It’s the month of May, which means it’s time for the IndyCar world to descend on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500.
The first event of the month is already complete, with Dane Christian Lundgaard winning the Soniso Grand Prix for Arrow McLaren. All attention now switches to the Greatest Spectacle in Racing, and who can immortalize themselves with an Indy 500 victory.
The field this year is a truly international one, with almost two thirds of the grid hailing from outside the United States. There are three New Zealanders in Scott McLaughlin, Scott Dixon and Marcus Armstrong, plus Australian Will Power.
British drivers are also well represented through Katherine Legge, Jack Harvey and Louis Foster. If you’re a British fan who wants to back a home driver, you can check AceOdds to see how to claim your bet365 reward.
No matter where a driver is from, though, all dream of winning their first Indy 500. These are the drivers most likely to leave their mark on the Brickyard in 2026, and make the 110th Indianapolis 500 their first win.
Pato O’Ward, Arrow McLaren
There are few relationships in sport as heartbreaking as that between O’Ward and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. In 2022, he couldn’t quite complete a last lap pass on Marcus Ericsson and finished second. The next year he crashed out in the closing stages, this time trying to pass Ericsson for second.
The 2024 race saw O’Ward finish second again, just 0.34 seconds behind winner Josef Newgarden, while last year he came home in third place.
History shows that O’Ward has the speed and ability to win the Indy 500. After four consecutive years of heartbreak, he’s the frontrunner to finally get a break and take his first win at the Brickyard.
Santino Ferrucci, A.J. Foyt Racing
Although not usually one of IndyCar’s front-runners, Ferrucci turns into a different beast during the 500. He hasn’t finished outside the top ten in any of his seven appearances to date, and has a career best finish of third in 2023.
Even when qualifying towards the back of the grid, Ferrucci finds a way to run at the front in the Indy 500. The aggression that is usually his undoing elsewhere serves him well at the Brickyard, with Ferrucci happy to push early and other drivers more than willing to give up a place rather than risk contact.
There’s no denying that 2026 has been tough for Ferrucci so far, but at Indianapolis, he’s always a contender.
Scott McLaughlin, Team Penske
The 2024 pole-sitter McLaughin had a torrid race week in 2025. He first destroyed his primary car in practice, and then suffered the indignity of spinning out during the race’s warm-up laps. He called the moment the worst of his life, and it’s fair to say he hasn’t been the same driver since.
The 110th running, though, can be his redemption. McLaughlin is a proven champion, with three Supercars Championships to his name back in Australia, and knows how to overcome adversity.
He’s also helped by the return of Tim Cindric as his strategist, and will be working with veteran spotter David Hunt. It’s easy to see McLaughlin getting his Indianapolis comeback, and walking away with his first Indy 500 victory.
Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global
Kirkwood is the only Andretti Global driver to not have an Indy 500 win to his name, and he could easily change that this year. He’s having a breakout season, finishing inside the top ten at every race, and coming second at Phoenix, the only oval on the calendar so far.
Currently, Kirkwood is second in the standings, 27 points behind the indomitable Àlex Palou. Not only would an Indy 500 victory signal his arrival as a major IndyCar player, but also give his title chances a massive boost.
With Will Power struggling to adjust to life at Andretti and Ericsson failing to show the Brickyard form he had at Chip Ganassi Racing, Kirkwood looks likely to lead the team’s charge. As any race fan will know, being the focus of the Andretti efforts at Indianapolis is a very favorable position to be in indeed.
