Top 3 drivers who could win their maiden Indy 500 feat. Alex Palou

The Borg-Warner Trophy could witness a new winner's face as the 109th running of the Indy 500 draws near. The iconic racing showpiece, which remains the crown jewel on the IndyCar calendar, is shaping up to be a thrilling spectacle, especially following the dramatic qualifying session it treated spectators to.

The Brickyard showpiece already laid down the gauntlet for what many could expect, with stunning results that defied expectations during qualifying. Several drivers tipped to clinch pole position at the famed oval failed to do so, with rookie Robert Shwartzman claiming the top spot.

The first three rows of the starting grid for the race feature seven drivers who are without a race victory at the Indy 500—a subtle indication of the possibility of a new winner standing on the top step of the podium at the Indianapolis oval circuit. With this in mind, we take a closer look at a list of drivers who could win their maiden Indy 500 race come May 25.

#3 Pato O’Ward - Arrow McLaren

The Arrow McLaren driver is among the top contenders to clinch his maiden victory at the upcoming Indy 500 event. The 26-year-old, who has been vocal about the possibility of winning the iconic racing showpiece, enters this year’s edition off the back of recording his highest starting position — third — at the event.

In recent years, Pato O’Ward has come agonizingly close to clinching the Borg-Warner Trophy, recording a second-place finish in 2022 and another highly emotional second-place finish in 2024, after losing the lead with two corners to go to eventual winner Josef Newgarden. So far, in his five attempts at the Indy, the Mexican racer has finished in the top five on three occasions. Now with form and experience on his side, his elusive victory at the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing” could be well within reach.

#2 Scott McLaughlin - Team Penske

Amid the controversy that the Penske team is currently engulfed in, any realistic hope of an Indy 500 victory rests on the only driver yet to win the event, Scott McLaughlin. The New Zealand driver enters the racing showpiece off the back of an impressive run of results.

The 31-year-old, who made his debut at the Indy 500 in 2021, has shown steady progress racing around the iconic oval. In 2024, McLaughlin qualified for the race in pole position, with a record-breaking four-lap average speed of 224.220 MPH. The former Supercars champion went on to lead 66 laps of the race before ultimately finishing in sixth place.

For the 2025 edition of the event, McLaughlin has qualified in 10th place, having missed a chance to set a lap time during the final practice session in the lead-up to the second round of qualifying.

#1 Alex Palou - Chip Ganassi

The Chip Ganassi driver also makes it onto our list of drivers who could clinch a maiden victory at the Indy 500. The Spanish driver enters the 2025 edition of the event riding on a wave of impeccable results.

Alex Palou has recorded four race victories in the opening five races of the current campaign. The 28-year-old also came close to clinching victory at the Brickyard event when he finished second during the 2021 edition.

While a victory on an oval circuit has been elusive for Palou, the Spanish driver is well poised to bring an end to this unsavoury streak. His starting position and his impeccable run of form subtly set him up for a maiden win in the Indianapolis race.