It’s a month Felix Rosenqvist won’t soon forget.
First, he and his wife welcomed their first child, Stella, on May 4. Twenty days later, Rosenqvist won the Greatest Spectacle in Racing in history-making fashion.
Rosenqvist nosed past David Malukas at the last moment of a green/white finish and won the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500 in thrilling fashion on Sunday afternoon at the famed Brickyard.
The 34-year-old Swede earned just his second win since joining the IndyCar Series in 2019, his first win since 2020 and easily the biggest title of his racing career.
His final margin over Malukas of 0.023 seconds was the closest finish in Indy 500 history; Al Unser Jr. (1992) had the previous record of 0.043 seconds over Scott Goodyear. There were also 70 lead changes in all, a new Indy 500 record by two.
Scott McLaughlin of New Zealand, Pato O’Ward of Mexico and Marcus Armstrong of New Zealand rounded out the top five after a hectic final eight laps featured both red and yellow flags that bunched up the pack.
Rosenqvist passed O’Ward for the front position just before Caio Collet crashed and his car caught fire, prompting a red flag on Lap 192. With about four laps left coming out of caution, Armstrong and Malukas charged ahead to the first and second spots.
But Mick Schumaker grazed the wall and brought out another yellow flag, eventually leading to the one-lap shootout. Malukas passed Armstrong when they went green and held the lead for most of the lap, but Rosenqvist’s late charge paid off and he had just enough speed to get past Malukas at the bricks.
“I think we were the best car today,” Rosenqvist said, thanking the team behind his No. 60 Honda. “I felt like in all situations, we kinda had it under control. That last yellow didn’t help us but it kind of worked out the right way when I got back to third, then I had a flat-out lap on the high line. Just the coolest way you can finish and win an Indy 500.
“I really miss my wife and my newborn child Stella here. I wish they were here with me.”
Rosenqvist delivered Meyer Shank Racing just its second IndyCar win ever, both of them at Indy 500s. Helio Castroneves, the four-time Indy 500 champion and one of the team’s co-owners, took the checkers driving for MSR in 2021.
“What mixed feelings, you know?” said Castroneves, who placed 25th after a late mechanical failure. “At the same time I’m right there with this guy, see him behind me, I’m like, ‘What can I do to help this guy?’ But at the end of the day, it’s all about him, it’s all about MSR. They did an incredible job.”
Malukas, 24, was vying for his first IndyCar victory of any kind.
“I don’t know what else we could have done,” a tearful Malukas said afterward. “We were the fastest car that whole race. I don’t know. I gave it 150%. I almost crashed this damn car every lap, and we still end up with a P2, man. I can’t believe it. I don’t know what else I can give.”
Fourteen different drivers held the lead at some point. Malukas, McLaughlin, Conor Daly, Spanish star Alex Palou and New Zealand’s Scott Dixon were the main contenders through the meat of the race. Chip Ganassi Racing teammates Palou and Dixon traded the lead back and forth for a spell.
Palou, the reigning champion, finished seventh. The polesitter and Malukas battled late in the race, but both had to pit, leaving O’Ward and Rosenqvist to take the front after their strategic earlier pit stops.
IndyCar paid tribute to Kyle Busch on Lap 18, in honor of Busch’s number, lighting the scoring pylon with the late driver’s name and face. The two-time NASCAR champion died suddenly at age 41 Thursday after contracting severe pneumonia and sepsis. Busch will also be honored at the Coca-Cola 600 later Sunday.
Katherine Legge, driving the No. 11 Chevrolet for HMD Motorsports with AJ Foyt Racing, was involved in a spinout with Ryan Hunter-Reay early in the race. She only completed 18 laps before heading to the Coca-Cola 600 in pursuit of the Indy/Charlotte double.
–Field Level Media
