Indianapolis 500 Qualifying is generally an entire weekend affair. If teams are lucky, they run both Saturday and Sunday. If unlucky, they will wait to run again in later practice sessions, tethered to their positions behind the first 4 rows.

This year, however, after changing the qualifying format the first time, Saturday ended before it even began. The first day of qualifying was rained out, leaving the 33-car grid to run 3 sessions to set the grid on Sunday. The new Top 15 qualifying format – scrapped.

The new Indy 500 Qualifying Format resembled that of a road or street course track on the IndyCar calendar. All 33 drivers ran one at a time, banking their 4-lap average. This was followed by the Top 12 and Fast 6.

Ultimately, Alex Palou achieved his second Indianapolis 500 Pole Position alongside former Indy 500 winner, Alexander Rossi and Penske’s David Malukas.

First Session Qualifying Results

The first session saw all 33 cars race for the fastest 4-lap average speed – a session that went without incident on a very hot, sunny day in Indianapolis. This session set grid positions 13-33 prior to the two sessions that will set the front of the grid.

There were a few interesting trends coming out of the first session of the day. First, and most notably, is that no other car on the grid could hold a candle to the average speed of Meyer Shank Racing’s Felix Rosenqvist, who set a 232.599 average.

On the other side of the coin, Penske’s Josef Newgarden (two-time winner), and all three Andretti cars – Kyle Kirkwood (2nd in 2026 Championship), Marcus Ericsson (former winner), and Will Power (former winner) – all did not make the Top 12. Both of Newgarden’s teammates made the Top 12, with Newgarden over 1mph off their pace.

Top 12 Qualifying Results

During one of the hottest parts of the day, the Top 12 drivers went out with one question in mind – could any driver touch the speeds that Felix Rosenqvist put in earlier today? And could Felix Rosenqvist replicate his results?

The answer in this session was a ‘yes’ and ‘no’. Rosenqvist again topped the session with significant performance drop offs plaguing drivers like Veekay over the course of their 4-lap averages.

Daly and McLaughlin, both favorites for pole, fell at this hurdle and will start together on Row 3. They are still ones to watch next weekend during the race.

Fast 6 Qualifying Results

Straight out of the gates, ECR’s Rossi – a former Indianapolis 500 winner exactly one decade ago – set the fastest 4-lap average significantly faster than his speed in the prior two sessions.

However, the biggest disappointment of the session was Felix Rosenqvist, who was significantly faster in the prior two sessions, coming in 4th, approximately one mph slower than the full grid and Top 12 sessions.

When the ‘floodgates’ opened for Palou, he put out one of the fastest laps of the day, followed by precise consistency that he is known for. The pole-to-win conversion rate is currently ~20%, so the odds are stacked against Palou. As the reigning Indianapolis 500 champion, the only question on people’s minds is if Palou can two-peat… and Palou thinks he can.

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Alex Palou returned to Indianapolis Motor Speedway this May as if he never left the famed racetrack. The four-time NTT IndyCar Series champion is a force to be reckoned with once again, and he showcased his raw ability once again on Sunday.

Rain plagued Indianapolis on Saturday, postponing qualifying for the 110th Indianapolis 500. The series had to fit in both the main time trials and the Fast 12 on Sunday, and that was no issue for Palou, who has been fast throughout the entire month in Indianapolis.

The Chip Ganassi Racing driver, who won the 2025 Indianapolis 500, won his second career Indianapolis 500 pole (the first was in 2023).

Palou’s No. 10 DHL Honda soared around Indianapolis with a four-lap average of 232.248 mph during the Fast 12. He will start next Sunday’s Indianapolis 500 alongside Ed Carpenter Racing’s Alexander Rossi and Team Penske’s David Maukas.

“You could see the celebration was really high (after winning the pole) because this morning when we woke up, we did not expect this speed,” a humble Palou said.

Alex Palou’s IndyCar Series Dominance

Since Palou joined Chip Ganassi Racing, he is the most dominant driver in America’s premier open-wheel division. He joined CGR in 2021 and besides his four championships, he’s won a series-leading 22 races in that span.

Last year, Palou won eight of 17 races on the calendar, including the 2025 Indianapolis 500. This year, the CGR driver is showing no signs of slowing down. Through six races, he has three victories and is the series points leader once again. Though Palou has showed extraordinary talent, he remains committed to the IndyCar Series and has denied rumors that he will attempt to move to Formula 1 like Colton Herta.

Palou, who is only 29 years old, has plenty of runway left in his career. A second Indianapolis 500 victory on Memorial Day Weekend could certainly catch the attention of team owners outside of IndyCar.

The 2026 Indianapolis 500

The Indianapolis 500 is shaping up to be one of the most competitive spectacles in the history of the historic race. The entire 33-car field was separated by just six mph during qualifying.

Among the highlights of this year’s field is the return of three Indianapolis 500 champions: Helio Castroneves, Takuma Sato and Ryan Hunter-Reay. Sato will start 13th next Sunday, with Castroneves in 15th and Hunter-Reay in 23rd.

Katherine Legge, who will be attempting The Double between the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600, will start the 500 in 27th.

“Very few drivers ever get the opportunity to attempt ‘The Double,’ and I do not take that opportunity lightly,” Legge said. “This challenge is about pushing through perceived limits, betting on yourself, taking risks and trying to do something unique. I am so incredibly grateful to e.l.f. Cosmetics for believing in what this moment represents and for building a community around it.”

All three CGR cars qualified for the Fast 12, with Kyffin Simpson starting in seventh, while veteran Scott Dixon will start 11th. One of the shockers in qualifying was the lack of speed out of Penske’s Josef Newgarden, who will start in 24th in the Indianapolis 500, which will air on Fox.

Joseph Wolkin Joseph Wolkin is a motor sports expert, focusing on telling the untold stories inside of Nascar, Formula 1 and the IndyCar Series. He is currently working on a new book about team leaders turn racers into champions. Follow Joseph on X at @joewolkin. More about Joseph Wolkin