Indianapolis 500 2018
Live Text
Sort by
Trevor Carlin and his eponymous Carlin team is achieving the team boss's goal of competing at the Indy 500 here.
He was pleased to get both Charlie Kimball and Max Chilton in the race, and has said the goal is to get both cars to the finish.
Right now, Kimball is 15th with Chilton down in 27th behind Rossi.
He was pleased to get both Charlie Kimball and Max Chilton in the race, and has said the goal is to get both cars to the finish.
Right now, Kimball is 15th with Chilton down in 27th behind Rossi.
Twitter
Carpenter's lead at the front is 1.3s after 18 laps, ahead of a Penske 2-3-4 led by Pagenaud over Power and Newgarden.
Newgarden's certainly had his hands full with Bourdais early here. The Dale Coyne Racing driver is the highest Honda-powered runner.
Newgarden's certainly had his hands full with Bourdais early here. The Dale Coyne Racing driver is the highest Honda-powered runner.
Patrick's responded to pull a decent gap to Leist, five-car lengths or so. She looks loose through the corners, there's not a lot of confidence in turning that wheel.
Matheus Leist, only 19-years-old and an IndyCar rookie, is battling Patrick for 12th here. It looks a matter of time before Leist makes that move work.
Radio Comms
Pagenaud has been told to change fuel settings several times, so it's clear fuel saving is on the mind of the pitwall early in this race.
A good indicator of how well a team is performing is it's no tow speeds during practice.
AJ Foyt, ECR and Penske had all looked promising and we're seeing that now.
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing and Andretti were fairly mixed through the month.
Dixon has been more comfortable for Ganassi, compared to second-year driver and team-mate Ed Jones.
AJ Foyt, ECR and Penske had all looked promising and we're seeing that now.
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing and Andretti were fairly mixed through the month.
Dixon has been more comfortable for Ganassi, compared to second-year driver and team-mate Ed Jones.
Information
And the rest of the field
Positions 21 through 33 on lap 12
21. Wilson
22. Chaves
23. Rahal
24. Servia
25. Karam
26. Rossi
27. Chilton
28. Hildebrand
29. Howard
30. Harvey
31. Veach
32. Jones
33. Daly
Positions 21 through 33 on lap 12
21. Wilson
22. Chaves
23. Rahal
24. Servia
25. Karam
26. Rossi
27. Chilton
28. Hildebrand
29. Howard
30. Harvey
31. Veach
32. Jones
33. Daly
Information
Let's run through the early order.
Top 20 after 10 laps
1. Carpenter
2. Pagenaud
3. Power
4. Newgarden
5. Bourdais
6. Kanaan
7. Pigot
8. Castroneves
9. Dixon
10. Andretti
11. Hunter-Reay
12. Patrick
13. Leist
14. De Melo
15. Kimball
16. Wickens
17. Sato
18. Kaiser
19. Munoz
20. Davison
Top 20 after 10 laps
1. Carpenter
2. Pagenaud
3. Power
4. Newgarden
5. Bourdais
6. Kanaan
7. Pigot
8. Castroneves
9. Dixon
10. Andretti
11. Hunter-Reay
12. Patrick
13. Leist
14. De Melo
15. Kimball
16. Wickens
17. Sato
18. Kaiser
19. Munoz
20. Davison
Information
A few drivers have spoken about the need to make passes early while the tyres are performing.
The reduced downforce of the 2018 car is making drivers work the tyres more, particularly as this year's machine is forcing drivers to lift through the turns.
It's a tricky balance between fuel saving, tyre management and track position.
It's already evident with the race largely single-file so far.
The reduced downforce of the 2018 car is making drivers work the tyres more, particularly as this year's machine is forcing drivers to lift through the turns.
It's a tricky balance between fuel saving, tyre management and track position.
It's already evident with the race largely single-file so far.
Twitter
Newgarden looked to the outside of Bourdais moments ago, but Bourdais aggressively slammed the door.
A little too close to comfort with the outside wall too! Nice dice for fourth and fifth place there.
A little too close to comfort with the outside wall too! Nice dice for fourth and fifth place there.
Pagenaud has cleared Power and he is edging towards Carpenter.
Penske's looked so strong all month but ECR is looking a good match in race trim.
Penske's looked so strong all month but ECR is looking a good match in race trim.
Lightning start for Rossi too, up from 32nd to 27th.
Information
Kanaan's a big mover in the first lap, up three places into seventh behind Pigot.
Carpenter leads Power, Pagenaud, Newgarden and Bourdais.
Carpenter stays in front of Pagenaud, it's single-file ahead of Penske's Pagenaud and Power.
Green flag
And we are green!
Twitter
Information
Stint windows are likely to be between 26 and 30 laps. It's also worth noting that IndyCar's restarts are now single-file.
Information
It's 31 degrees celsius in the air, almost 48 degrees track temperature. There's a 5mph wind across the track. Humidity is at 49%.
We're not far from the green flag now, as cars circulate the oval.
Wondering who will start the race this year? It's actor Chris Hemsworth. You may remember him from Rush - the story of Niki Lauda and James Hunt's 1976 Formula 1 rivalry.
He's also famous for playing Thor in the Marvel franchise.
He's also famous for playing Thor in the Marvel franchise.
Information
Drivers have had the call to start their engines.
Twitter
Autosport
Wondering who to back for victory today?
Autosport has predicted the most likely contenders:
Autosport has predicted the most likely contenders:
Stopwatch
We're under 10 minutes away from the green flag.
Twitter
Twitter
Information
Sticking with the rear of the field, 2016 Indy 500 winner Alexander Rossi is down in 32nd.
He had been within inches of stealing Patrick's slot in the 'Fast Nine' in the first day of qualifying, before a disastrous run the following day left him with a back row start.
With fears that overtaking further down the field is likely to be more difficult, Rossi has his work cut out for him.
He had been within inches of stealing Patrick's slot in the 'Fast Nine' in the first day of qualifying, before a disastrous run the following day left him with a back row start.
With fears that overtaking further down the field is likely to be more difficult, Rossi has his work cut out for him.
Autosport
The eagle-eyed among you may have spotted a few things in that grid.
Most noticeably, James Hinchcliffe is missing. The Schmidt Peterson Motorsports team has had a torrid Month of May capped off by its driver failing to qualify as bumping returned for 2018.
A wheel vibration on a second qualifying run forced him to abort his four-lap average before he ran out of time for a third run as 35 cars competed for 33 grid slots.
It's created plenty of debate as to whether full-time drivers should be protected from bumping:
Most noticeably, James Hinchcliffe is missing. The Schmidt Peterson Motorsports team has had a torrid Month of May capped off by its driver failing to qualify as bumping returned for 2018.
A wheel vibration on a second qualifying run forced him to abort his four-lap average before he ran out of time for a third run as 35 cars competed for 33 grid slots.
It's created plenty of debate as to whether full-time drivers should be protected from bumping:
Information
Having ticked through the frontrunners, now seems a good time to run through the order.
The 2018 Indy 500 starting grid
1. Ed Carpenter
2. Simon Pagenaud
3. Will Power
4. Josef Newgarden
5. Sebastien Bourdais
6. Spencer Pigot
7. Danica Patrick
8. Helio Castroneves
9. Scott Dixon
10. Tony Kanaan
11. Matheus Leist
12. Marco Andretti
13. Zachary Claman de Melo
14. Ryan Hunter-Reay
15. Charlie Kimball
16. Takuma Sato
17. Kyle Kaiser
18. Robert Wickens
19. James Davison
20. Charlie Kimball
21. Max Chilton
22. Carlos Munoz
23. Stefan Wilson
24. Sage Karam
25. Zach Veach
26. Oriol Servia
27. JR Hildebrand
28. Jay Howard
29. Ed Jones
30. Graham Rahal
31. Jack Harvey
32. Alexander Rossi
33. Conor Daly
The 2018 Indy 500 starting grid
1. Ed Carpenter
2. Simon Pagenaud
3. Will Power
4. Josef Newgarden
5. Sebastien Bourdais
6. Spencer Pigot
7. Danica Patrick
8. Helio Castroneves
9. Scott Dixon
10. Tony Kanaan
11. Matheus Leist
12. Marco Andretti
13. Zachary Claman de Melo
14. Ryan Hunter-Reay
15. Charlie Kimball
16. Takuma Sato
17. Kyle Kaiser
18. Robert Wickens
19. James Davison
20. Charlie Kimball
21. Max Chilton
22. Carlos Munoz
23. Stefan Wilson
24. Sage Karam
25. Zach Veach
26. Oriol Servia
27. JR Hildebrand
28. Jay Howard
29. Ed Jones
30. Graham Rahal
31. Jack Harvey
32. Alexander Rossi
33. Conor Daly
Penske is the most successful team at the Indy 500 with 16 wins and it looks a strong candidate to take a 17th this year.
Simon Pagenaud and Will Power are on the front row, with Josef Newgarden and Helio Castroneves fourth and seventh.
It's closest match has been Ed Carpenter and his team, with the ECR owner on pole.
Simon Pagenaud and Will Power are on the front row, with Josef Newgarden and Helio Castroneves fourth and seventh.
It's closest match has been Ed Carpenter and his team, with the ECR owner on pole.
Autosport
There's likely to be change at the front today too. Honda's often had the Indianapolis 500 edge with its superspeedway aerokit and an engine well-suited to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's oval.
But Chevrolet dominated the 'Fast Nine' in qualifying trim, with only Sebastien Bourdais and Dixon able to represent Honda in the top nine spots.
The last two races have been won by Honda through Andretti's Alexander Rossi and Takuma Sato, Honda has now admitted it no longer has an Indy 500 edge:
But Chevrolet dominated the 'Fast Nine' in qualifying trim, with only Sebastien Bourdais and Dixon able to represent Honda in the top nine spots.
The last two races have been won by Honda through Andretti's Alexander Rossi and Takuma Sato, Honda has now admitted it no longer has an Indy 500 edge:
Autosport
Castroneves lines up eighth for this race, alongside Danica Patrick in seventh.
Patrick will call an end to her 14-year racing career after the Indy 500, the second part of her swansong that began in the NASCAR Cup Series' Daytona 500 season opener.
Her time with Ed Carpenter Racing has been impressive, progressively improving through the Month of May and making the 'Fast Nine' qualifying.
No wonder Castroneves was quick to defend the criticism that has often followed her:
Patrick will call an end to her 14-year racing career after the Indy 500, the second part of her swansong that began in the NASCAR Cup Series' Daytona 500 season opener.
Her time with Ed Carpenter Racing has been impressive, progressively improving through the Month of May and making the 'Fast Nine' qualifying.
No wonder Castroneves was quick to defend the criticism that has often followed her:
But a look through the 33 cars set to take the green flag also promises a few potential fairytales.
Penske's Helio Castroneves is back in IndyCar and aiming for a record-tying fourth Indy 500 win.
Castroneves missed out a win last year, finishing second, after dramatically avoiding Chip Ganassi Racing's Scott Dixon after his huge crash.
Penske's Helio Castroneves is back in IndyCar and aiming for a record-tying fourth Indy 500 win.
Castroneves missed out a win last year, finishing second, after dramatically avoiding Chip Ganassi Racing's Scott Dixon after his huge crash.
Autosport
While we may not have Fernando Alonso making another attempt at the Indy 500, there's plenty of intrigue heading into the race.
First up, there's a new car package for 2018 which should dramatically alter the racing style:
First up, there's a new car package for 2018 which should dramatically alter the racing style:
Hello and welcome to Autosport Live's coverage of the 102nd running of the Indianapolis 500.
By: Matt Beer
Published:
Lap:
