Thirty-one cars are confirmed for the 110th Indianapolis 500 on May 25. Two spots remain. Nine former winners are in the field. And the drama around the final entries might be more entertaining than some of the racing. Here's where things stand with less than two months until the green flag.
The Headline Entries
Helio Castroneves is going for five. The four-time winner — tied with A.J. Foyt and Al Unser for the most Indy 500 victories in history — is back for another shot at standing alone atop the record book. Castroneves is 51 years old. He won the 500 in 2001, 2002, 2009, and 2021. Every time people count him out, he reminds them that experience at Indianapolis is worth more than youth. A fifth win would make him the undisputed greatest Indy 500 driver of all time. No qualifiers needed.
Takuma Sato returns as well. The two-time winner (2017, 2020) has always been an all-or-nothing driver at Indy — he's either winning or in the wall. There's rarely an in-between. At 49, this might be his last realistic shot at a third victory. The man sends it. Every single time. That's either going to produce something magical or something very loud.
Ed Carpenter unveiled his car livery last week. The owner-driver has made the Indy 500 his annual specialty — he only races the 500 and a handful of ovals each year, yet he's been on pole three times. He might be the best pure oval qualifier in the series. In a race where qualifying position matters enormously, that's not nothing.
The PREMA Problem
Here's where it gets complicated. PREMA Racing — the European powerhouse that expanded to IndyCar — has two potential entries for Robert Shwartzman and Callum Ilott. Shwartzman sat on pole for the 2025 Indy 500. Ilott has been competitive in his IndyCar outings. On paper, both should be on the grid.
But PREMA is dealing with an ownership restructuring that's thrown everything into question. Team operations, funding, driver contracts — it's all in flux. As of today, their two entries are listed as "pending" rather than confirmed. If PREMA sorts things out, we get 33 cars and potentially one of the fastest qualifiers in the field. If they don't, we lose two legitimate contenders and the field drops to 31.
The April 28 open test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway is the practical deadline. If PREMA doesn't have cars on track that day, they're almost certainly out.
The Colton Herta Question
Colton Herta is racing in Formula 2 this year. His return to IndyCar for the 500 has been described as "likely but not confirmed" by Andretti Global CEO Michael Andretti. The complication? F2 has a race weekend on May 24 — the day before the 500. If that schedule holds, Herta physically cannot do both.
F2 has historically accommodated drivers who need to miss a round for the Indy 500. But "historically" and "definitely" are different words. Until there's an official exemption, Herta's entry is a question mark. And losing a driver who's won six IndyCar races before turning 25 would be a genuine loss for the spectacle.
The 33rd Car
Abel Motorsports is preparing an entry for Jacob Abel, which would bring the field to the traditional 33. Abel ran the 500 in 2025 and has the backing and equipment to be competitive. If PREMA falls through and Abel confirms, we'd land at exactly 32 — one short of the magic number. The Speedway prefers 33. Sponsors prefer 33. Fans definitely prefer 33. The pressure is on to fill the grid.
Nine Former Winners
The confirmed field includes nine former Indianapolis 500 winners. That might be the most stacked winner's list in recent memory. Add in the current championship leaders Kirkwood and Palou — separated by just 2 points — and this race has the potential to be one of the best in years. The championship implications alone make it must-watch. A Palou win could vault him to the top of the standings. A Kirkwood win would create breathing room. A Castroneves win would create history.
Two months. Two open spots. One very big race.
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