Rosenqvist speeds past Malukas to win the closest Indy 500 in history
AP News • • general
Key Points:
- Felix Rosenqvist won the closest Indianapolis 500 in history by 0.0233 seconds, overtaking David Malukas in the final 50 feet after a dramatic finish involving multiple restarts and late-race battles.
- The race featured a red flag due to a fiery crash by rookie Caio Collet and a late yellow flag from Mick Schumacher's wall contact, setting up an intense final lap where Malukas briefly led before Rosenqvist's decisive pass.
- Rosenqvist’s victory marked his second career IndyCar win and first on an oval, joining fellow Swedes Kenny Brack and Marcus Ericsson as Indy 500 winners; the win came shortly after the birth of his first child.
- David Malukas, who led late and finished second, expressed no regrets about his performance despite narrowly missing victory, while teammates Scott McLaughlin and Pato O’Ward finished third and fourth respectively.
- The race was affected by a rain delay and changing strategies, with Alex Palou leading the most laps and maintaining the points lead; Katherine Legge’s attempt at “The Double” ended early due to a crash but she was uninjured and planned to race later that day.