Qualification order for the 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500

Indy 500 2025: Qualification Order Set by Random Coin Draw for the 109th Race

The NTT IndyCar Series has set the stage for the 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 with the qualification order determined by a random coin draw, based on Fast Friday (May 16, 2025) speed results. Marcus Ericsson, the 2022 Indy 500 champion now with Andretti Autosport, drew the first spot in the qualifying order, followed by Pato O’Ward and Kyffin Simpson. Kyle Larson, who spun into the wall during Fast Friday practice but still posted a competitive speed, will attempt to qualify 19th, while defending IndyCar champion Alex Palou is slotted at 25th.

Qualifying kicks off on Saturday, May 17, 2025, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where all 34 entries will get at least one four-lap run to set their average speed. Positions 1-30 will be determined, with positions 13-30 locked in after the day. Teams can opt for additional attempts using two lanes: Lane 1 (priority) requires withdrawing a previous time for faster track access, while Lane 2 allows cars to improve their position without withdrawing. With more than 33 entries, any car outside the top 30 after Saturday will need to fight for the final spots on Sunday.

On Sunday, May 18, 2025, the top 12 from Saturday will run to set positions 7-12, followed by the Firestone Fast Six, where the fastest six battle for pole and positions 1-6. A Last Chance Qualifying session will also determine positions 31-33, with the slowest car missing the race. Track conditions, including wind and temperature, will be crucial, as they affect downforce and grip at speeds exceeding 230 mph. Below is the full qualification order:

Position	Driver	Position	Driver
1	Marcus Ericsson	18	Will Power
2	Pato O’Ward	19	Kyle Larson
3	Kyffin Simpson	20	Helio Castroneves
4	Robert Shwartzman	21	Takuma Sato
5	Alexander Rossi	22	Ed Carpenter
6	Ryan Hunter-Reay	23	Marco Andretti
7	Jack Harvey	24	Jacob Abel
8	Christian Lundgaard	25	Alex Palou
9	Marcus Armstrong	26	Louis Foster
10	Graham Rahal	27	Scott McLaughlin
11	Nolan Siegel	28	Sting Ray Robb
12	Conor Daly	29	Christian Rasmussen
13	Felix Rosenqvist	30	Kyle Kirkwood
14	Scott Dixon	31	Devlin DeFrancesco
15	Colton Herta	32	Callum Ilott
16	David Malukas	33	Josef Newgarden
17	Santino Ferrucci	34	Rinus VeeKay

Fans are eager to see if early runners like Ericsson can set a strong pace, or if late runners like Josef Newgarden at 33rd can capitalize on potentially better track conditions. With the stakes high and the field packed with talent, this weekend’s qualifying promises to be a thrilling battle at the Brickyard.