The 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 wasn't just another race. Honestly, it was a weird one. If you looked at the box score five minutes after the checkered flag, you probably saw one thing, but if you checked it the next morning, the podium looked totally different. That’s the Brickyard for you. It’s a place where history is written in milk, but sometimes the ink doesn't dry until the technical inspection sheds are locked up for the night.
Alex Palou and the 187th Lap
Alex Palou is basically a machine at this point. The Spaniard has been dominating IndyCar for a few years now, but the knock on him—if you could even call it that—was his lack of an oval win. Well, he fixed that. In front of a sellout crowd of 350,000 screaming fans, Palou drove the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda into the history books.
It wasn't a cake walk.
For the first 180 laps, it felt like anyone’s race. There were 22 lead changes. Think about that. Every time you blinked, someone else was sticking their nose into the wind. But the real Indy 500 highlights 2025 fans will remember happened on Lap 187. Palou had been stalking Marcus Ericsson, using the draft to save fuel like a man possessed. He knew he was on the edge. He knew 32 laps was the absolute max for a tank of ethanol.
Then, he just sent it.
He used a tow from Ericsson's car, dove into Turn 1, and never looked back. Ericsson later admitted he should’ve covered the inside, but Palou timed it so perfectly that the move was over before it started. It was clinical. It was the "best milk I've ever tasted," according to Palou. Can you blame him? He’s now the first Spaniard to ever win the Greatest Spectacle in Racing.
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The Post-Race Chaos Nobody Expected
Here is where things get "Indy-level" complicated. If you watched the broadcast, you saw Marcus Ericsson finish second. You saw Kyle Kirkwood and Callum Ilott celebrate solid finishes.
Forget all that.
Post-race technical inspection is the most stressful part of the weekend for engineers, and for good reason. Ericsson, Kirkwood, and Ilott all failed. Just like that, they were disqualified from their finishing positions and moved to the back of the field. It was a massive gut punch for Andretti Global.
Because of that, the official Indy 500 highlights 2025 results changed overnight:
- David Malukas was elevated to a career-best 2nd place.
- Pato O’Ward, the perennial bridesmaid at Indy, was moved up to 3rd.
- Felix Rosenqvist jumped into the top four.
It’s bittersweet for Malukas. He was crying in the pits after the race because he felt he’d let the win slip away to Palou in traffic. Getting 2nd on a technicality doesn't feel the same as standing on the podium in front of the fans, but he’ll take the points.
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Why the "Double" Failed for Kyle Larson
Everyone was talking about Kyle Larson. After the 2024 rain debacle, 2025 was supposed to be his year to finally pull off the Indy-Charlotte double. It didn't happen.
Larson was overzealous. His words, not mine.
On Lap 91, he was trying to carve through the field after a slow pit stop earlier had dropped him back. He downshifted at the wrong moment going into Turn 2. The car snapped. It was a violent, multi-car mess that took out Kyffin Simpson and Sting Ray Robb. Larson was fine, but he was "bummed out" is an understatement. The weird silver lining? He went on to win the NASCAR Cup Series championship later that year, becoming the first person to ever race the 500 and win the NASCAR title in the same season.
The Heartbreak and the Flukes
You have to feel for Scott McLaughlin. Imagine prepping for months, qualifying near the front, and then crashing on the parade lap. He lost control before the green flag even waved. Race over before it started.
And then there was Robert Shwartzman.
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The rookie won the pole. He led the first eight laps. It was a fairytale. Then, the nightmare started. On Lap 87, he came into the pits under caution, lost control, and slid right through his stall, clipping several crew members. It was a scary moment that effectively ended the Prema Racing dream debut. Thankfully, everyone was okay, but it was a harsh reminder of how tight the margins are at 230 mph.
Key Stats and Weird Facts:
- Attendance: A massive 350,000 people. The blackout was lifted, and the energy was electric.
- Laps Led: Takuma Sato was the "King of the Laps" with 51, though he only finished 9th after a pit road mistake of his own.
- The Weather: Passing sprinkles delayed the start by 43 minutes. It wasn't the monsoon of 2024, but it kept the engineers on edge.
- Josef Newgarden: His quest for a "three-peat" died on Lap 135 with a fuel pump issue. He had worked his way from 32nd to 7th before the car gave up.
What This Means for Next Year
If you're a casual fan, the biggest takeaway from the Indy 500 highlights 2025 is that Alex Palou is no longer just a "road course specialist." He’s a complete driver. But for the hardcore fans, the story is the rise of the "little guys" like A.J. Foyt Racing (via Malukas) and the technical struggles of the giants.
If you want to stay ahead for 2026, keep an eye on these developments:
- Watch the hybrid engine reliability. Newgarden and Rossi both suffered mechanical DNFs that suggest there's still work to do on the long-distance durability of these power units.
- Follow the Prema Racing growth. Despite Shwartzman’s pit lane disaster, they showed incredible raw speed for a new team.
- Track the "Double" rumors. Larson says he wouldn't trade the experience for anything, but will he try a third time? The 110th running needs a headline.
The 2025 race proved that the Indy 500 remains a winner-takes-all gamble. You can lead 50 laps or start on the pole, but unless you survive the technical inspection shed and the final 10-lap sprint, you’re just a footnote in history.
To get the most out of future races, start following the "Carb Day" practice sessions more closely. That’s where Palou’s fuel-saving pace first became obvious to the experts, even if the casual fans didn't see the win coming until Lap 187.