Get to know the IndyCar drivers and teams for the 2023 Indianapolis 500
The 107th Indianapolis 500 is scheduled for May 28, 2023, at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Thirty-four drivers are set to compete for the traditional 33 spots on the starting grid. The race is 200 laps on the 2.5-mile oval.
Here are the broad strokes: The average age of the drivers is 31.8 years, with 7 Indy 500 starts. Fifteen countries are represented, mostly from the United States (13 drivers). Nine former Indy 500 winners are competing, and there are four rookies.
Five teams, totaling 17 drivers, use Honda engines; seven teams, also totaling 17 drivers, use Chevrolet engines.
From 1-33: A complete guide to the Indy 500 starting lineup
Is it May yet?: When is Indy 500 2023 start time? What to know about schedule
Here are the details about the Indy 500 hopefuls:
Indy 500 2023 drivers' ages
The average age is 31.8. The youngest driver is David Malukas (21). Sting Ray Robb and Christian Lundgaard are also 21. The oldest driver is Tony Kanaan (48), and Helio Castroneves is also 48. The average Indy 500 experience of the entrants is 7 starts.
Indianapolis 500 2023 teams
Team: Driver (car number, starting position)
Team Penske: Josef Newgarden (No. 2, 17th starting spot), Scott McLaughlin (No. 3, 14th), Will Power (No. 12, 12th)
A.J. Foyt Racing: Benjamin Pedersen (No. 55, 11th), Santino Ferrucci (No. 14, fourth)
Arrow McLaren: Pato O'Ward (No. 5, fifth), Felix Rosenqvist (No. 6, third), Alexander Rossi (No. 7, seventh), Tony Kanaan (No. 66, ninth)
Chip Ganassi Racing: Marcus Ericsson (No. 8, 10th), Scott Dixon (No. 9, sixth), Alex Palou (No. 10, first), Takuma Sato (No. 11, eighth)
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing: Jack Harvey (No. 30, 32nd), Katherine Legge (No. 44, 29th), Christian Lundgaard (No. 45, 30th)
Dale Coyne Racing: David Malukas (No. 18, with HMD, 23rd), Sting Ray Robb (No. 51, with Rick Ware, 31st)
Ed Carpenter Racing: Conor Daly (No. 20, 16th), Rinus VeeKay (No. 21, second), Ed Carpenter (No. 33, 13th)
Dreyer and Reinbold/Cusick: Ryan Hunter-Reay (No. 23, 18th), Graham Rahal (No. 24, 33rd); Rahal replaces Stefan Wilson, who had qualified 25th but was injured in a post-qualifying crash.
Andretti Autosport: Colton Herta (No. 26, 21st), Kyle Kirkwood (No. 27, 15th), Romain Grosjean (No. 28, 19th), Devlin DeFrancesco (No. 29, 25th), Marco Andretti (No. 98, 24th)
Abel Motorsports: R.C. Enerson (No. 50, 28th)
Juncos Hollinger Racing: Callum Ilott (No. 77, 27th), Agustin Canapino (No. 78, 26th)
Meyer Shank Racing: Helio Castroneves (No. 06, 20th), Simon Pagenaud (No. 60, 22nd)
Indy 500 2023 drivers' nationality
13 drivers are from the United States: Andretti, Carpenter, Daly, Enerson, Ferrucci, Herta, Hunter-Reay, Kirkwood, Malukas, Newgarden, Rahal, Robb, Rossi
3 drivers are from England: Harvey, Ilott, Legge
2 drivers are from Brazil: Castroneves, Kanaan
2 drivers are from Denmark: Lundgaard, Pedersen
2 drivers are from New Zealand: Dixon, McLaughlin
2 drivers are from Sweden: Ericsson, Rosenqvist
1 driver is from each of these nations: Argentina (Canapino), Australia (Power), Canada (DeFrancesco), France (Pagenaud), Japan (Sato), Mexico (O'Ward), Netherlands (VeeKay), Spain (Palou), Switzerland (Grosjean)
Women in the Indianapolis 500: Katherine Legge returns in 2023
Indianapolis 500 2023 engines
These teams use Honda engines: Andretti, Ganassi, Rahal Letterman Lanigan, Meyer Shank, Coyne
These teams use Chevrolet engines: Arrow McLaren, Juncos Hollinger, Foyt, Penske, Carpenter, Dreyer and Reinbold/Cusick, Abel
Indy 500 2023 former winners in the race
Nine previous winners are entered in this year's race: Castroneves (2001, '02, '09, '21), Sato (2017, '20), Dixon ('08), Kanaan ('13), Hunter-Reay ('14), Rossi ('16), Power ('18), Pagenaud ('19), Ericsson ('22).
Indianapolis 500 2023 rookies
These drivers are attempted to make the race for the first time: Canapino, Enerson, Pedersen and Robb. Enerson tried to qualify for the 2021 race but did not make the starting grid. Here's more on the rookies.
Indy 500 2023 driver facts
Includes car number, driver name, age, nationality, team, engine, Indy 500 history
No. 98 Marco Andretti: 36 years old from the United States (Nazareth, Pa.); drives for Andretti Autosport (Honda); 17 Indy 500 starts with a best finish of 2nd in his rookie season of 2006. He was the pole-sitter in 2020. He starts 24th.
No. 78 Agustin Canapino: 33 years old from Argentina; drives for Juncos Hollinger Racing (Chevrolet); he is an Indy 500 rookie. He starts 26th.
No. 33 Ed Carpenter: 42 years old from the United States (Indianapolis); drives for Ed Carpenter Racing (he's IndyCar's only owner/driver; Chevrolet); 19 Indy 500 starts with a best finish of 2nd in 2018. He is a three-time pole-sitter (2013, '14, '18). He starts 13th.
No. 06 Helio Castroneves: Turns 48 on May 10 and is from Brazil; drives for Meyer Shank Racing (Honda); 22 Indy 500 starts, winning a record-sharing four times (2001, '02, '09, '21). A.J. Foyt, Al Unser and Rick Mears have also won the race four times. Castroneves is a four-time pole-sitter (2003, '07, '09, '10). He starts 20th.
No. 20 Conor Daly: 31 years old from the United States (Noblesville, Indiana); drives for Ed Carpenter Racing (Chevrolet); 9 Indy 500 starts with a best finish of 6th in 2022. He starts 16th.
No. 29 Devlin DeFrancesco: 23 years old from Canada; drives for Andretti Autosport (Honda); 1 Indy 500 start, finishing 20th in 2022. He starts 25th.
No. 9 Scott Dixon: 42 years old from New Zealand; drives for Chip Ganassi Racing (Honda); 20 Indy 500 starts, winning in 2008. He is a five-time pole-sitter (2008, '15, '17, '21-22). He starts sixth.
No. 50 R.C. Enerson: 26 years old from the United States (New Port Richey, Fla.); drives for Abel Motorsports (Chevrolet); Indy 500 rookie, though he made qualifying attempts in 2021. He starts 28th.
No. 8 Marcus Ericsson: 32 years old from Sweden; drives for Chip Ganassi Racing (Honda); 4 Indy 500 starts, winning in 2022. He starts 10th.
No. 14 Santino Ferrucci: 24 years old from the United States (Woodbury, Conn.); drives for A.J. Foyt Racing (Chevrolet); 4 Indy 500 starts, with a best finish of 4th in 2020. He starts fourth.
No. 28 Romain Grosjean: 37 years old from Switzerland, though he was born in France; drives for Andretti Autosport (Honda); finished 31st in his rookie Indy 500 start in 2022. He starts 19th.
No. 30 Jack Harvey: 30 years old from England; drives for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (Honda); 6 Indy 500 starts, with a best finish of 9th in 2020. He starts 32nd.
No. 26 Colton Herta: 23 years old from the United States (Valencia, Calif.); drives for Andretti Autosport (Honda); 4 Indy 500 starts, with a best finish of 8th in 2020. He starts 21st.
No. 23 Ryan Hunter-Reay: 42 years old from the United States (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.); drives for Dreyer and Reinbold/Cusick (Chevrolet); 14 Indy 500 starts, winning in 2014. He starts 18th.
No. 77 Callum Ilott: 24 years old from England; drives for Juncos Hollinger Racing (Chevrolet); finished 32nd in his rookie Indy 500 start in 2022. He starts 27th.
No. 66 Tony Kanaan: 48 years old from Brazil; drives for Arrow McLaren (Chevrolet); 21 Indy 500 starts, winning in 2013. He was pole-sitter in 2005. He starts ninth.
No. 27 Kyle Kirkwood: 24 years old from the United States (Jupiter, Fla.); drives for Andretti Autosport (Honda); 1 Indy 500 start, finishing 17th in 2022. He starts 15th.
No. 44 Katherine Legge: 42 years old from England; drives for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (Honda); 2 Indy 500 starts, with a best finish of 12th in 2012. She is one of 9 women to race in the Indy 500. She starts 29th.
No. 45 Christian Lundgaard: 21 years old from Denmark; drives for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (Honda); 1 Indy 500 start, finishing 18th in 2022. He starts 30th.
No. 18 David Malukas: 21 years old from the United States (Chicago); drives for Dale Coyne Racing, with HMD (Honda); 1 Indy 500 start, finishing 16th in 2022. He starts 23rd.
No. 3 Scott McLaughlin: 29 years old from New Zealand; drives Team Penske (Chevrolet); 2 Indy 500 starts, with a best finish of 20th in 2021. He starts 14th.
No. 2 Josef Newgarden: 32 years old from the United States (Hendersonville, Tenn.); drives for Team Penske (Chevrolet); 11 Indy 500 starts, with a best finish of 3rd in 2016. He starts 17th.
No. 5 Pato O'Ward: 24 years old from Mexico; drives for Arrow McLaren (Chevrolet); 3 Indy 500 starts, finishing 2nd in 2022. He starts fifth.
No. 60 Simon Pagenaud: 39 years old from France; drives for Meyer Shank Racing (Honda); 11 Indy 500 starts, winning from the pole position in 2019. He starts 22nd.
No. 10 Alex Palou: 26 years old from Spain; drives for Chip Ganassi Racing (Honda); 3 Indy 500 starts, with a best finish of 2nd in 2021. He starts from the pole position.
No. 4 Benjamin Pedersen: 23 years old from Denmark; drives for A.J. Foyt Racing (Chevrolet); he is an Indy 500 rookie. He starts 11th.
No. 12 Will Power: 42 years old from Australia; drives for Team Penske (Chevrolet); 15 Indy 500 starts, winning in 2018. He starts 12th.
No. 24 Graham Rahal: 34 years old from the United States (Lexington, Ohio); he is the lead driver for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, but he failed to qualify for the race. He is replacing Stefan Wilson, who suffered a fractured vertebrae in a post-qualifying practice crash. Rahal starts 33rd for Dreyer and Reinbold/Cusick (Chevrolet). He has been in 15 Indy 500s, with a best finish of 3rd in 2011 and '20.
No. 51 Sting Ray Robb: 21 years old from the United States (Payette, Idaho); drives for Dale Coyne Racing, with Rick Ware; he is an Indy 500 rookie. He starts 31st.
No. 6 Felix Rosenqvist: 31 years old from Sweden; drives for Arrow McLaren (Chevrolet); 4 Indy 500 starts, with a best finish of 4th in 2022. He starts third.
No. 7 Alexander Rossi: 31 years old from the United States (Auburn, Calif.); drives for Arrow McLaren (Chevrolet); 7 Indy 500 starts, winning as a rookie in 2016. He starts seventh.
No. 11 Takuma Sato: 46 years old from Japan; drives for Chip Ganassi Racing (Honda); 13 Indy 500 starts, winning in 2017 and '20. He starts eighth.
No. 21 Rinus VeeKay: 22 years old from the Netherlands; drives for Ed Carpenter Racing (Chevrolet); 3 Indy 500 starts, with a best finish of 8th in 2021. He starts second.
No. 24 Stefan Wilson: 33 years old from England; drives for Dreyer and Reinbold/Cusick (Chevrolet); 4 Indy 500 starts, with a best finish of 15th in 2018.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indy 500 2023: Driver facts, former winners, teams, rookies
