The most thrilling moments in motorsports converge here.
This is the 109th edition of the Indianapolis 500.
As the Indianapolis 500 approaches, there’s always drama, and this year, Team Penske has found itself in the spotlight. Josef Newgarden’s No. 2 car and Will Power’s No. 12 were withdrawn from the Fast 12 qualifying session after Newgarden’s vehicle failed a technical inspection due to a modified attenuator. Consequently, both drivers missed out on competing in the Fast 12 and received penalties that pushed them down the starting grid earlier this week, which included suspensions for some team members.
On Thursday, Roger Penske shared that several team personnel, including Team Penske president Tim Sindric, were let go.
During a media talk with outlets like SB Nation, Newgarden focused on the team dynamics, a topic that will dominate discussions over the following days.
Meanwhile, there’s more excitement thanks to Robert Schwartzman and Prema Racing. In his first year in IndyCar and on an oval track, Schwartzman made history by becoming the first rookie in over four decades to clinch pole position in the Indianapolis 500 with the No. 83 Prema Racing Chevrolet.
Check out the starting grid, including Schwartzman’s impressive pole position and more details.
Indianapolis 500 Starting Grid and Green Flag Time
Here’s how the starting lineup looked for the 109th Indianapolis 500 when the green flag waved at 12:45 PM.
Indianapolis 500 2025 Starting Grid
| Line | Position | Driver | Position | Driver | Position | Driver |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Robert Schwartzman | 2 | Sato Takagi | 3 | Pato O’Ward |
| 2 | 4 | Scott Dixon | 5 | Felix Rosenqvist | 6 | Alexander Palou |
| 3 | 7 | David Malukas | 8 | Christian Lundgaard | 9 | Marcus Ericsson |
| 4 | 10 | Scott McLaughlin | 11 | Connor Daly | 12 | Alexander Rossi |
| 5 | 13 | Kaifin Simpson | 14 | Ed Carpenter | 15 | Santino Ferrucci |
| 6 | 16 | Devlin DeFrancesco | 17 | Sting Ray Robb | 18 | Christian Rasmussen |
| 7 | 19 | Kyle Larson | 20 | Louis Foster | 21 | Callum Ilott |
| 8 | 22 | Helio Castroneves | 23 | Kyle Kirkwood | 24 | Nolan Siegel |
| 9 | 25 | Ryan Hunter-Reay | 26 | Jack Harvey | 27 | Colton Herta |
| 10 | 28 | Graham Rahal | 29 | Marco Andretti | 30 | Marcus Armstrong |
| 11 | 31 | Rinus VeeKay | 32 | Josef Newgarden | 33 | Will Power |
Indianapolis 500 Pole Sitter Robert Schwartzman
Last Sunday was a remarkable moment at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Prema Racing has entered the IndyCar series in 2025 with drivers Robert Schwartzman and Callum Ilott. Prema has a notable history, having nurtured stars like Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri.
Schwartzman, who won the 2019 F3 Drivers Championship, and Ilott, who placed second in the 2020 F2 Championship, are now shifting their focus to IndyCar.
In the largest race of the year, Schwartzman starts in pole position, while Ilott will line up in 21st.
It’s just amazing, honestly. I can’t believe this is happening. It feels surreal.
“I was dreaming about how it would feel to get pole in the Indy 500—and now here I am! You have a new car, a fresh team. Did I think this was possible?” Schwartzman reflected after qualifying.
“I think being in this situation comes down to team mentality. You don’t need to be a genius or have tons of experience.”
Front Row of the 2025 Indianapolis 500
Schwartzman will be joined on the front row by seasoned drivers, including some who have previously won this race.
Starting in the second position is veteran Takuma Sato, driving for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. Sato, who is also part of Honda’s driver development program, has twice taken the Indianapolis 500 trophy, first in 2017 and again in 2020.
He finished 14th in the last year’s race.
“Even with today’s outcome, our target is to stay in the top six. If we can maintain that position, I think our team should be proud,” Sato noted.
Pato O’Ward is set to start from the outside of the second row in his No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, excited for the view heading into Turn 1.
This will be O’Ward’s first time starting on the front row.
“I’m thrilled to be on the front row at the 500! I really wanted that pole. Thanks to everyone at Arrow McLaren,” he expressed.
O’Ward has had his share of near victories in the Indy 500, including a close second place last year when Newgarden edged him out on the final lap.
When asked what winning the 500 would mean to him, he remarked it would lead to a celebratory night of milk and tequila, saying, “I won’t be able to sleep that Sunday night—I’ll be toasting with milk and tequila.”
