Described by American enthusiasts as ‘the greatest spectacle in racing’, the 110th Indianapolis 500 takes place on Sunday 24 May 2026.
Marking the culmination of a month-long battle to make the grid, some 33 IndyCar drivers will fight it out over 500 miles for one of the top prizes in motorsport.
Expect plenty of high-speed drama and close competition, along with a celebratory bottle of milk for the winner.
With the race available to watch through Sky Sports, our full guide contains all the key information you need to watch the Indy 500. Get ready to enjoy a big slice of American racing from the comfort of home in the UK.
What is the Indy 500?
First held in 1911, the Indy 500 (or Indianapolis 500, to use its full title) is one of the biggest motorsport events on the planet. Steeped in tradition, with huge speeds and close racing on offer, it is easy to see why the Indy 500 has become so revered.
The modern race features as part of the NTT IndyCar Series, but such is its appeal that drivers make one-off entries just to compete in the Indy 500.
The Indy 500 forms one part of the ‘Triple Crown of Motorsport’ along with the Monaco Grand Prix and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Only the late Graham Hill has so far achieved a victory in all three races.
However, even winning the Indy 500 alone will propel a driver into motorsport history, which is what the 33 racers taking part in this year’s event are hoping for.
How can I watch the 2026 Indy 500 in the UK?
Sky Sports has the sole UK broadcast rights for the 2026 Indianapolis 500. This has included almost 40 hours of IndyCar coverage throughout the month of May, airing practice sessions and the all-important qualifying.
Sky Sports subscribers will be able to watch live, with coverage split across the Sky Sports F1 and Sky Sports Mix channels. Non-subscribers can purchase a Now TV Sky Sports day pass to watch the race.
Commentary will be provided by the (pictured) Fox Sports team of Will Buxton, James Hinchcliffe and Townsend Bell. Additional coverage in the UK will be provided by Tom Gaymor from Sky Sports.
Is there a live stream for the 2026 Indy 500?
Sadly, there is no official internet livestream for those wanting to watch the Indy 500 in the UK. However, Sky subscribers can make use of the SkyGo app to stream the race to a smartphone or mobile device.
Free live timing is available to UK fans through the official IndyCar smartphone app, though. This also features onboard camera feeds from the race.
What time does the 2026 Indy 500 start in the UK?
The Indy 500 starts relatively early in the United States, with race day traditions beginning at 9am local time on Sunday in Indianapolis. Cars will start appearing on the grid at around 10:30am – equivalent to 3:30pm British Summer Time (BST) in the UK.
Coverage of the build-up to the race will begin on Sky Sports F1 from 3:00pm BST.
After all the elaborate processions and ceremonies have taken place, the racing should finally begin at 12.45pm local time, or 5.45pm BST.
How many fans will be at the 2026 Indy 500?
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway lays claim to being the world’s highest-capacity sporting venue, with permanent seating for an incredible 257,325 fans on race day. All the grandstands have sold out ahead of the 2026 race.
This means that, with temporary seating and other hospitality arrangements, an estimated 350,000 people are expected to attend the Indy 500 this year.
Last year’s event saw more than seven million watching on TV in the United States alone, too.
Who won the Indy 500 in 2025?
Last year, Chip Gannassi Racing’s Alex Palou claimed his first Indy 500 victory.
Despite the incredibly talented Spanish driver already being a three-time NTT IndyCar Series champion ahead of last year’s race, he had never won on an oval circuit before.
With a mix of strategy and talent, Palau moved himself to the front of the field by lap 187, and was able to fend off his rivals for the remaining 13 laps.
Winning the Indy 500 cemented Palou’s position as an all-time IndyCar great, and helped him on his way to winning his fourth championship.
Who is on pole position for the 2026 Indy 500?
Everything is bigger at the Indy 500, including a qualifying process that is usually scheduled to take place over two days. Only 33 cars are able to start the race, but with just 33 entrants for 2026 there was no risk of anyone not making the grid.
Heavy rain on the first day of qualifying meant the process was condensed to just one day, adding to the pressure.
Drivers get four laps in each qualifying run, with an average speed then calculated. The fastest 12 drivers get to run again, fighting it out for a place in the final six, and the chance to claim pole position.
For 2026, the all-conquering Alex Palou claimed pole position, setting an average speed of 232.248mph across his final four-lap run.
It had looked like Sweden’s Felix Rosenqvist was on course to take the top starting position, but Palou proved his talent once again.
Are there any British drivers in the 2026 Indy 500?
The 2026 Indy 500 sees three British competitors hoping to take victory in the classic American race.
Taking his place as the top British driver in the 2026 Indy 500 is Hampshire’s very own Louis Foster, driving again for the Rahal Letterman Lanigan team. He starts in 21st position on the grid.
Last year, Louis finished a very respectable 12th in his first attempt on the Indy 500. He will be hoping his newly grown moustache brings him even more luck in 2026.
Jack Harvey
The second British driver on the grid for the 2026 Indy 500 is Lincolnshire-born Jack ‘Hollywood’ Harvey.
A veteran of 93 IndyCar races over eight seasons, Harvey stepped back from running a full-time programme for this year to work as a TV analyst for Fox Sports instead.
However, he is back to compete with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing in the 2026 Indy 500. Although Harvey qualified in 29th position, he was demoted to the back of the field for technical infringements, and will start the race in last position.
Katherine Legge
Guildford-born Katherine Legge has been one of very few female entrants in the Indy 500 during recent years, and is back again for 2026.
A last-minute deal between HMD Motorsports and AJ Foyt Racing saw Katherine able to make an entry to the Indy 500, featuring substantial support and sponsorship from E.L.F. Cosmetics.
Despite having to undertake the very last qualifying run, when the track was at its hottest, Katherine managed to place a very respectable 27th.
Significantly, Legge still holds the record of the fastest qualifying speed set by a female driver at the Indy 500.
This will mark Katherine’s fifth attempt at the great race, but it is not the only motorsport event she will be involved in this weekend…
Why is Katherine Legge pulling ‘double duty’?
Katherine Legge has made the incredible decision to attempt both the IndyCar Indy 500 and the NASCAR Coca Cola 600 race on the same day.
Known as ‘The Double” or doing ‘Double Duty’, the feat has only been attempted by five other drivers. Just one, Tony Steart, managed to complete both events, racking up 1,100 racing miles in one day.
Katherine is the first woman to attempt ‘The Double’ and, at 45, also the oldest driver to embark on the epic challenge,
Katherine will start her day in Indianapolis by driving the Indy 500. Once finished, she will be flown by private jet to North Carolina, then helicoptered to the infield of the Charlotte Motor Speedway to start the Coca Cola 600.
All of this relies on precise timings, with no weather delays, to allow Katherine the chance to cement herself in motorsport history.
Which other big-name drivers are in the 2026 Indy 500?
What makes the Indy 500 special is that experienced drivers will frequently make a return to racing, just to compete in this event. Teams can also field extra cars to accommodate them.
Brazilian driver Helio Castroneves, pictured here, is one of the heroes returning to the Indy 500 grid for 2026, doing so as a four-time winner of the race. Helio last won the Indy 500 in 2021, and will look to use his talent and experience to do so again this year. The 51-year-old is driving for the Meyer Shank Racing team, and will start from 14th position.
Takuma Sato was the winner of the Indy 500 in 2017 and 2020. The 49-year-old Japanese driver has a storied motorsport history, most famously having raced in Formula 1 between 2002 and 2008.
Driving for the Rahal Letterman Lanigan team, Sato shows no sign of slowing down. He only just missed out on a place in the top 12 and, thanks to Caio Collet being demoted to the back of the grid, will start the race from 12th place.
Ryan Hunter-Reay, nicknamed Captain America, is contesting this year’s Indy 500 with the Arrow McLaren team. The winner of the 2014 Indy 500 will start in 22nd position.
Who is the most successful driver at the Indy 500?
Four drivers share the title of the most wins at the Indy 500, each tied on four victories.
Al Unser, A.J. Foyt, Rick Mears and Helio Castroneves have all had their faces added to the huge Borg Warner Trophy on four occasions.
With Castroneves competing in the 2026 Indy 500, he has the chance to become the most successful driver of all time, should he manage a fifth win.
Which cars do they use for the Indy 500?
The cars used at the Indy 500 are the same as those featured in the regular IndyCar Series.
All IndyCar teams use the Dallara DW12 chassis, while Honda and Chevrolet provide a choice of 2.2-litre twin-turbocharged V6 engines. A six-speed paddle-shift sequential gearbox is supplied by Xtrac, with tyres made by Firestone.
The IndyCar organisers supply a standard aero kit for the Dallara DW12 chassis, placing as much emphasis as possible on driver talent instead of building the fastest car.
All of this allows the potential for IndyCar racers to reach speeds of more than 240mph.
Do Indy 500 cars use hybrid power?
IndyCar announced plans to begin using turbocharged V6 engines with hybrid technology back in 2019. The new engines were initially planned for introduction at the start of the 2024 NTT IndyCar Series, but organisers opted to delay this.
Following extensive testing, the first IndyCar race with hybrid power was the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio in July 2024.
This year will be the second Indy 500 to feature hybrid powertrains, allowing drivers to deploy a combined output of up to 900hp.
Which pace car is being used for the 2026 Indy 500?
The official pace car for the 2026 Indy 500 is the phenomenal mid-engined Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X, equipped with a 5.5-litre twin-turbocharged V8 and hybrid powertrain.
With combined output of 1,250hp, the Corvette ZR1X is capable of reaching a top speed of 233mph – even faster than the qualifying speed set by Alex Palou. It can also accelerate from 0-60mph in less than 2.0 seconds.
It marks the 23rd time a Corvette has been used as a pace car for the event, and the 37th for a Chevrolet. The Bowtie brand first led the field in 1948, and has held a monopoly on the pace car role since 2002.
Award-winning college football coach Curt Cignetti will be the honorary pace car driver for 2026.
Why does the Indy 500 circuit feature a yard of bricks?
When the Indianapolis Motor Speedway first opened in 1909, the track surface was a combination of soil, gravel and limestone covered in tar. Fatal accidents after only the first three days of racing led to the need for a new track surface.
Bricks were chosen as offering the best traction, with 3.2 million bricks used to pave the 2.5-mile circuit. This resulted in the nickname of ‘The Brickyard’, with the bricks remaining until 1961.
With the track now covered with asphalt, a symbolic yard of bricks was left to mark the finish line. Race winners now kiss the bricks to celebrate victory.
Why does the Indy 500 winner drink a bottle of milk?
Arguably one of the strangest traditions in the Indianapolis 500 is the winning driver drinking a bottle of milk to celebrate.
The tradition began in 1933, after Louis Meyer took his second Indy 500 victory. Meyer chose to drink buttermilk after the race, believing it would be refreshing on a hot day. He did the same again after his third Indy win in 1936.
A dairy company executive saw a photo of Meyer drinking milk, leading to the beverage being offered to future Indy 500 winners. Today, the Indiana Dairy association gives the winning driver $10,000 for choosing to drink milk as part of their post-race celebration.
What on earth is the Wienie 500?
Perhaps the most important race of 2026 takes place on Friday 22 May, with the second running of the Oscar Mayer Wienie 500.
The famed American hot dog brand has used a fleet of sausage-shaped ‘Wienermobiles’ to promote its products across the United States since 1936.
A fleet of six Wienermobiles operate throughout the USA and, on the Friday before the 2025 Indy 500, all of them took part in a famous race around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Some 85,000 fans watched the Wienie 500 in person, with another eight million streaming it through the Fox App.
Such success means the Wienie 500 is back for 2026, combining America’s love of motorsport and grilled meat in one bizarre event.
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