"I just had big chunk of understeer... I was going to hit the wall, if I didn't lift." – Ed Carpenter, on a disappointing qualifying run.
All qualifying sessions for the 110th Indianapolis 500 were moved to Sunday, May 18, following the cancellation of Saturday's schedule due to persistent rain. A modified format was implemented, and Alex Palou secured the pole position.
Schedule and Format Changes
Saturday's qualifying was canceled in its entirety. Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) president Doug Boles noted this was the first time an entire day of qualifying was lost since 2008.
IndyCar implemented a revised format for Sunday:
- The planned "Final 15" round was canceled.
- Each car was permitted one four-lap qualifying attempt per round.
- The session included all 33 drivers. The fastest 12 advanced to the Top 12 round.
- The six fastest drivers from the Top 12 advanced to the Firestone Fast Six to compete for the pole position.
Qualifying Results
Complete Starting Grid (Positions 1-33)
- Pole Position: Alex Palou (Chip Ganassi Racing Honda) – 232.248 mph
- Second: Alexander Rossi (Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet) – 231.990 mph
- Third: David Malukas (Team Penske Chevrolet) – 231.877 mph
- Fourth: Felix Rosenqvist (Meyer Shank Racing Honda) – 231.375 mph
- Fifth: Santino Ferrucci (AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet) – 230.846 mph
- Sixth: Pato O'Ward (Arrow McLaren Chevrolet) – 230.509 mph
Top 12 (in order of qualifying speed):
- Felix Rosenqvist, Alex Palou, David Malukas, Santino Ferrucci, Pato O'Ward, Alexander Rossi
- Did not advance to Fast Six: Kyffin Simpson (7th), Conor Daly (8th), Scott McLaughlin (9th), Caio Collet (10th), Scott Dixon (11th), Rinus VeeKay (12th)
Positions 13-33 (all times ET):
- Takuma Sato secured 13th (230.995 mph), followed by Ed Carpenter in 14th (230.829 mph) and Helio Castroneves in 15th (230.811 mph).
- Starting positions 16-33 in order: Christian Rasmussen, Marcus Armstrong, Marcus Ericsson, Christian Lundgaard, Will Power, Nolan Siegel, Louis Foster, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Josef Newgarden, Romain Grosjean, Kyle Kirkwood, Katherine Legge, Mick Schumacher, Jack Harvey, Graham Rahal, Dennis Hauger, Jacob Abel, Sting Ray Robb.
Key Details
- Alex Palou is the reigning NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion and the defending Indianapolis 500 winner. This is Palou's second Indianapolis 500 pole (also 2023).
- He is the first defending race winner to win pole the following year since Helio Castroneves in 2010.
- Scott Dixon, who was the first driver to qualify, aimed for a record-tying sixth pole but finished 11th in the Top 12.
- Robert Shwartzman, the 2025 rookie pole-sitter, is not entered in the 2026 race. He becomes the first Indianapolis 500 pole-sitter since Bruno Junqueira in 2003 to not return the following year.
- Ed Carpenter, who qualified 14th, stated after his run: > "That's not going to be good enough... I just had big chunk of understeer in (Turn) 2. I tried to stay flat, but I was going to hit the wall, if I didn't lift. Disappointed."
Upcoming Schedule
- Practice: May 19, 1:00-3:00 p.m. ET (FS1, FOX One, INDYCAR Radio)
- 110th Indianapolis 500: May 24, 10:00 a.m. ET (FOX)