Felix Rosenqvist Wins Indianapolis 500, Celebrates Milestone Month

Felix Rosenqvist finally tasted victory at the Indianapolis 500 at the age of 34. The Swedish racer won the race with a bold move past David Malukas, setting a record for the closest finish in the event’s history. The 0.023-second victory marked only his second win in 120 IndyCar starts and first on an oval track.

Rosenqvist’s previous victory occurred in July 2020 at Road America. This win came just 20 days after the birth of his daughter, Stella. Although his wife Emille and daughter were not present at the track, Rosenqvist expressed that the win was the ‘cherry on top’ of a remarkable month.

After the race, Rosenqvist celebrated by climbing onto his Meyer Shank Racing car, savoring the milk tradition, and pouring it over his head. Despite consistent success in qualifying for the 500, including five consecutive top-nine starts, he had never secured a pole position. Rosenqvist had finished fourth twice in the race over the years but found redemption this time with a tenacious pursuit in the final laps.

On the final lap, as his teammate Marcus Armstrong backed off, Rosenqvist seized the opportunity, overtaking Malukas with a daring outside move. Armstrong, who finished fifth, remarked on his decision to yield. Rosenqvist’s victory was a second Indianapolis 500 win for Meyer Shank Racing, with Helio Castroneves, a four-time race winner, notching his first win as a team owner.

The tight finish eclipsed the 1992 race, where Al Unser Jr. narrowly beat Scott Goodyear by 0.043 seconds. Despite moving up to second in the points, Malukas was visibly disappointed, realizing how close he came to victory. He contended that he drove at his maximum but fell short of the win.

The race saw several crashes and two red flag delays, including an incident involving Indy rookie Caio Collet. Rosenqvist’s win was partly enabled by a late collision by Mick Schumacher, leading to a one-lap showdown in which Rosenqvist capitalized on the moment.

Rosenqvist joins fellow Swedes Kenny Brack (1999) and Marcus Ericsson (2022) as winners of the prestigious race. His close friend, Pato O’Ward, finished fourth, marking his fourth top-five result in four years. Defending champion Alex Palou retained his lead in the points standings despite finishing seventh, with a post-race penalty for a technical issue.

Additional Highlights

Katherine Legge’s attempt at completing “The Double” ended prematurely with a collision involving Ryan Hunter-Reay. Although unhurt, she planned to proceed with participating in the Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte.

The IndyCar series now moves to the Detroit Grand Prix next Sunday for the next event.