What a finish!
Because of various yellow laps due to rain and crashes, the 2026 Indy 500 title came down to Sunday's final lap, which Marcus Armstrong entered with the lead. Then, David Malukas appeared to be the winner until the final seconds, when Felix Rosenqvist popped up and crossed the finish line first. This is the second Indy 500 win for Meyer Shank Racing after Hélio Castroneves’s win in 2021. The crowd of 350,000 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was on the edge of their seats.
Malukas was visibly upset after the finish as he remained in his car crying for a few minutes. He was at a loss for words. It was the closest finish in Indy 500 history though at 0.0233 seconds, so Malukas should be proud of how he competed. He’ll be the one to watch at next year’s race.
Rosenqvist had more to celebrate than just his Indy 500 win on Sunday. Him and his wife Emille recently had a baby, Stella. He’s excited to reunite with his family to celebrate the biggest win in his career. Soon enough in Indianapolis, though, Rosenqvist will be seen celebrating his win by drinking a jug of whole milk. You can read more about the race’s long-standing tradition here.
“I don’t even know what to say. What a car,” Rosenqvist said on the Fox broadcast after winning the race. “I still don’t believe it. This whole month—becoming a dad and then winning the 500. We joked about it at the beginning. Oh, maybe you’ll win the 500 and have a baby. It’s just unreal.”
Sports Illustrated followed along during Sunday’s Indy 500. Check out all the major highlights.
