The 2026 Indianapolis 500 is set for Sunday, with Alex Palou leading the field into one of the biggest weekends on the motorsport calendar.
This year’s race marks the 110th running of the Indy 500, and the field is stacked with talent, including several former Formula 1 drivers, all vying for a place in the history books.
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Palou, the reigning winner, is once again at the centre of the build-up after securing pole position in impressive fashion. He’ll be looking to become just the fourth driver in history to win back-to-back Indy 500s.
Coverage begins early in both the US and UK, with fans tuning in to catch the latest updates on storylines, weather, and championship momentum ahead of the green flag.
Photo by James Gilbert/Getty ImagesEvent information
The 2026 Indianapolis 500 takes place on Sunday, 24 May, at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana. FOX coverage in the US begins at 10 a.m. ET, with the race itself scheduled to start at 12:45 p.m. ET.
In the UK, Sky Sports coverage gets underway at 3 p.m. BST, and the race is set to begin at 5:30 p.m. BST. The Brickyard, as the 2.5-mile oval is known, can hold more than 350,000 fans, making it one of the largest sporting venues in the world.
Where to watch
US viewers can catch the race live on FOX, which serves as the primary broadcaster for IndyCar. Streaming options include FOX One, the FOX Sports app and website, fuboTV, YouTube TV, Sling TV, and Hulu + Live TV.
In the UK, the race will be shown live on Sky Sports F1 and Sky Sports Mix, with streaming available through the Sky Sports app for subscribers. Non-Sky customers can watch via NOW streaming passes.
Qualifying results and starting grid
Palou led the way in qualifying, continuing his strong start to the season. Alexander Rossi and David Malukas complete the front row, while Felix Rosenqvist and Santino Ferrucci round out the top five.
The qualifying format featured the Final 15, Top 12, and Firestone Fast Six sessions over two days, with drivers earning grid spots based on four-lap average speeds.
- Alex Palou
- Alexander Rossi
- David Malukas
- Felix Rosenqvist
- Santino Ferrucci
- Pato O’Ward
- Kyffin Simpson
- Conor Daly
- Scott McLaughlin
- Scott Dixon
- Rinus VeeKay
- Takuma Sato
- Ed Carpenter
- Helio Castroneves
- 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
- Graham Rahal
- Dennis Hauger
- Jacob Abel
- Sting Ray Robb
- Caio Collet
- Jack Harvey
Several former F1 drivers are in the field, including Takuma Sato, Marcus Ericsson, Romain Grosjean, and Mick Schumacher.
Katherine Legge is also attempting “The Double” by racing in both the Indy 500 and NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 on the same day.
Prediction
Palou enters the race as the clear favourite after carrying his early-season form into qualifying. His pace has looked consistently stronger than the rest of the field.
Rossi and Newgarden both have the experience to challenge at the front if strategy falls their way, but Palou appears to have the strongest overall package heading into Sunday. Dry weather is expected, which should favour teams that already showed strong pace during qualifying.
Prediction: Alex Palou to win the 2026 Indianapolis 500
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