IndyCar Gradebook: 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500
- Dan Jones
- May 27
- 13 min read
Updated: May 28
Written by Dan Jones, Edited by Morgan Holiday
Álex Palou sealed his IndyCar legacy by winning the 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500, taking his fifth win in six races to start off the 2025 season. DIVEBOMB IndyCar Correspondent Dan Jones graded all 34 drivers' performance during the 'Month of May.'
For the purposes of more representative grades, the post-race penalties for Marcus Ericsson, Kyle Kirkwood and Callum Ilott have not been considered.
Chip Ganassi Racing
No.8 - Kyffin Simpson: B-
It was a whirlwind month for Simpson at Indianapolis, as he leaves the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) with little to show for his continued development in 2025. A crash on 'Fast Friday,' could have put him in major danger of being bumped, but he bounced back with an assured run on Saturday to line-up 13th for race day. He would see his race cut short the following Sunday after being caught up in Kyle Larson's accident. He couldn't match the pace of his teammates throughout the month, and his crash by his own admittance was a rookie mistake, however, he still showed development on his performance last year.
No.9 - Scott Dixon: A-
In some ways, Dixon must be relieved he has an Indianapolis 500 victory already under his belt, as his recent misfortune at the Speedway continued in 2025. Dixon showed strong pace all month, backed up by qualifying in fourth, the best of any Chip Ganassi Racing entry. However, his chances were over before the race had begun after a brake failure meant he went three laps down after stopping. And after you saw what his teammate did from a similar position to the Kiwi, Dixon must feel aggrieved at misfortune striking him again.
No.10 - Álex Palou: A+
An oval victory, let alone an Indianapolis 500 victory, was the achievement that could be held against Palou's legacy as an all-time great. We knew it would come eventually, but for Palou to have his face etched onto the Borg-Warner in the midst of his record-breaking season is the most impressive of accomplishments. Palou's drive was vintage Palou. He was methodical, patient, decisive and unflappable. Palou's drive on Sunday was about as textbook as they come, a drive which will solidify his place as one of the all-time greats.
Team Penske
No.2 - Josef Newgarden: A
The three-peat for Newgarden was not to be in 2025, but he can still leave Indianapolis with his head held high. We don't know if Newgarden would have had a shot at the pole, but his relegation to 32nd for a part he knew nothing about must have been infuriating, and was retrospectively rather harsh. However, his drive through the field was incredible, methodically picking his way through the order as others fell off around him. Finding himself fifth after two-thirds distance was testament to that performance, but a fuel pressure problem agonisingly forced his day to finish earlier than it should have done. It was a month where everything seemed to go against Newgarden but his bounce-back was valiant, even if there was nothing to show for it.
No.3 - Scott McLaughlin: F
This year's Indianapolis 500 will haunt McLaughlin for the rest of his life. And you could see it in the face of the anguished Kiwi as he stepped out of his car and reflected on what could have been. McLaughlin threw away a shot at the pole after crashing in Sunday practice, after looking like the quickest car all month. That said, we expected him to bounce back because he's proved himself as one of the best at the Speedway. But to throw it away on the formation lap was truly gut-wrenching, and as he said, he 'wouldn't wish it on his own worst enemy.' But, I can't look past McLaughlin making the most rookie of errors after a month of preparation, a huge shame.
No.12 - Will Power: D+
It was a disastrous month for Team Penske and it was not a good month for Power individually either. Even before he was relegated to 33rd for the attenuator controversy, Power seemed significantly behind his two teammates pace-wise. Starting last seemed like a nail in the coffin for Power, but he did not have the capability to cycle up the field quite like Newgarden did. He finished 16th and a lap down after a fairly anonymous outing on race day.
Andretti Global
No.26 - Colton Herta: C+
It was a scrappy month for somebody who came in as one of the pre-May favourites for Indianapolis glory. His seismic crash on his opening qualifying run forced him to a backup, and although his No.26 crew did a remarkable job to get him back out for qualifying, it was always going to be a difficult task from there forward. Herta's race truly came undone after picking up a pit speed violation on Lap 64 which earned him a drive-through. He finished 14th, one lap down.
No.27 - Kyle Kirkwood: B+
You get the feeling that Kirkwood will leave Indianapolis slightly underwhelmed, despite what was originally a sixth place finish. The Floridian was consistently top of the no-tow times in the opening days of practice and looked superb in traffic. And that's why Kirkwood called it a 'head-scratcher' when he qualified 23rd after his pace slowly worsened run-by-run. What makes it more frustrating is that Kirkwood's race day execution was superb, gaining 17 positions on where he started. It felt like if Kirkwood had the qualifying pace that showed early promise in practice, he could have been a major contender for victory.
No.28 - Marcus Ericsson: A
The moment where Ericsson relinquished the lead to Palou with 14 laps to go will be replayed in his mind countlessly for the next few weeks. Better on fuel, with track position and a superb race car, a second Indianapolis 500 win fell out of Ericsson's grasp after he failed to block off the inside. It was a monumental comeback after Ericsson fell into trouble on the opening sequence of stops, with clever strategy vaulting the Swede back into contention. It was still an impressive month after his disaster of a month last May, but for the second time in three years, Ericsson suffered Indianapolis heartbreak.
No.98 - Marco Andretti: D-
When a year of preparation goes into Andretti's focus toward the Indianapolis 500, for it to be over in the opening corner must feel even more bitterly disappointing. That said, it was a poor month for Andretti all-round. He was constantly off the pace of his teammates, due to what he believed was an inherent car issue, and had to fight for his place in the field in Last Chance Qualifying. The opening corner incident was not Andretti's fault, but was he trying to be too much of a hero going four wide on the outside at Turn 1? Newgarden, for example, fell back and avoided the chaos, and that reaction paid dividends. He'll inevitably be back next year to try to break the Andretti curse.
Arrow McLaren
No.5 - Pato O'Ward: A
The '500' win that feels inevitable for O'Ward will have to wait another year, but at least the Mexican won't leave IMS with the same heartbreak that he endured last year. It was an all-round good month for O'Ward who had the fastest Arrow McLaren all month long. He qualified well in third and ran with the front pack for the whole of the race, despite a slow pitstop costing him in the opening sequence. While overtaking seemed difficult, once O'Ward had settled into fourth it felt rather unlikely that he would move further up the order which proved correct. It was a good showing, but it never felt like he was truly in the fight for victory.
No.6 - Nolan Siegel: C
After being bumped from proceedings last year at Indianapolis, this month would always be smoother compared to Siegel's previous IMS experience. Unsurprisingly given his inexperience, Siegel didn't have the pace that his teammates had, qualifying 24th. He was a non-factor on race day too, crashing on the final lap in a clumsy accident in Turn 2. It was much steadier compared to his turbulent month last year, but there's certainly more for Siegel to offer in future '500' attempts.
No.7 - Christian Lundgaard: B
After three years in difficult machinery at Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, Lundgaard finally had a chance to prove himself at IMS. His pace in practice was respectable, and he did well to qualify eighth. His race was a quiet affair - apart from picking up a puncture in the opening round of stops. It was a decent first Indianapolis 500 with McLaren for Lundgaard.
No.17 - Kyle Larson: C-
After Larson stole the headlines at Indianapolis last May, you can only feel as if his second attempt at 'the Double,' was underwhelming. He had two crashes during the month (if you include his accident during the open test), and did not have the same raw pace that wowed the Speedway last year. Larson qualified 19th,13 positions down on what he achieved in 2024. His race day was not stellar either, his race ending with a silly spin after downshifting too early. It seems unlikely Larson will return for a double attempt next year and it's a disappointing way for his efforts to end.
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
No.15 - Graham Rahal: C-
It seemed as if this could be the year that Rahal's Indianapolis fortunes turned around after he avoided bump day for the first time since 2022, but he'll leave Indianapolis with just as much frustration as he had in previous years. Rahal still seems off the pace of all his teammates, and he was a moving chicane on race day, particularly on restarts where he was gobbled up by his competition. Rahal's constant woes seem to be a machinery problem, but when do more difficult questions need to be asked about Rahal's performance?
No.30 - Devlin DeFrancesco: B
This could well have been the best race of DeFrancesco's IndyCar career. The Canadian had the upper hand on both his full-time teammates throughout practice and qualifying week, to the surprise of many. DeFrancesco led a decent number of laps come race day, being the primary car on the alternate strategy. The timing of various cautions meant that DeFrancesco always had his hands tied behind his back when it came to any shot at victory - but he leaves IMS with a career-best 11th place finish.
No.45 - Louis Foster: B-
Although Foster didn't win Rookie of the Year due to Shwartzman's qualifying heroics, he was the only rookie to complete all 200 laps and performed well in his first Indianapolis 500. Qualifying a respectable 20th, Foster's race day was earmarked by two separate pit speed violations which earned him two drive-through penalties. That said, Foster still managed to stay on the lead lap despite his pitlane woes to finish 12th at his maiden Indianapolis 500.
No.75 - Takuma Sato: A-
Of all the drivers to leave Indianapolis, Sato may be one of the most frustrated. The two-time winner defied the odds in qualifying, lining up an unlikely second whilst none of his other full-time teammates made it into the top 15 positions. Sato dominated the early proceedings and looked comfortable out front. However, him overshooting his pit stall was costly and took him out of the front pack. He still left Indianapolis with the most laps led of any driver and a ninth place finish, but it was a case of 'what could have been' for Sato.
Meyer Shank Racing
No.06 - Hélio Castroneves: C+
The 'Drive for Five' must wait at least another year for Castroneves, who endured an anonymous May and made little impact on proceedings. Castroneves was significantly off the pace of his teammates (until Marcus Armstrong crashed), despite his veteran status at the Speedway. He would qualify 22nd and finish 10th, but you rather get the feeling Castroneves doesn't care where he finishes unless it's first.
No.60 - Felix Rosenqvist: A
It was also a quiet month for Rosenqvist, a quiet month that went under the radar of many. Rosenqvist looked quick throughout practice, backed up by the Swede qualifying fifth, having the upper hand on both of his teammates. His race was mature, not taking any particular risks but still showing good pace throughout. As was the case for many, once he settled into his position in the pack, it was always going to be a challenge to move up the order. He finished fifth when all was said and done.
No.66 - Marcus Armstrong: D+
Armstrong's month was defined by a crash which occurred at the worst possible time for him. His Saturday morning crash pre-qualifying forced the Kiwi into a spare tub, and the promising pace he had shown all week up to that point was gone. Armstrong had to fight for his place in the field during Last Chance Qualifying and was saved by Dale Coyne Racing's lack of pace. His race was similarly chaotic, as he miraculously did not crash with Andretti on the opening lap before he picked up a drive-through for being out of position on a restart. He finished 18th, two laps down after a month Armstrong will likely want to put behind him.
Ed Carpenter Racing
No.20 - Alexander Rossi: B
After a promising month and after showing early promise on race day, Rossi will be frustrated that his Indianapolis 500 ended in the pitlane. Rossi had the upper hand on both of his teammates all month, which was shown by his 12th place qualifying result. He looked good in the early phases of race day, as he led a team one-two-three on the alternate strategy. However, Rossi's day came to an end after smoke poured out his Chevrolet engine before he saw his fuel ignite in pitlane. Rossi was visibly frustrated because there was a chance that he may have added to his 2016 success.
No.21 - Christian Rasmussen: B+
It was a bit of a messy month for Rasmussen, but he leaves Indianapolis with a career-best sixth-place finish. Rasmussen had two separate incidents at Turn 2 during practice, thankfully avoiding major damage on both occasions. He qualified 18th and would have a wild race day on the alternate strategy. He also caused a caution as he miraculously avoided throwing himself into the wall at Turn 4 on a restart. The Dane finished sixth when all was said and done - the best performance of his IndyCar career.
No.33 - Ed Carpenter: C
In the first year that Carpenter opted for an Indy-only programme, he was hardly a factor as his agonising wait for an Indianapolis 500 continues. He qualified in 14th, ran with his teammates on the alternate strategy early on. However, he would fall out of contention later in the race, finishing 15th and a lap down.
A.J. Foyt Racing
No.4 - David Malukas: A
Malukas described his second-place finish (which was third at the time) as "bittersweet," and you can certainly see why. Malukas qualified a surprising seventh and suddenly found himself in contention for victory at the mid-way point against, at the time, Palou and Conor Daly. Malukas was able to make his last stop later than many of his competitors, and had a great opportunity to claim an unlikely win. However, the American let Palou by too easily in the critical phase of the race and ultimately the victory fell out his grasp. That said, it was an incredible result for a driver who has had a difficult 2025 season, and he can leave Indianapolis with his head held high.
No.14 - Santino Ferrucci: A-
Ferrucci's Indianapolis 500 record now lies with seven top10s in seven attempts, as Foyt claimed their first double top-five finish at the Indianapolis 500 since 2000. After a difficult week of practice which saw Ferrucci forced to change his car, his pace picked up throughout the week. He qualified 15th, and as he always does, the American moved up the order consistently throughout the race. He wasn't quite in victory contention unlike his teammate, but claims another top five at the Indianapolis 500.
Juncos Hollinger Racing
No.76 - Conor Daly: A-
If the Indiana-native Daly ever won the Indianapolis 500 the Speedway would go into raptures - and this was the closest that all 350,000 fans have been to that moment. Daly seemed like a dark horse all month, and equalled his career-best qualifying in11th. As many expected, Daly found himself in the battle for victory come race day. However, a tyre vibration on his penultimate stint saw Daly collapse down the order and forced to pit early. This put the American on a mammoth fuel save and snatched away any chances of winning. Daly will be frustrated as this was his best shot at glory that so many would like to see.
No.77 - Sting Ray Robb: B-
It was a decent month all-round for Robb, but he was an unfortunate victim of Larson's error mid-way through. He qualified a career-best 17th at the '500' and ran quietly throughout the race before being collected by the spinning Larson. Robb tried to avoid the accident but had no grip on the high line which spun him into the barriers. The American continues to improve year-on-year at the Speedway, but will be frustrated his day ended early.
Dale Coyne Racing
No.18 - Rinus VeeKay: B
I can't rate VeeKay too harshly as it was quite clear that the team had an inherent lack of speed which he ultimately fell victim of. After never previously qualifying lower then seventh, VeeKay had to fight for his place in the field, and did a remarkable job in the race to find himself on the fringes of the top five, albeit on the alternate strategy. However, coming in for his third stop, a brake issue sent VeeKay into the barrier and saw his day done early.
No.51 - Jacob Abel: C
Although he didn't make the show, I'll still give Abel a rating. This may seem generous considering he was the only one bumped - but I don't think Abel did much wrong. He never threw the car in the wall and seemed to have good pace throughout the week. However, come the time where the team needed that pace, it had vanished and there was not much Abel or VeeKay could do. Abel was not far off his vastly more experienced teammate pace-wise, but was nowhere near the rest of the field.
PREMA Racing
No.83 - Robert Shwartzman: B+
We always knew that race day would be Shwartzman's downfall, but that does not take away from what was a remarkable qualifying effort that will be remembered in Indianapolis folklore forever. It really was the unlikeliest of poles, the first for a rookie driver since 1983, and Shwartzman and PREMA themselves couldn't quite believe it. As felt inevitable though, Shwartzman did not have the car to fight at the front come race day, and his day ended after a brake failure in pitlane. A disappointing ending to Shwartzman's fairytale month but he still leaves with Rookie of the Year honours.
No.90 - Callum Ilott: A-
The effective disqualification of Ilott and PREMA will be frustrating as it was the team's best result after a superb race from Ilott. The Briton qualified a respectable 21st considering PREMA's oval experience, and he cycled to the fringes of the top five on the alternate strategy. However, Ilott fell down to 12th after a tyre issue on his final stop before he was penalised for a non-compliant front wing. Ilott can still be immensely proud of a superb race-day performance which gives PREMA a boost of confidence after a difficult start to 2025.
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
No.23 - Ryan Hunter-Reay: A
How can you not feel for Hunter-Reay? A Carb Day fire saw the 2014 Indianapolis 500 forced to his pitstop practice car in an already difficult starting position of 25th. However, excellent strategy vaulted Hunter-Reay to the lead in the penultimate round of pitstops, and with the American excellent on fuel it really felt like the day could be his. Agonisingly, his fuel hose ran dry on his last stop and any Indianapolis fairytale was not to be. Hunter-Reay may be devastated but it was a performance to be proud of.
No.24 - Jack Harvey: C
It would be a fairly anonymous month for 'Hollywood' Harvey as he qualified next to his teammate in 26th. He lead the opening stages briefly after being the last driver to make their opening stop under green, but any chances of a good result fell away after a late pit-speed violation. Harvey finished 19th, two laps down.
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