Qualifications Pole Day
INDY 2025
Round 6
Takuma Sato scores front row start for Honda at the 2025 Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
・Honda powers four of the top six for the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500
・Marco Andretti, Marcus Armstrong, Rinus VeeKay all the make the field in Last Chance Qualifying
Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner, Takuma Sato, will lead the Honda contingent next Sunday, May 25th, after qualifying second for the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500.
The last time the Japanese driver, and Honda Racing Corporation Executive Advisor, sat on the front row was in 2020, where he emerged victorious at the end of the race. His first win came in 2017 from fourth on the grid—both victories marking the only times Sato has started in the top five for the 500.
Row two for next weekend's Indianapolis 500 will be all Honda-powered, with 2008 Indy 500 winner Scott Dixon lining up fourth. Felix Rosenqvist, who set the fastest lap in the Top 12 round of qualifying in his #60 Creed-sponsored Meyer Shank Racing Honda, will line up fifth. And reigning and three-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Alex Palou will take the sixth spot on the grid.
Winner of the 2022 Indianapolis 500 Marcus Ericsson bounced back from Last Chance Qualifying in 2024 to lock his #28 Andretti Global Honda in the field in P9 during Top 12 qualifying.
Also running today was the Last Chance Qualifier, where four drivers would vie for the final three spots on the grid. Marco Andretti officially qualified for his 20th 500. Marcus Armstrong locked in the 32nd spot after a thrash from his team to get a spare car ready for qualifying after an accident Saturday morning. And finally, Rinus VeeKay qualified 33rd for the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500, bumping out his Dale Coyne Racing teammate Jacob Abel.
This year marks the very first Indy 500 to be run with Hybrid power. The system, designed in collaboration with Honda Racing Corporation USA and Ilmor, was introduced in July of 2024.
Takuma Sato
75
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Firstly, huge congrats to HRC. Everyone has been working together. Especially after a very difficult, challenging year, I think HRC did a phenomenal job to come back from it. I'm really pleased to be back on the front row to get one of the best and highest positions. Myself and the team did an amazing job, so I'm really proud of all the engineers and crew, they did a fantastic job at Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. I'm really happy and thank you for all your support.
Firstly, huge congrats to HRC. Everyone has been working together. Especially after a very difficult, challenging year, I think HRC did a phenomenal job to come back from it. I'm really pleased to be back on the front row to get one of the best and highest positions. Myself and the team did an amazing job, so I'm really proud of all the engineers and crew, they did a fantastic job at Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. I'm really happy and thank you for all your support.
Scott Dixon
9
Chip Ganassi Racing This was definitely a wild day as always at the Speedway. For us at Chip Ganassi Racing, starting P4 is a nice little move up. It's great to have four Honda cars in the Fast Six, that's pretty awesome to see. You always want more, but we would be pushing it to the maximum limits and our car balance is pretty decent. We may miss a little bit there. But seeing a rookie on pole is kind of wild. I think we've really got the pace in the race, which is what's going to count, and that's what we're going after.
This was definitely a wild day as always at the Speedway. For us at Chip Ganassi Racing, starting P4 is a nice little move up. It's great to have four Honda cars in the Fast Six, that's pretty awesome to see. You always want more, but we would be pushing it to the maximum limits and our car balance is pretty decent. We may miss a little bit there. But seeing a rookie on pole is kind of wild. I think we've really got the pace in the race, which is what's going to count, and that's what we're going after.
Felix Rosenqvist
60
Meyer Shank Racing Only P5, which is still great. I feel like we honestly gave it a really good shot. The car was right on the edge, as comfortable as I could drive it and what we thought was possible today. We just didn't have the speed for some reason, it didn't pull. P5 it is, this place can be weird.
Only P5, which is still great. I feel like we honestly gave it a really good shot. The car was right on the edge, as comfortable as I could drive it and what we thought was possible today. We just didn't have the speed for some reason, it didn't pull. P5 it is, this place can be weird.
Marcus Ericsson
28
Andretti Global Ready to go for next week's race! It has been a good qualifying weekend for us, and obviously a big bounce back after last year's drama. It feels much better to be in this part of the Sunday qualifying, that's for sure. I think the whole #28 Allegra Andretti Global crew has done a really good job. The Honda power has been good all weekend, so I'm looking forward to starting from the outside row three. I think that's a perfect spot to go fight for a win, so I'm excited.
Ready to go for next week's race! It has been a good qualifying weekend for us, and obviously a big bounce back after last year's drama. It feels much better to be in this part of the Sunday qualifying, that's for sure. I think the whole #28 Allegra Andretti Global crew has done a really good job. The Honda power has been good all weekend, so I'm looking forward to starting from the outside row three. I think that's a perfect spot to go fight for a win, so I'm excited.
Marcus Armstrong
66
Meyer Shank Racing Happy that's over because that was a tough two days. But we're in the race and I've never been so happy to be starting almost last. Great job by the whole MSR crew and HRC to get us in the show. We'll see what magic we can make happen on race day.
Happy that's over because that was a tough two days. But we're in the race and I've never been so happy to be starting almost last. Great job by the whole MSR crew and HRC to get us in the show. We'll see what magic we can make happen on race day.
Rinus VeeKay
18
Dale Coyne Racing It sucks that I had to bump Jacob. He is the nicest guy out there. I've never seen anybody come from Indy NXT and know so many people in IndyCar just because he's always around. He's such a nice guy, he's a good friend. Unfortunately, it's him that's bumped. I feel relieved to be in the field, but definitely not happy to bump Jacob out. We were by far the two slowest cars and one of us needed to keep it in the field. Going for a second run was kind of mostly my call, conditions were getting better and it should have been getting quicker. Because Jacob was last, he was the one that was being bumped at the time. He could do a cool down lap and he could actually cool the engine down to ideal temperature. So for me, that was a moment where I thought if he's going to improve, it's now. For me, I did not get all the hybrid help that I could have had in the first run, so I thought there was more in there. But this car, just every time we've gone out it gets slower. We saw the same thing with Jacob, he was by slower again too. It's unfortunate, I felt really bad. I thought we missed making the field. When I went out for the second time and the speed was so bad, but Jacob went out again and it was worse. In the end, we need to find a lot of pace to be competitive at the Speedway.
It sucks that I had to bump Jacob. He is the nicest guy out there. I've never seen anybody come from Indy NXT and know so many people in IndyCar just because he's always around. He's such a nice guy, he's a good friend. Unfortunately, it's him that's bumped. I feel relieved to be in the field, but definitely not happy to bump Jacob out. We were by far the two slowest cars and one of us needed to keep it in the field. Going for a second run was kind of mostly my call, conditions were getting better and it should have been getting quicker. Because Jacob was last, he was the one that was being bumped at the time. He could do a cool down lap and he could actually cool the engine down to ideal temperature. So for me, that was a moment where I thought if he's going to improve, it's now. For me, I did not get all the hybrid help that I could have had in the first run, so I thought there was more in there. But this car, just every time we've gone out it gets slower. We saw the same thing with Jacob, he was by slower again too. It's unfortunate, I felt really bad. I thought we missed making the field. When I went out for the second time and the speed was so bad, but Jacob went out again and it was worse. In the end, we need to find a lot of pace to be competitive at the Speedway.
David Salters
-
President, HRC US I would like to say a massive thanks to our teams and heroic drivers, certainly ‘the most magnificent men in their flying machines' where every year we are spellbound by their courage and skill. I am extremely grateful and proud of our teams and the collaboration and racing DNA that we all share. Most of all, I would like to say how proud I am of every single person on our team at HRC US, the commitment and turnaround from last year has been simply amazing. We have an incredible team—dedicated, supremely skilled, committed—and we never give up. We channeled our inner Honda Challenging Spirit. That is one of the biggest off-season turnarounds I have seen in my many, many years in racing. We came up slightly short, but we are in the arena competing and fighting for P1. Bravo team HRC US, you are all simply an inspiration.
I would like to say a massive thanks to our teams and heroic drivers, certainly ‘the most magnificent men in their flying machines' where every year we are spellbound by their courage and skill. I am extremely grateful and proud of our teams and the collaboration and racing DNA that we all share. Most of all, I would like to say how proud I am of every single person on our team at HRC US, the commitment and turnaround from last year has been simply amazing. We have an incredible team—dedicated, supremely skilled, committed—and we never give up. We channeled our inner Honda Challenging Spirit. That is one of the biggest off-season turnarounds I have seen in my many, many years in racing. We came up slightly short, but we are in the arena competing and fighting for P1. Bravo team HRC US, you are all simply an inspiration.
