Drivers to watch for the 2026 Indianapolis 500

Alex Palou: The Spanish driver and last year's Indy 500 winner is starting on pole. Once again, no one is more dominant in the series than Palou.

• Combined with the fact that the pole sitter wins the race about 20% of the time, Palou's the odds-on favorite to win again.

Pato O'Ward: A fan and betting favorite, O'Ward has finished second twice, in 2022 and 2024, and third last year — near misses that he says still sting "and will sting until I get one."

• He'll start in the sixth spot, on the outside of Row 2, but he'll be in his backup car after getting caught up in a three-car crash in practice on Monday.

David Malukas: Malukas starts on the outside of Row 1 after finishing second last year.

• Now driving for Team Penske — the winningest team in Indy 500 history — he enters Sunday as a legitimate contender.
• Penske has a record 20 Indianapolis 500 victories.

What he's saying: "You're always excited for the Indy 500," Malukas said, "but this year, with this car, with this team, with this crew ... it's going to be an opportunity to get it."

Conor Daly: The only Hoosier in the field of 33, the Noblesville native is starting his 13th Indy 500.

• He's not the odds-on favorite to win, but Daly knows how it feels to lead at Indy: He led the most laps in the 2021 race and has been among the fastest in practice the last two weeks. You can't count him out.
• Plus, he'll start 8th — his best start yet.