Álex Palou put himself in prime position for another shot at the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, winning the pole for the 110th running at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The race was set to start at 12:45 p.m. ET, with Palou trying to win his second straight Indy 500 after last year’s victory.
The 110th edition brought together a crowded and decorated field. There were four rookies in the lineup, nine past winners and six drivers who had already won the Indianapolis 500 in back-to-back years, a reminder that the front of the field was packed with experience as the green flag approached.
Palou’s pole gave him the clearest first step toward the question on every fan’s mind: who won indy 500 in 2025. He was the defending champion, and the speed he showed in qualifying underlined why he entered race day as the man to beat.
The race also carried the kind of edge that only Indianapolis can produce. A friend who works in the championship put it bluntly: “You ain't seen nothing yet.”
That line fit the mood around a field where a single mistake can erase a month of preparation. Four rookies had little room for error, while nine former winners brought the memory of how quickly the race can turn. Palou’s pole mattered because it offered control at the start, but the Indianapolis 500 rarely stays controlled for long.
What made this edition especially compelling was the overlap of history and pressure. Six drivers in the field had won the Indianapolis 500 in back-to-back years, a rare mark that showed how difficult it is to repeat here even for the most accomplished racers. Palou was trying to join that group by defending his title and turning pole position into another victory.
For fans, the answer to who won indy 500 in 2025 would not be decided by reputation alone. It would come down to pace, timing and survival over the full race distance, with the day beginning at 12:45 p.m. ET and the rest left to the track.
