Indianapolis 500 Winner Felix Rosenqvist Earns $4 Million From Record $30 Million Purse

BusinessSportsMoneyIndianapolis 500 Winner Felix Rosenqvist Earns $4 Million From Record $30 Million PurseByBruce Martin,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I have been chasing race cars since the first Michigan 500 in 1981.Follow AuthorMay 26, 2026, 09:20am EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.Felix Rosenqvist (No. 60) defeats David Malukas (No. 12) in the closest finish in Indianapolis 500 history on May 24, 2026 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.Rick McIntyre Photo from BorgWarnerThe 110th Indianapolis 500 smashed records for the closest finish in the history of the race and the most lead changes in Indy 500 history. Two more records were obliterated at Monday night’s Indy 500 Victory Awards Ceremony at the Indiana Convention Center as race winner Felix Rosenqvist earned a record $4.34 million from a total purse of $30,906,400.It was the largest purse in the history of the Indianapolis 500 marking the fifth consecutive year for a record prize fund.This year’s average payout for NTT IndyCar Series drivers was $936,500, which also exceeds last year’s average of $596,500.Indianapolis 500 Purse Increases In Each Of The Last Five YearsIn 2025, the Indianapolis 500 purse was $20,283,000, and the year’s winner payout was $3.8 million. In 2024, the Indianapolis 500 purse was $18,456,000 and the winner earned $4.3 million, which included a $440,000 roll-over bonus from BorgWarner for earning back-to-back wins. In 2023, the Indianapolis 500 purse was $17,021,500, and the winner earned $3.7 million. In 2022, the Indianapolis 500 purse was $16,000,200, and the winner earned $3.1 million. Prior to 2022, the largest Indianapolis 500 purse was $14.4 million for the 2008 Indianapolis 500. “The Indianapolis 500 continues to make history, in more ways than one,” IndyCar and IMS President J. Douglas Boles said. “The Month of May featured a back-to-back...