May 14, 2024). "IndyCar confirms hybrid debut for Mid-Ohio". RACER. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
  8. ↑ "Pagoda History". Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Archived from the original on August 10, 2022. Retrieved May 31, 2022.
  9. ↑ Indianapolis Motor Speedway (August 3, 2018). "USA Today Readers Name Indianapolis 500 As World's Best Motorsports Race In Poll". IndianapolisMotorSpeedway.
  10. ↑ "Gainbridge extends presenting sponsorship of Indianapolis 500 in multiyear agreement". IndianapolisMotorSpeedway.com. May 25, 2022. Archived from the original on March 13, 2023. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
  11. ↑ Freyer, Jenna (May 26, 2022). "Gainbridge extends deal as presenting sponsor of Indy 500". WFYI. Archived from the original on December 4, 2022. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
  12. ↑ "Gainbridge becomes new sponsor for Indy 500". ESPN.com. January 31, 2019. Archived from the original on February 12, 2019. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
  13. ↑ Pruett, Marshall (June 13, 2024). "IndyCar signs multiyear broadcast deal with FOX". racer.com. Racer Media & Marketing, Inc. Retrieved June 13, 2024.
  14. ↑ Brown, Nathan (March 11, 2025). "Abel Former Indy 500 champ's return ensures bumping for this year's race". USA Today . Retrieved March 11, 2025.
  15. ↑ Pruett, Marshall (March 20, 2025). "Abel Motorsports decides against Indy 500 entry". Racer . Retrieved March 25, 2025.
  16. ↑ "Katherine Legge Is Making NASCAR History (Again!) in the Coolest e.l.f. Cosmetics Sponsored Car (Exclusive)" . Retrieved 2025-04-10.
  17. ↑ Brown, Nathan. "Days after 2nd Indy 500 win, Josef Newgarden, Team Penske announce multi-year contract extension". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
  18. ↑ Pruett, Marshall (August 2, 2024). "IndyCar silly season update, August 2". Racer.com. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
  19. ↑ Brown, Nathan. "David Malukas lands multi-year deal with AJ Foyt Racing starting in 2025". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved August 13, 2024.
  20. ↑ "Ferrucci To Stay with AJ Foyt Racing in 2025". IndyCar.com. Retrieved September 12, 2024.
  21. ↑ "O'Ward signs contract extension with AMSP". racer.com. May 27, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
  22. ↑ "Arrow McLaren signs Nolan Siegel to multiyear contract, set to race Laguna Seca onward". www.mclaren.com. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  23. ↑ Balsa, Daniel (May 26, 2024). "Hélio Castroneves ended his participation in the 2024 Indy 500 by announcing that he will run the 2025 edition: "See you next year". lineup". grandepremio.com.br.
  24. ↑ Fryer, Jenna (July 2, 2024). "Arrow McLaren to replace Rossi with Lundgaard in yet another driver lineup change for IndyCar team". AP News . Retrieved July 2, 2024.
  25. ↑ "Chip Ganassi Racing finalizes its 2025 lineups for IndyCar and Indy NXT programs". www.motorsport.com. October 30, 2024. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
  26. ↑ Barnes, Joey (September 18, 2024). "Ganassi's take on the charters: IndyCar "benefitting" from Penske's NASCAR experience". Motorsport.com. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
  27. ↑ "Seven things we learned as McLaren escalates Palou claim to $30m". The Race. February 28, 2024. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
  28. ↑ Martin, Bruce (March 31, 2023). "Power Signs Multi-Year Extension With Team Penske". SPEED SPORT. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  29. ↑ Barnes, Joey (November 13, 2023). "Rahal signs multi-year deal to remain with Rahal Letterman Lanigan". Autosport . Retrieved November 13, 2023.
  30. ↑ Brown, Nathan. "Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports returning for 2025 Indy 500 despite rollercoaster debut". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
  31. ↑ Pruett, Marshall (February 14, 2025). "VeeKay joins Coyne to complete 2025 IndyCar field". racer.com. Racer Media & Marketing, Inc. Retrieved February 14, 2025.
  32. 1 2 3 Brown, Nathan; Newell, Nat. "Alexander Rossi joins Ed Carpenter Racing; Carpenter only doing Indy 500". USA TODAY. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  33. 1 2 "Hunter-Reay, Harvey To Drive for DRR/Cusick at Indy 500". IndyCar.com. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
  34. ↑ Fryer, Jenna (October 25, 2022). "Herta signs 4-year Andretti IndyCar extension through 2027". AP NEWS. Retrieved October 25, 2022.
  35. ↑ Pruett, Marshall (September 26, 2023). "Kirkwood extends deal with Andretti". RACER. Retrieved September 26, 2023.
  36. ↑ Benyon, Jack (August 23, 2023). "Ericsson to leave Ganassi for IndyCar rival Andretti". The Race. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  37. ↑ Pruett, Marshall (December 9, 2024). "DeFrancesco to make IndyCar return with RLL". RACER. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
  38. ↑ "Indy NXT champion Foster signs multi-year deal with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing". www.motorsport.com. October 9, 2024. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
  39. ↑ Pruett, Marshall (January 13, 2025). "Coyne signs Abel for full IndyCar season". RACER. Retrieved January 13, 2025.
  40. ↑ Pruett, Marshall (September 5, 2023). "Rosenqvist signs multiyear IndyCar deal with Meyer Shank Racing". Racer.com.
  41. ↑ Newell, Nat (September 19, 2024). "Meyer Shank Racing adds Marcus Armstrong to 2025 IndyCar driver lineup". indystar.com.
  42. ↑ "Two-Time Indy 500 Champion Takuma Sato Returns to RLL for the 109th Running of the Indy 500; AMADA AMERICA, Inc. Returns as Primary Sponsor of Sato's Indy 500 Entry". rahal.com. Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. March 11, 2025. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
  43. ↑ Pruett, Marshall (December 18, 2024). "Daly lands full-time IndyCar ride with Juncos Hollinger". RACER. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
  44. ↑ Newell, Nat. "Sting Ray Robb signed by Juncos Hollinger Racing IndyCar team". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
  45. ↑ Benyon, Jack (November 5, 2024). "Another Ferrari F1 junior heads to IndyCar - all you need to know". The Race. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  46. ↑ Wilde, Dominik (September 17, 2024). "Ilott becomes first PREMA IndyCar driver". RACER. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
  47. ↑ Martin, Bruce. "Marco Andretti Will Return For 20th Indy 500 Start In 2025". Forbes. Retrieved 2025-01-07.
  48. ↑ "2024 NTT IndyCar Series Official Rulebook" (PDF). Section 4.3.2.7. IndyCar.com. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  49. ↑ "2024 NTT IndyCar Series Official Rulebook" (PDF). Section 6.8.1. IndyCar.com. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  50. ↑ "Larson to turn first IndyCar Series laps Thursday at IMS". IndyCar.com. October 9, 2023. Retrieved October 12, 2023.
  51. ↑ Pruett, Marshall (October 7, 2024). "IndyCar hybrid Speedway testing to begin". Racer . Retrieved October 14, 2024.
  52. ↑ Pruett, Marshall (October 11, 2024). "'Encouraged' Palou leads IndyCar hybrid test at IMS". Racer . Retrieved October 14, 2024.
  53. ↑ "Robert Shwartzman Gets Grip on Speed after First Oval Test". Fox Sports. March 27, 2025. Retrieved April 8, 2025.
  54. ↑ Smith, Eric (November 18, 2024). "INDY NXT Experience Helped Abel Deliver for Ganassi in Test". IndyCar.com. Retrieved April 8, 2025.
  55. ↑ "Buxton to lead FOX IndyCar broadcast team with Hinchliffe, Bell". RACER. 2025-01-14. Retrieved 2025-01-14.
  56. ↑ Pruett, Marshall (February 27, 2025). "Lee, Harvey, Henneberry covering IndyCar pit lane for FOX". racer.com. Racer Media & Marketing, Inc. Retrieved February 28, 2025.
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