The 109th edition of the Indianapolis 500 is set for Sunday, with the ‘Greatest Spectacle in Racing’ once again taking place on the 2.5-mile oval at the legendary Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
On this year’s grid, the list of drivers who have won the Indy 500 previously include four-time champion Hélio Castroneves as well as Takuma Sato, a two-time winner who will start on the front row of this year’s grid.
Josef Newgarden could make it a record three straight Indy 500 wins, but the Team Penske driver will have a tough task ahead after being moved to the back of the grid over technical violations during qualifying. Rookie Robert Shwartzman stunned observers by taking pole position for Sunday, while accomplished drivers like Álex Palou (who has four race wins in 2025) and Pato O’Ward are among the favorites. to contend for the Borg-Warner Trophy.
Here is everything you need to know ahead of Sunday’s Indianapolis 500, including start time, how to watch, weather forecast, starting grid, and more.
What time does the 2025 Indy 500 start?
The Indianapolis 500 begins with cars arriving at the pit lane between 9-9:20 a.m. ET. The command to start engines is scheduled for 12:38 p.m. ET, while the green flag signaling the start of the race is set for 12:45 p.m. ET.
What TV channel is 2025 Indy 500 on?
The 2025 Indianapolis 500 will air on Fox, with the race set to begin at 12:45 p.m. ET. Pre-race coverage is scheduled to start at 10 a.m. ET.
2025 Indy 500: Live streaming options
Fans can stream the Indy 500 with the Fox Sports app and at FoxSports.com, as well as with Fubo, which is offering a free trial to new subscribers.
Watch the 2025 Indianapolis 500 on Fubo
What is the race distance of the 2025 Indy 500?
In keeping with tradition, the 2025 Indianapolis 500 is 200 laps around the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway for a total of 500 miles.
What is the weather for the 2025 Indianapolis 500?
As of the evening of Friday, May 23, the forecast for Sunday’s Indianapolis 500 should allow for a race free of weather issues. The National Weather Service expects partly sunny conditions, with highs in the upper 60s and a faint breeze coming from the northeast.
If the race has delays from some other source, the weather won’t throw a wrench in the works. The only change between the mid-day and evening forecasts has temperatures falling below the 60-degree mark.
Who is the honorary starter for the 2025 Indy 500?
The honorary starter at the 2025 Indianapolis 500 will be Casey Irsay Foyt.
Irsay Foyt ‘will wave the flag to honor the irreplaceable and impactful legacy of her father, Jim Irsay, whose stewardship of the Indianapolis Colts and generous philanthropic efforts had a transformative impact across Central Indiana and the Hoosier State,’ per a press release from Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Jim Irsay, who owns the Colts, passed away Wednesday at the age of 65.
On top of her connections to the city of Indianapolis, Irsay Foyt is also very close to the world of motor racing. Her husband, A.J. Foyt IV, drove in IndyCar and NASCAR, and is the grandson of four-time Indy 500 champions A.J. Foyt.
Who is singing the national anthem at the 2025 Indy 500?
Natalie Grant, a nine-time Grammy nominee, will sing the national anthem at the 109th edition of the Indianapolis 500.
Grant topped the Christian Billboard charts with her 2023 album ‘Seasons,’ and has worked with Dolly Parton and CeCe Winans during a nearly 30-year career.
Who is pace car driver for the 2025 Indy 500?
Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Strahan will drive the pace car at the 2025 Indianapolis 500. Strahan, now a host on ‘Good Morning America’ and a member of Fox’s NFL studio team, will drive a white 2025 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 to pace the cars before the rolling start at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Who won last year’s Indy 500?
Josef Newgarden claimed last year’s Indianapolis 500 in incredibly dramatic fashion. The Team Penske driver lost and regained the lead on a wild battle with Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward on the final lap, making him the first driver in 22 years to win consecutive editions of the Indy 500.
Who won the pole for the 2025 Indy 500?
Prema Racing driver Robert Shwartzman is in pole position for the 2025 Indianapolis 500, the first rookie to qualify first since 1983. The Russian-Israeli driver posted a four-lap average speed of 232.790 miles-per-hour, nosing ahead of two-time Indy 500 winner Takuma Sato.
Indy 500 2025: Lineup, starting grid
The Indianapolis 500 starting grid was set after qualifying was completed last week. The grid will include 11 rows of three, with Robert Shwartzman, Takuma Sato, and Pato O’Ward on the front row.
(Car number in parentheses, followed by driver, team, manufacturer; R=rookie; W=former winner; *=grid penalty for technical infractions)
(83) Robert Shwartzman (R), Prema Racing, Chevrolet
(75) Takuma Sato (W), Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, Honda
(5) Pato O’Ward, Arrow McLaren, Chevrolet
(9) Scott Dixon (W), Chip Ganassi Racing, Honda
(60) Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing, Honda
(10) Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing, Honda
(4) David Malukas, A.J. Foyt Enterprises, Chevrolet
(7) Christian Lundgaard, Arrow McLaren, Chevrolet
(28) Marcus Ericsson (W), Andretti Global, Honda
(3) Scott McLaughlin, Team Penske, Chevrolet
(76) Conor Daly, Juncos Hollinger Racing, Chevrolet
(20) Alexander Rossi (W), Ed Carpenter Racing, Chevrolet
(8) Kyffin Simpson, Chip Ganassi Racing, Honda
(33) Ed Carpenter, Ed Carpenter Racing, Chevrolet
(14) Santino Ferrucci, A.J. Foyt Enterprises, Chevrolet
(30) Devlin DeFrancesco, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, Honda
(77) Sting Ray Robb, Juncos Hollinger Racing, Chevrolet
(21) Christian Rasmussen, Ed Carpenter Racing, Chevrolet
(17) Kyle Larson, Arrow McLaren, Chevrolet
(45) Louis Foster (R), Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, Honda
(90) Callum Ilott, Prema Racing, Chevrolet
(06) Helio Castroneves (W), Meyer Shank Racing, Honda
(27) Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global, Honda
(6) Nolan Siegel (R), Arrow McLaren, Chevrolet
(23) Ryan Hunter-Reay (W), Dreyer & Reinbold Racing/Cusick Motorsports, Chevrolet
(24) Jack Harvey, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing/Cusick Motorsports, Chevrolet
(26) Colton Herta, Andretti Global, Honda
(15) Graham Rahal, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, Honda
(98) Marco Andretti, Andretti Global, Honda
(66) Marcus Armstrong, Meyer Shank Racing, Honda
(18) Rinus Veekay, Dale Coyne Racing, Honda
(2) Josef Newgarden (W), Team Penske, Chevrolet*
(12) Will Power (W), Team Penske, Chevrolet*
