The 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 took place last weekend. Right from the start and up until the very end, it was an unpredictable, chaotic and frantic race. All thirty three drivers were also attempting to win this fabled race in front of a sell out crowd. Alex Palou won not only his first oval race, but his first Indy 500. Kyle Larson attempting the double, once again to no avail. Team Penske were determined to bounce back from their pre-race weekend controversies with mixed results. These and a plethora of one shot drivers arriving on the scene to just compete in this one race meant that there were storylines aplenty across the month of May.
Here though are the ones that stood out to us at EverythingF1 the most.
Heartbreak for Scott McLaughlin
Caitlyn Gordon
Scott McLaughlin quickly emerged as one of the favourites heading into the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500. The early predictions proved accurate. McLaughlin was a consistent top runner throughout the multiple practice sessions in the lead-up to qualifying. It sparked speculation about whether the New Zealander could secure a second consecutive pole position at the Brickyard.
At the close of Saturday’s qualifying session, McLaughlin finished in second overall, just behind Alex Palou with a time in the high 233 mph range.
However, there was no fairy-tale ending for the New Zealander at the Brickyard. A crash during practice hindered his momentum heading into race day, and a disastrous pace lap incident brought his Indy 500 to an abrupt end, before the green flag even waved.
A light down-pour caused a 45-minute delay to the start of the prestigious event, and when the drivers were finally able to take to the circuit, their next challenge was getting warmth into their cold set of tyres.
After an attempt to build tyre temperature, McLaughlin lost control of his No.3 and hit the barriers, breaking his left-front suspension. It brought his day to an early close as the damage was too significant to fix – a moment McLaughlin described as the “worst moment of my life.”
The Andretti Curse Continues
Larry Velasquez
Marco Andretti’s 20th Indianapolis 500 ended in heartbreak. He was forced to retire on the opening lap after contact in Turn 1. Reflecting on the incident, Marco expressed his frustration to the media.
“I couldn’t have done anything in that situation. Once I was committed up there, I couldn’t move. I was just at the wall. Whoever was next to me definitely crowded me, and I ran out of room. Disappointing way to end the month.” – Marco Andretti
This early exit is yet another chapter in the so-called “Andretti Curse.” This is the term used to describe the series of misfortunes that have plagued the Andretti family at the Indy 500. Despite his efforts and experience, Marco’s quest for victory at the Brickyard went unfulfilled. Michael Andretti, Marco’s father and former CEO of Andretti Global, attended the race in a different capacity this year, having stepped down from his leadership role in 2024. Reflecting on his new perspective, Michael commented that, “It’s weird that I have no schedule. I’m not used to it, like, I don’t know what to do. I’m happy. Everybody is telling me I look happy. I didn’t know I was that miserable when I was here before.”
The pursuit of victory at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway continues to be a driving force for the Andretti family. As they look ahead to future opportunities, will they ever be able to break this now legendary curse?
David Malukas – From Pitlane to Podium
Hannah Adams
From watching the 2024 Indy 500 from the pit lane to finishing second in this year’s 109th running, David Malukas’ remarkable rise to the podium is a particularly memorable moment.
With Malukas expecting to have a breakthrough season with Arrow McLaren in 2024, a serious wrist injury immediately impacted his chances.
Not only was the American left unable to race, but Arrow McLaren released him from his contract due to an “unclear recovery timeline.”
Returning to IndyCar in June 2024 with Meyer Shank Racing, then entering the 2025 season with A.J. Foyt Racing, Malukas had a point to prove after “the toughest year I think of my life really.”
Qualifying in seventh, a strong start saw the American make his way through the field, ultimately taking the lead at one stage.
Falling back a little during the final stint, Malukas crossed the line in third. He finished behind Championship leader and Indy 500 winner Alex Palou and runner-up Marcus Ericsson.
However, after Ericsson’s car failed post-race inspection, this was later upgraded to second. Could we see Malukas at Team Penske next year as a result of this?
“If I look back one year ago today, I wasn’t even in IndyCar anymore. I didn’t have a left hand, and I was up here in the media centre just being a fan… And I could say one year later that I am back in the 500, and not just back, but I’m fighting for the win, which is incredible to say.” – David Malukas
Josef Newgarden – Close but no Cigar
Olivia Doe
Josef Newgarden took his first Indianapolis 500 win in 2023. he then followed it up by winning the fabled race again in 2024. Coming into last weekend, nobody had ever won three consecutive Indy 500 races.
Although Newgarden topped the final practice before the Indy 500 on Carb Day, it was not smooth sailing. A cheating scandal for Team Penske put him and his teammate, Will Power, in the last row of the starting grid.
During qualifying, Newgarden’s car raised the eyebrows of IndyCar’s technical inspectors, when they noticed an illegal modification. The rear attenuator, which reduces G-forces in the event of an accident, was found to have been smoothed out.
Despite the grid penalty, Newgarden remained confident in his ability to earn his third Indy 500 win.
“You can win this race from any seat in the house…There’s no bad seat in this house. I like the challenge of coming from 32nd.” – Josef Newgarden
Newgarden’s dream however, did not end up turning into reality. He and teammate, Will Power started Sunday’s Indy 500 from 32nd and 33rd, respectively. From the start, Newgarden made outrageously impressive progress up through the field. Before too long, he found himself comfortably inside the top ten.
Many were now thinking that history could be made by Newgarden as his chances of becoming the first driver to win three consecutive Indy 500’s increased. But it was not to be. An issue with the car forced him to retire with a significant portion of the race remaining. The dream was over.
Even with an ultimate DNF results wise, Newgarden’s raw pace should bring some comfort to him. Will he be able to bounce back in the remainder of the 2025 season?
Takuma Sato’s Still Got It
Thiemo Albers-Daly
Takuma Sato returned to the Indianapolis 500 in an attempt to clinch his third victory at the legendary venue. The odds were stacked against him however. Back in April, the Japanese driver survived a massive 90G crash during a testing session. He was still suffering from two broken ribs as he got into the car at the weekend.
Despite this though, Sato had been able to qualify in second place for Sunday’s race, outpacing all but one of the regular season drivers. He lined up next to Pato O’Ward and Robert Schwartzman.
During the race itself, Takuma led at several points and for a beautiful moment, many thought that a victory might even be on the cards.
However, it was not to be for the former Formula 1 Driver and two time Indy 500 winner. When the dust settled on the race and the post race penalties were applied, Takuma was classified as finishing in ninth place. While this wasn’t the win he would have been hoping for, it was a perfect demonstration that the forty eight year old still has plenty of fuel in the tank and knows how to drive impressively fast.
Honourable Mentions
It wouldn’t be fitting to mention all of the above without also talking about a few other stories. Alex Palou is the first of these. The Championship leader became the first Spaniard to win the Indy 500. It also marked his first time winning both on an Oval Course and winning the Indy 500 itself. He now has a healthy 112 point lead to Pato O’Ward in second place.
A.J Foyt Racing may have had David Malukas finish in P2 for them but their other driver had a great day too. Santino Ferrugi came home in fifth in what was one of the team’s best ever results.
Finally, at fifty years of age, Helio Castroneves returned to Indianapolis with the hope of winning a record fifth Indy 500. This dream may not have come true but he still managed to put his money where his mouth is. Castroneves finished in tenth place – a remarkable result and a brilliant story.
Feature Image: Travis Hinkle, IndyCar Media Centre
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