Rosenqvist: ‘You can’t even dream up that stuff’ after emotional Indy 500 win

Felix Rosenqvist snatched victory at the Indy 500 by the closest finish in history, just 0.0233 seconds ahead of second-placed David Malukas.
The Swede started the 200th and final lap in third place before dragging past Malukas on the run to the line to win. Meyer Shank Racing enjoyed its second win at The Brickyard after Helio Castroneves’ fourth win in 2021.

Rosenqvist explained after his triumphant victory that he still couldn’t quite grasp what had happened.

Rosenqvist: ‘It’s still kind of a blur’

Rosenqvist has enjoyed a flurry of top-five results since becoming an IndyCar driver in 2019 and took his first win at Road America a year later.

The Swede has only stood on the podium six times during stints at Arrow McLaren and now Meyer Shank Racing.

A couple of teams that Rosenqvist hasn’t been able to challenge for wins consistently yet.

A record-breaking win in the 110th Running of the Indy 500 is a mark in the sand for Rosenqvist.

He explained that going side by side with his MSR teammate Marcus Armstrong on the last lap and storming past Malukas is surreal.

Rosenqvist thought he was second

“Honestly, it’s still kind of a blur. I had that momentum going, and I was kind of like, ‘I’m going to go on the high line, and I’m not going to ruin this momentum.’

“If someone comes in the way, that’s it. But no one did, and I was able to stay on the high lane through the whole thing, and I was getting a side draft at the same time from the other guys.

“But I thought I was second, to be honest. I was like, ‘This sucks, now we’re second in the 500. I guess it was a good day; we did what we could.’

“I thought I didn’t have it, and then I shifted up, and it was just kind of sucking up to David, and it was just enough to get me over the finish line half a foot ahead of him.

“You can’t even dream up that stuff. It was just so cool. I’ll watch it a million times.”

Rosenqvist was less than half a car length ahead of Malukas over the line in a day that will go down in history.

The Indy 500 has been incredibly emotional over the years, with multiple drivers suffering near misses. Malukas was in tears after the race, while Pato O’Ward was distraught after losing the win on the last lap in 2024.
Rosenqvist capitalised on the one-lap shootout after a late-race caution period to etch his name into history.

A lap side-by-side is ‘unheard of at Indy’

There is very little margin for error at Indianapolis, with speed in excess of 220mph and the barriers in close proximity. Making an overtake is a skill in itself at The Brickyard, as there is an essential need to commit fully.

Rosenqvist battled his teammate Armstrong on the last lap, which forced the New Zealander to lift, dropping him to fourth place. The new Indy 500 winner explained that the final lap duel is tricky to come to terms with.

He said: “To do a whole lap on the outside, that was pretty cool. It’s kind of unheard of at Indy.

“That’s just how much you want it, it’s hard to explain that feeling, that you want it so much and you have so much adrenaline that you literally don’t care if you’re going to crash.

“You’re just going all in. It was cool that that’s what it took to win it, as well.”

Detroit is up next for IndyCar and Rosenqvist

After all the emotion of the Indy 500 and Rosenqvist claiming his first win, Detroit is up next for IndyCar.

The Streets of Detroit circuit is relatively new to the calendar, having debuted in 2023.

The venue is incredibly bumpy, which creates its own particular challenges for the drivers.

Rosenqvist drove to third place in Detroit in 2023 while at Arrow McLaren, but hasn’t finished in the top five since. The Swede dropped to eighth a year later before a P21 finish last season.