INDIANAPOLIS (Friday, May 15, 2026) – Sometimes speed arrives at Indianapolis Motor Speedway when you don’t expect it. Just ask Felix Rosenqvist.
Rosenqvist became the first driver this week to top 233 mph by leading “Fast Friday” practice for the 110th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, turning a top lap of 233.372 mph in the No. 60 SiriusXM Honda of Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajanian.
The session, scheduled for six hours, was shortened to five after morning rain forced a two-hour delay of the start of the final practice before PPG Presents Armed Forces Qualifying this weekend on the 2.5-mile oval.
“We started pretty slow, to be honest,” Rosenqvist said. “It’s kind of rare you’re able to crawl out of a hole like that. I think our first run was like a 230-something. We just found basically 3 mph. That’s kind of cool. The car felt pretty good.
“Sometimes that happens, like once you find a little speed, it kind of comes. It kind of starts flowing. The balance was really good.”
The top speed of the week soared by more than 5 mph Friday because the Honda and Chevrolet engines that power the field featured approximately 100 more horsepower due to increased boost levels, which also will be available during qualifying this weekend.
A pre-qualifying practice takes place from 8:30-9:30 a.m. Saturday (FS2, INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls), with qualifications from 11 a.m.-5:50 p.m. (11 a.m.-2 p.m., FS2; 2-4 p.m., FS1; 4-6 p.m., FOX; INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls).
Positions 16-33 for “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” will be locked in Saturday, with the 15 fastest cars advancing to the final rounds of qualifying Sunday to determine the coveted NTT P1 Award winner and the first five rows of the starting grid.
Six-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion and 2008 “500” winner Scott Dixon will be the first driver in the qualifying line Saturday morning after his son, Kit, chose the coveted No. 1 coin in the blind qualifying draw after today’s practice.
2016 “500” winner Alexander Rossi was second at 232.932 in the No. 20 Java House Chevrolet of Ed Carpenter Racing. 2024 pole winner Scott McLaughlin led early in the session but ended up third at 232.674 in the No. 3 Pennzoil Team Penske Chevrolet.
Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Takuma Sato was fourth at 232.655 in the No. 75 Amada Honda of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. 2022 “500” winner Marcus Ericsson rounded out a stacked top five with his best lap of 232.622 in the No. 28 Phoenix Investors Honda of Andretti Global.
Rosenqvist’s top lap came with the benefit of an aerodynamic tow, but he was sixth-fastest on the “no-tow” list at 232.324, validating his solo speed for qualifying this weekend.
McLaughlin was fastest without aerodynamic help at 232.674, turning just seven laps on the day due to satisfaction with his car’s speed. Reigning “500” winner and four-time and reigning series champion Alex Palou was second fastest solo at 232.532 in the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.
Rosenqvist, who welcomed his first child with wife, Emille, on May 4, also was the fastest of drivers in simulated four-lap qualifying attempts. His best four-lap average was 232.828. McLaughlin had the second-fastest qualifying sim among his paltry seven laps on track, with a four-lap average of 232.572. Rossi was third on the qualifying sim speed chart with his four-lap average of 232.543.
An incident-free week of practice continued as all 33 drivers combined to turn 836 laps, the lowest total of the event due to the shortened session and teams’ focus on four-lap qualifying simulations. Jack Harvey was the busiest driver, recording 42 laps in the No. 24 DRR INVST Chevrolet of Dreyer & Reinbold Racing.
The 110th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge is scheduled for Sunday, May 24 (10 a.m. ET, FOX, FOX Deportes, FOX One, INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls).
