A look at the Indy 500 qualifying results and official starting lineup for the 110th running of the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing”.
Add us as a preferred source on Google searches!
Thanks to weather, the absence of bumping and significant changes in track temperature, qualifying for the 2026 Indianapolis 500 was anything but straightforward. Add in the traditional grueling multi-round format that requires drivers to post the best four-lap average speeds possible under pressure and the top spots in this year’s Indy 500 starting lineup were well-earned.
The pole position for the Indy 500 is widely considered the most prestigious starting spot in motorsports. When it was all said and done, the defending race champion rose to the occasion and is set to lead the field to the green flag on Memorial Day weekend.
Here is the official starting grid for the 2026 Indy 500, along with Indianapolis Motor Speedway track details and key observations from practice and qualifying.
Indy 500 Qualifying Results at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
2026 Indianapolis 500 Race Info
Date: Sunday, May 24, 2026
Start Time: 12:45 p.m. EST
Track: Indianapolis Motor Speedway — Speedway, IN
Coverage: FOX
Pole Sitter: Alex Palou
Defending Champion: Alex Palou
Indianapolis 500 Race Breakdown
Distance: 500 miles
Laps: 200
Lap Length: 2.5 miles
Surface: Asphalt with Brick Start/Finish Line
Turns: 4
Banking: Turns — 9.2°; Straights — 0°
Official Indy 500 Starting Lineup
With the 2026 Indy 500 entry list only consisting of 33 cars, the qualifying format was slated to be different in advance of the weekend due to the absence of bumping. After Saturday’s session was completely rained out, the format was adjusted further to compensate.
Due to time constraints, all entrants got a single crack at a four-lap run to post the best average speed possible. This set the grid for positions 13-33, and the planned Top 15 shootout was scrapped entirely.
From there, qualifying followed the standard protocol. The top 12 drivers advanced for another four-lap run to lock in grid positions 7-12 and determine who would advance to the Firestone Fast 6. Then, the top six got one last four-lap attempt to decide the pole position and remainder of the front two rows.
Although he was hardly the fastest on his initial qualifying attempt, Alex Palou only got stronger as Sunday’s session went on. His Firestone Fast 6 attempt resulted in average speed of 232.248 mph. That was enough for him to win the pole in the Indy 500 qualifying results.
Palou now has the early leg up on the field as he seeks to defend his Indy 500 victory from a year ago. This marks his second pole for the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing” with the first coming back in 2022. Palou won last year’s race from the sixth starting spot.
Joining the No. 10 car on the front row will be 2016 Indianapolis 500 winner Alexander Rossi and David Malukas.
The table below shares the complete starting lineup and Indy 500 qualifying results for next Sunday’s race.
| Pos. | Driver | Car No. | Team | Engine |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alex Palou | 10 | Chip Ganassi Racing | Honda |
| 2 | Alexander Rossi | 20 | Ed Carpenter Racing | Chevrolet |
| 3 | David Malukas | 12 | Team Penske | Chevrolet |
| 4 | Felix Rosenqvist | 60 | Meyer Shank Racing | Honda |
| 5 | Santino Ferrucci | 14 | AJ Foyt Enterprises | Chevrolet |
| 6 | Pato O’Ward | 5 | Arrow McLaren | Chevrolet |
| 7 | Kyffin Simpson | 8 | Chip Ganassi Racing | Honda |
| 8 | Conor Daly | 23 | Dreyer & Reinbold Racing | Chevrolet |
| 9 | Scott McLaughlin | 3 | Team Penske | Chevrolet |
| 10 | Scott Dixon | 9 | Chip Ganassi Racing | Honda |
| 11 | Rinus VeeKay | 76 | Juncos Hollinger Racing | Chevrolet |
| 12 | Takuma Sato | 75 | Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing | Honda |
| 13 | Ed Carpenter | 33 | Ed Carpenter Racing | Chevrolet |
| 14 | Helio Castroneves | 06 | Meyer Shank Racing | Honda |
| 15 | Christian Rasmussen | 21 | Ed Carpenter Racing | Chevrolet |
| 16 | Marcus Armstrong | 66 | Meyer Shank Racing | Honda |
| 17 | Marcus Ericsson | 28 | Andretti Global | Honda |
| 18 | Christian Lundgaard | 7 | Arrow McLaren | Chevrolet |
| 19 | Will Power | 26 | Andretti Global | Honda |
| 20 | Nolan Siegel | 6 | Arrow McLaren | Chevrolet |
| 21 | Louis Foster | 45 | Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing | Honda |
| 22 | Ryan Hunter-Reay | 31 | Arrow McLaren | Chevrolet |
| 23 | Josef Newgarden | 2 | Team Penske | Chevrolet |
| 24 | Romain Grosjean | 18 | Dale Coyne Racing | Honda |
| 25 | Kyle Kirkwood | 27 | Andretti Global | Honda |
| 26 | Katherine Legge | 11 | HMD Motorsports/AJ Foyt Racing | Chevrolet |
| 27 | Mick Schumacher | 47 | Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing | Honda |
| 28 | Graham Rahal | 15 | Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing | Honda |
| 29 | Dennis Hauger | 19 | Dale Coyne Racing | Honda |
| 30 | Jacob Abel | 51 | Abel Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 31 | Sting Ray Robb | 77 | Juncos Hollinger Racing | Chevrolet |
| 32 | Caio Collett | 4 | AJ Foyt Enterprises | Chevrolet |
| 33 | Jack Harvey | 24 | Dreyer & Reinbold Racing | Chevrolet |
Indy 500 Practice and Qualifying Notes
- Three practice sessions occurred this past week prior to cars receiving the turbo boost for Fast Friday and qualifying. The winners on speed in those sessions were Alex Palou, Conor Daly and Pato O’Ward.
- Christian Rasmussen topped Sunday morning’s practice session in which 14 cars turned laps. Three of the top four in the session were Ed Carpenter Racing cars.
- Felix Rosenqvist placed fourth in the Indy 500 qualifying results after an impressive week overall. He topped the charts in the Fast Friday practice and was also the quickest in each of the first two qualifying segments.
- Alex Palou and Felix Rosenqvist were the only two drivers to post four-lap average speeds in qualifying north of 232 mph.
- David Malukas showcased consistent speed as the top Team Penske driver in qualifying. He was second in the initial segment and placed third in both the Top 12 round and the Firestone Fast 6.
- All three Chip Ganassi Racing entries advanced to the Top 12 round of qualifying. Behind Palou, Kyffin Simpson will start seventh and Scott Dixon tenth.
- Indy 500 rookie Caio Collet was the upstart surprise in qualifying. He placed seventh on the full-field run before securing the tenth starting spot on the grid in the Round of 12. However, both he and Jack Harvey received post-qualifying penalties and will be forced to start at the rear of the grid.
- In the post-qualifying practice session on Monday, Alexander Rossi crashed hard into the outside wall. He had to have minor surgeries for the injuries he sustained but still plans to run the race in a backup car.
- Pato O’Ward was unable to avoid Rossi’s crash and took significant car damage. Romain Grosjean also crashed in an effort to avoid the practice wreck.
- Alex Palou and Alexander Rossi are the only former Indianapolis 500 winners who will start inside the top ten.
- 2023 and 2024 Indy 500 winner Josef Newgarden drew a favorable earlier qualifying slot but struggled and will line up 23rd on the grid.
- Other Indy 500 qualifying results for former multi-time winners in the field include Takuma Sato starting 23th and Helio Castroneves starting 14th.
