Felix Rosenqvist emerged victorious in the 110th Indianapolis 500, edging out David Malukas in a nail-biting race. Rosenqvist overtook Malukas in the final moments, securing the closest finish in the race’s history by just 0.023 seconds.
Scott McLaughlin secured third place, while Pato O’Ward finished fourth. O’Ward has consistently placed in second, third, and fourth in the last three Indy 500 events.
Late in the race, Caio Collet from Brazil crashed with seven laps remaining. His vehicle caught fire as it slid into the midfield grass, halting the race. Collet emerged uninjured, but race conditions allowed drivers only minimal maintenance—fans, water, and new batteries, with no fuel or tire changes allowed.
Rosenqvist capitalized on this interruption by overtaking Pato O’Ward for the lead. Despite past leads at Indianapolis, O’Ward’s car was not performing optimally. He described himself as a “sitting duck” post-race due to his vehicle’s performance compared to others.
With less than 10 laps remaining, all drivers made a concerted push. When the race resumed with four laps left, Marcus Armstrong, Rosenqvist’s teammate, briefly took the lead. David Malukas and Rosenqvist fell to second and third place, while Scott McLaughlin surged into third.
The final lap witnessed a green and white flag. Malukas led, followed by Armstrong, Rosenqvist, and McLaughlin. Malukas, confident in his car’s speed, seemed poised for victory. However, Rosenqvist executed a decisive move, narrowly crossing the finish line first.
“I gave it 150%. I almost crashed every lap, and we still finished P2,” Malukas emotionally remarked after the race.
Rosenqvist expressed disbelief over his victory, thanking the fans for their patience through weather delays. He also wished his wife Emille and their newborn daughter could have witnessed his triumph. This win marks a significant achievement for Meyer Shank Racing, following their previous Indy 500 win with Hélio Castroneves, who is also an owner of Rosenqvist’s vehicle.
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