Samwise IndyCar Newsletter
Saturday, May 16, 2026
Rosenqvist Breaks 233 mph Barrier to Lead Fast Friday at Indianapolis
Felix Rosenqvist became the first driver this month to break the 233 mph barrier, topping Fast Friday practice on May 15 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with a lap of 233.372 mph in the No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing Honda. Alexander Rossi finished second at 232.932 mph in the No. 20 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet, with Scott McLaughlin third at 232.674 mph in the No. 3 Team Penske Chevrolet. Takuma Sato and Marcus Ericsson rounded out the top five at 232.655 mph and 232.622 mph respectively. Fast Friday features an additional 100 horsepower above earlier practice sessions, simulating qualifying speeds. Rosenqvist also led simulated four-lap qualifying averages at 232.828 mph.
Sources: SpeedwayMedia
Hybrid Deployment Strategy Could Shake Up the Indy 500 Qualifying Order
Hybrid power deployment could prove decisive in this Saturday's Indy 500 qualifying, with teams split on the best approach. Ed Carpenter Racing's Alexander Rossi regenerates energy on the straightaways, then deploys it through the corners — a method also tried by Team Penske. Other teams do the reverse. IndyCar raised the hybrid system's minimum deploy settings for 2026, eliminating last year's conservative method and opening the door for more creative strategies. Rossi warned that poor execution could cost several grid positions: "You can have the car balance perfect and the trim level perfect, and if your hybrid strategy is not, that can be the difference between third and 15th."
Sources: IndyCar
No Clear Favourite as Wide-Open Indy 500 Qualifying Begins Saturday
Qualifying Day 1 for the 110th Indianapolis 500 opens Saturday at 11 a.m. ET at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with no clear front-runner heading into the six-hour session. Multiple teams showed strong pace during the practice week: Meyer Shank Racing's Felix Rosenqvist topped Fast Friday, while Ed Carpenter Racing's Alexander Rossi ranked second on that day. Six-time IndyCar champion Scott Dixon is targeting his sixth career pole — which would tie Rick Mears' all-time record. Teams from Chip Ganassi Racing, Team Penske, Arrow McLaren, and Meyer Shank Racing have all shown the speed to contend. Rain is forecast for parts of Saturday, which could push qualifying attempts to Sunday.
Sources: IndyCar
Scott Dixon Draws First Qualifying Slot for Saturday's Indy 500 Time Trials
Scott Dixon drew the first qualifying position for Saturday's Indy 500 time trials, heading a full 33-car lineup determined by a random draw held Friday evening at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Under IndyCar's revised 2026 format, Day 1 qualifying from 11 a.m. to 5:50 p.m. ET will set grid positions 16 through 33, with the nine fastest drivers also locking into Sunday's Top 12 session. An early draw position is generally considered advantageous given how conditions change through the day. Christian Lundgaard drew second and Ryan Hunter-Reay third. Championship leader Alex Palou, who drew 31st, faces the risk of deteriorating conditions late in the session.
Sources: Beyond the Flag
Dixon "Quietly Comfortable" as He Chases Record Sixth Indy 500 Pole
Six-time IndyCar champion Scott Dixon enters Saturday's Indy 500 qualifying with measured confidence, telling media Friday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway that he feels "quietly comfortable and excited." The 45-year-old Chip Ganassi Racing driver is chasing a sixth career Indy 500 pole, which would tie Rick Mears' all-time record. Dixon acknowledged last year's qualifying contained costly errors: "I think last year we made a couple mistakes, especially in qualifying, where we should have had more performance." He flagged the hybrid system as a significant unknown, with qualifying-boost speeds running 10 to 12 mph faster into the corners than race trim. Dixon has 25 Indy 500 starts and one victory, from 2008.
Sources: Motorsport.com
Morning Rain Delays Fast Friday at IMS; Session Extended to 7 p.m. ET
Morning rain at Indianapolis Motor Speedway delayed Fast Friday practice on May 15, pushing the start to 2 p.m. ET. IndyCar officials extended the session by one hour to 7 p.m. to allow all 33 teams adequate track time before Saturday's qualifying. Fast Friday features an additional 100 horsepower over earlier practice sessions, bringing total output to roughly 780 hp and simulating qualifying conditions. Weather concerns carry into Saturday, with rain forecast that could push some qualifying attempts to Sunday. Despite the late start, all cars completed laps; Felix Rosenqvist topped the session at 233.372 mph in the No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing Honda.
Sources: Racer
Mick Schumacher Surprising IndyCar Insiders with Rapid Oval Progress at IMS
Mick Schumacher has exceeded expectations in his first Indianapolis 500 campaign, with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing president Jay Frye saying the rookie adapted to oval racing "right out of the box." The 27-year-old son of seven-time Formula 1 champion Michael Schumacher qualified fourth at Phoenix Raceway in March — surprising two-time IndyCar champion Josef Newgarden — and has continued developing rapidly. Frye said: "He's very serious about his craft, he's very serious about IndyCar, he's very serious about wanting to be really good at it." Schumacher completed 263 laps during the Indy 500 practice week driving the No. 47 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda.
Sources: Motorsport.com
Graham Rahal Enters His 19th Indy 500 as the Last of Motorsport's Great Family Dynasties
Graham Rahal enters his 19th Indianapolis 500 as the last active full-time driver from the sport's great family dynasties, reflecting on his place in history ahead of qualifying weekend. "That weighs a little heavy on me, with my end sort of being near, too," said Rahal at IMS on Friday. The son of 1986 Indy 500 winner Bobby Rahal has six IndyCar victories from 315 starts and sits ninth in the 2026 championship. He is married to Courtney Force, daughter of NHRA icon John Force, whose family — like the Rahals — has stepped back from front-line competition. "I guess I'm the only one left," Rahal said.
Sources: IndyCar
Ricciardo Pushes Back on Claims F1 Drivers Look Down on IndyCar
Former F1 race winner Daniel Ricciardo dismissed suggestions that Formula 1 drivers look down on IndyCar. "There was never a discussion like, 'we're the best, F1's this, we're up here' — like no," he told Conor Daly's Speed Street podcast. Ricciardo, now a Ford Racing ambassador after his F1 retirement, will attend the Indy 500 on May 24 as a spectator — his first visit to the race. "I've probably never been more excited since I was a kid to go to a race and just be a fan of a race," he said. The eight-time grand prix winner added ovals still frighten him: "Scares the s*** out of me."
Sources: Motorsport.com
Oscar Winner Brendan Fraser Named Honorary Starter for 2026 Indianapolis 500
Academy Award-winning actor and Indianapolis native Brendan Fraser has been named honorary starter for the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500, Indianapolis Motor Speedway announced Friday, May 15. Fraser will wave the green flag to start the race on May 24. Best known for his roles in The Mummy trilogy and for his Oscar-winning performance in The Whale in 2022, Fraser was born in Indianapolis and raised in Europe and Canada. He will also appear in the upcoming World War II film Pressure. Fraser joins a tradition of celebrity honorary starters at the Indy 500 that has included athletes, astronauts, and entertainers in past years.
Sources: WIBC
Drivers' Championship
1. Alex Palou — 237 pts
2. Kyle Kirkwood — 210 pts
3. David Malukas — 185 pts
4. Christian Lundgaard — 182 pts
5. Josef Newgarden — 162 pts
6. Scott Dixon — 148 pts
7. Pato O'Ward — 148 pts
8. Graham Rahal — 141 pts
9. Scott McLaughlin — 141 pts
10. Marcus Armstrong — 123 pts
11. Felix Rosenqvist — 116 pts
12. Marcus Ericsson — 112 pts
13. Alexander Rossi — 110 pts
14. Will Power — 107 pts
15. Dennis Hauger (R) — 100 pts
16. Rinus VeeKay — 94 pts
17. Kyffin Simpson — 93 pts
18. Santino Ferrucci — 90 pts
19. Louis Foster — 86 pts
20. Nolan Siegel — 76 pts
21. Caio Collet (R) — 70 pts
22. Romain Grosjean — 69 pts
23. Christian Rasmussen — 65 pts
24. Sting Ray Robb — 55 pts
25. Mick Schumacher (R) — 54 pts
26. Jacob Abel (R) — 0 pts
27. Ed Carpenter — 0 pts
28. Helio Castroneves — 0 pts
29. Conor Daly — 0 pts
30. Jack Harvey — 0 pts
31. Ryan Hunter-Reay — 0 pts
32. Katherine Legge — 0 pts
33. Takuma Sato — 0 pts
Teams' Championship
1. Chip Ganassi Racing — 406 pts
2. Team Penske — 387 pts
3. Arrow McLaren — 346 pts
4. Andretti Global — 342 pts
5. Meyer Shank Racing — 239 pts
6. Rahal Letterman Lanigan — 233 pts
7. Ed Carpenter Racing — 175 pts
8. Dale Coyne Racing — 169 pts
9. A.J. Foyt Enterprises — 160 pts
10. Juncos Hollinger Racing — 149 pts
*Unofficial — calculated from top-2 drivers per team per race
Curated by JD · samwise.agency