Participants in the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500 were awarded a staggering amount of money for their efforts.
The total prize purse for all 33 drivers was revealed to be $30,906,400, well above recent figures and setting a new record in the process.
In fact, each of the past four years had been records at the time. In 2022, the total purse was $16,000,200 and the amount increased roughly $1 million per year and climbing to $20,283,000 for 2025.
This year, the total jumped over 50%. The winner’s share jumped higher as well, with Rosenqvist himself earning a record $4.34 million.
Part of the reason for the large boost is that all entries inside the Leaders Circle, which comprises the top 22 entries in last year’s points standings, received an additional bonus this year.
Each of those teams collected an additional $500,000, which accounts for nearly all the increase from last season.
“The Indianapolis 500 continues to make history, in more ways than one,” IndyCar and IMS President Doug Boles said.
“The Month of May featured a back-to-back grandstand sellout crowd – our largest crowd since the 100th Running in 2016 – and intense on track action with the most lead changes ever in the Indy 500.
“Felix Rosenqvist added his name to the history books in stellar fashion, with the closest finish in Indy 500 history and now the largest purse. There’s no better end to a memorable month.”
A caveat to all these numbers is that drivers themselves do not see all of the awarded money, and often contracts with teams dictate they receive less than 50%.
Regardless, there are plenty of other opportunities that come from participating in, and especially from doing well in the Indianapolis 500.
Rosenqvist in particular, being in a contract year with Meyer Shank Racing, now has a very large bargaining chip he can negotiate with.
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