Race Weekend Central

2021 Indianapolis 500 Qualifying Live Report

Welcome! This will serve as a live update hub for qualifying for the 105th Indianapolis 500 on May 30th.

All 35 cars drew their spot in the qualifying order Friday evening and will go out one at a time for their four lap qualifying run.

The updates will come as cars complete their runs with the most recent runs at the top of the listing.

The procedure:

Each car will complete a four lap qualifying run with their average speed across all four laps serving as their qualifying speed. The fastest nine qualifiers will re-qualify Sunday in the Fast Nine Shootout. Positions 10-30 will be locked into their current positions. Each entry is guaranteed one attempt to qualify and multiple attempts can be made Saturday.

All cars from 31st on back will compete in the 75 minute Last Row Shootout on Sunday. Since 33 cars are allowed to start at Indianapolis, the slowest two cars will be bumped from the starting lineup. Multiple attempts can be made in the Last Row Shootout with only one attempt allowed in the Fast Nine Shootout.

The Lanes:

After a car has completed an attempt, they may make a second attempt at qualifying. However, there is a choice that all teams are allowed to make. Going into the Normal Lane means that a team may make an attempt without withdrawing their qualifying speed. If their new attempt is faster, that will be their new speed. If it is slower, nothing happens. However, if a team wants to get on track immediately, they can go into the Fast Lane and bypass the Normal Lane.

That decision comes with a price. A car that leaves this lane for a qualifying run must withdraw their previous speed. If their run is slower, the gamble will not have paid off.

Once again, scroll down for the earlier qualifying attempts. Grid will be updated after every three qualifying attempts in the original lineup and every hour afterward. Scroll to the bottom if you want to read this in chronological order.

 

That’s the end of qualifying.

 

Simona De Silvestro in the No. 16 Paretta Autosport Chevrolet (228.379 mph)

Lap 1: 228.379 mph
Lap 2: 227.958 mph
Lap 3: 227.863 mph
Lap 4: 227.852 mph

Average: 228.013 mph

De Silvestro will be in the last row shootout.

 

Dalton Kellett in the No. 4 A. J. Foyt Racing Chevrolet (229.250 mph, lane one so speed is withdrawn)

Lap 1: 229.381 mph
Lap 2: 229.356 mph
Lap 3: 225.728 mph
Lap 4: 228.866 mph

Average: 228.323 mph

Because Kellett was 30th, he was still in the show.

RC Enerson in the No. 75 Top Gun Racing Chevrolet (227.283 mph, lane one so speed is withdrawn)

Lap 1: 227.667 mph
Lap 2: 227.153 mph

Enerson has abandoned his run.

 

Charlie Kimball in the No. 11 A. J. Foyt Racing Chevrolet (228.401 mph, lane one so speed is withdrawn)

Lap 1: 227.195 mph
Lap 2: 226.911 mph

Kimball has abandoned his run.

 

Will Power in the No. 12 Team Penske Chevrolet (229.052 mph, lane one so speed is withdrawn)

Lap 1: 229.392 mph
Lap 2: 229.306 mph
Lap 3: 229.252 mph
Lap 4: 228.960 mph

Average: 229.228 mph

Power was slower than Dalton Kellett’s 229.250 mph average in 30th.

 

Simona De Silvestro in the No. 16 Paretta Autosport Chevrolet (228.173 mph, lane one so speed is withdrawn)

Lap 1: 230.201 mph
Lap 2: 228.568 mph
Lap 3: 228.294 mph
Lap 4: 226.548 mph

Average: 228.395 mph

De Silvestro’s average was outside the top 30.

Marco Andretti in the No. 98 Andretti Herta-Haupert Autosport w/ Marco Andretti & Curb-Agajanian Honda (229.872 mph)

Lap 1: 230.384 mph
Lap 2: 229.953 mph
Lap 3: 229.587 mph
Lap 4: 229.557 mph

Average: 229.870 mph

No improvement, Andretti remains 25th.

 

Felix Rosenqvist in the No. 7 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet (230.498 mph)

Lap 1: 231.245 mph
Lap 2: 230.859 mph
Lap 3: 230.512 mph
Lap 4: 230.363 mph

Average: 230.744 mph

Rosenqvist improves from 18th to 14th.

 

Sage Karam in the No. 24 Dreyer and Reinbold Chevrolet (229.158 mph, lane one so speed is withdrawn)

Lap 1: 229.672 mph
Lap 2: 228.364 mph

Karam has abandoned his run.

 

Stefan Wilson in the No. 25 Andretti Autosport Honda (229.714 mph)

Lap 1: 230.057 mph
Lap 2: 229.911 mph
Lap 3: 229.486 mph
Lap 4: 229.077 mph

Average: 229.632 mph

No improvement for Wilson, he did not forfeit his time.

 

Ed Jones in the No. 18 Dale Coyne Racing with Vasser Sullivan Honda (230.246 mph)

Lap 1: 231.632 mph
Lap 2: 231.156 mph
Lap 3: 230.854 mph
Lap 4: 230.535 mph

Average: 231.044 mph

Jones improved from 19th to 11th. He was in position for the Fast Nine until the last lap.

 

Current grid:

9 26 48
20 21 06
10 28 8
27 5 51
30 29 3
15 7 47
18 60 2
1 45 86
98 22 14
25 59 4
———
24 12 11
———
16 75

Juan Pablo Montoya in the No. 86 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet (229.891)

Lap 1: 230.500 mph
Lap 2: 229.926 mph
Lap 3: 229.454 mph
Lap 4: 229.073 mph

Average: 229.737 mph

No improvement, Montoya stays 24th.

 

Colton Herta in the No. 26 Andretti Autosport Honda (231.648 mph)

Lap 1: 230.998 mph
Lap 2: 230.249 mph
Lap 3: 229.950 mph
Lap 4: 229.721 mph

Average: 230.229mph

No improvement. Herta said he wanted to see what conditions would be like for Sunday.

 

Current Grid:

9 26 48
20 21 06
10 28 8
27 5 51
30 29 3
15 7 47
18 60 2
1 45 86
22 14 98
25 59 4
24 12 11
———
16 75

 

Sage Karam in the No. 24 Dreyer and Reinbold Racing Chevrolet (229.158 mph)

Lap 1: 228.880 mph

Karam has abandoned his run

 

Conor Daly in the No. 47 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet (230.427 mph)

Lap 1: 231.163 mph
Lap 2: 230.342 mph
Lap 3: 229.939 mph
Lap 4: 229.655 mph

Average: 230.273 mph

No improvement for Daly.

 

Helio Castroneves in the No. 06 Meyer-Shank Racing Honda (231.164 mph)

Lap 1: 229.694086 mph
Lap 2: 227.226 mph

Castroneves has abandoned his run

 

Alex Palou in the No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda (231.145)

Lap 1: 231.959 mph
Lap 2: 231.288 mph

Alex Palou has crashed. Palou is still in seventh place.

 

Santino Ferrucci in the No. 45 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda (229.949 mph)

Lap 1: 230.571 mph

Ferrucci has abandoned his run.

 

Takuma Sato in the No. 30 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda (230.708 mph)

Lap 1: 231.023 mph
Lap 2: 230.405 mph

Sato has abandoned his run.

 

We might not see any more running for a while because the track temperature is still hot as of 3:15 EDT.

 

Stefan Wilson in the No. 25 Andretti Autosport Honda (229.714)

Lap 1: 230.461 mph
Lap 2: 229.877 mph
Lap 3: 229.292 mph
Lap 4: 229.049 mph

Average: 229.694 mph

No improvement, Wilson has not lost his time since he came from the normal lane. Wilson stays in 28th.

 

Jack Harvey in the No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing Honda (225.496 mph)

Lap 1: 230.428 mph
Lap 2: 230.246 mph
Lap 3: 230.120 mph
Lap 4: 229.968 mph

Average: 230.191 mph

Harvey moves to 20th place.

 

Grid so far:

9 26 48
20 21 06
10 28 8
27 5 51
30 29 3
15 7 47
18 2 1
45 86 98
22 14 25
59 4 24
12 60 11
———-
16 75

 

Marco Andretti in the No. 98 Andretti Herta-Haupert Autosport w/ Marco Andretti & Curb-Agajanian Honda (229.261 mph)

Lap 1: 230.779 mph
Lap 2: 230.094 mph
Lap 3: 229.610 mph
Lap 4: 229.012 mph

Average: 229.872 mph

Marco moves to 24th place.

 

Rinus VeeKay in the No. 21 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet (230.841 average, outside Row 4)

Lap 1: 232.086 mph
Lap 2: 231.626 mph
Lap 3: 231.265 mph
Lap 4: 230.958 mph

Average: 231.483 mph

VeeKay is now fifth.

 

Josef Newgarden in the No. 2 Team Penske Chevrolet

Lap 1: 230.846 mph
Lap 2: 230.204 mph
Lap 3: 229.862 mph
Lap 4: 229.378 mph

Average: 230.071 mph- Faster than attempt one, but no improvement on position.

 

Every car has now made a qualifying attempt. Josef Newgarden will be the first car to make a second attempt. He currently is in the middle of Row 7.

 

RC Enerson in the No. 75 Top Gun Racing Chevrolet

Lap 1: 227.644 mph
Lap 2: 227.416 mph
Lap 3: 227.116 mph
Lap 4: 226.956 mph

Average: 227.283 mph

 

Sebastien Bourdais in the No. 14 A. J. Foyt Racing Chevrolet

Lap 1: 230.224 mph
Lap 2: 229.743 mph
Lap 3: 229.604 mph
Lap 4: 229.405 mph

Average: 229.744 mph

 

Grid so far:

9 26 48
20 06 10
28 8 27
5 51 21
30 29 3
15 7 47
18 2 1
45 86 22
25 59 98
4 24 12
60 11 16

The field is full.

 

Charlie Kimball in the No. 11 A. J. Foyt Racing Chevrolet

Lap 1: 229.001 mph
Lap 2: 228.524 mph
Lap 3: 228.217 mph
Lap 4: 227.867 mph

Average: 228.401 mph

 

Simona De Silvestro in the No. 16 Paretta Autosport Chevrolet

Lap 1: 229.120 mph
Lap 2: 228.596 mph
Lap 3: 228.228 mph
Lap 4: 226.762 mph

Average: 228.173 mph

 

Marcus Ericsson in the No. 8 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda

Lap 1: 231.843 mph
Lap 2: 231.211 mph
Lap 3: 230.717 mph
Lap 4: 230.649 mph

Average: 231.104 mph

 

Grid so far:

9 26 48
20 06 10
28 27 5
51 21 30
29 3 15
7 47 18
2 1 45
86 22 25
59 98 4
24 12 60

 

Alexander Rossi in the No. 27 Andretti Autosport Honda

Lap 1: 231.408 mph
Lap 2: 231.118 mph
Lap 3: 230.947 mph
Lap 4: 230.712 mph

Average: 231.046 mph

 

Colton Herta in the No. 26 Andretti Autosport Honda

Lap 1: 232.364 mph
Lap 2: 231.872 mph
Lap 3: 231.421 mph
Lap 4: 230.940 mph

Average: 231.648 mph

 

Simon Pagenaud in the No. 22 Team Penske Chevrolet

Lap 1: 230.405 mph
Lap 2: 229.886 mph
Lap 3: 229.405 mph
Lap 4: 229.418 mph

Average: 229.778 mph

 

Grid so far:

9 48 20
06 10 28
5 51 21
30 29 3
15 7 47
18 2 1
45 86 25
59 98 4
24 12 60

 

Alex Palou in the No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda

Lap 1: 231.790 mph
Lap 2: 231.243 mph
Lap 3: 230.877 mph
Lap 4: 230.675 mph

Average: 231.145 mph

 

Jack Harvey in the No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing Honda

Lap 1: 229.036 mph
Lap 2: 225.243 mph
Lap 3: 225.544 mph
Lap 4: 222.262 mph

Average: 225.496 mph

 

Graham Rahal in the No. 15 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda

Lap 1: 230.799 mph
Lap 2: 230.510 mph
Lap 3: 230.425 mph
Lap 4: 230.350 mph

Average: 230.521 mph

 

Grid so far:

9 48 20
06 28 5
51 21 30
29 3 7
47 18 2
1 45 86
25 59 98
4 24 12

 

Conor Daly in the No. 47 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet

Lap 1: 230.908 mph
Lap 2: 230.541 mph
Lap 3: 230.258 mph
Lap 4: 230.004 mph

Average: 230.427 mph

 

Dalton Kellett in the No. 4 A. J. Foyt Racing Chevrolet

Lap 1: 229.756 mph
Lap 2: 229.363 mph
Lap 3: 229.049 mph
Lap 4: 228.836 mph

Average: 229.250 mph

 

Max Chilton in the No. 59 Carlin Chevrolet

Lap 1: 230.203 mph
Lap 2: 229.538 mph
Lap 3: 229.118 mph
Lap 4: 228.814 mph

Average: 229.417 mph

 

Grid so far:

9 48 20
06 28 5
51 21 30
29 3 7
18 2 1
45 86 25
98 24 12

 

Felix Rosenqvist in the No. 7 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet

Lap 1: 230.793 mph
Lap 2: 230.611 mph
Lap 3: 230.340 mph
Lap 4: 230.249 mph

Average: 230.498 mph

 

Pato O’Ward in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet

Lap 1: 231.433 mph
Lap 2: 231.030 mph
Lap 3: 230.719 mph
Lap 4: 230.276 mph

Average: 230.864 mph

 

Ed Carpenter in the No. 20 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet

Lap 1: 232.239 mph
Lap 2: 231.777 mph
Lap 3: 231.361 mph
Lap 4: 231.092 mph

Average: 231.616 mph

 

Grid so far:

9 48 06
28 51 21
30 29 3
18 2 1
45 86 25
98 24 12

 

Will Power in the No. 12 Team Penske Chevrolet

Lap 1: 229.541 mph
Lap 2: 229.136 mph
Lap 3: 228.647 mph
Lap 4: 228.885 mph

Average: 229.052 mph

 

JR Hildebrand in the No. 1 A. J. Foyt Racing Chevrolet

Lap 1: 230.565 mph
Lap 2: 230.116 mph
Lap 3: 229.208 mph
Lap 4: 230.035 mph

Average: 229.980 mph

 

Juan Pablo Montoya in the No. 86 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet

Lap 1: 230.796 mph
Lap 2: 230.239 mph
Lap 3: 229.479 mph
Lap 4: 229.057 mph

Average: 229.891 mph

 

Grid so far:

9 48 06
28 51 21
30 29 3
18 2 45
25 98 24

 

Pietro Fittipaldi in the No. 51 Dale Coyne Racing with Rick Ware Racing Honda

Lap 1: 231.542 mph
Lap 2: 230.942 mph
Lap 3: 230.598 mph
Lap 4: 230.306 mph

Average: 230.846 mph

 

Sage Karam in the No. 24 Dreyer and Reinbold Racing Chevrolet

Lap 1: 229.509 mph
Lap 2: 229.205 mph
Lap 3: 229.062 mph
Lap 4: 228.858 mph

Average: 229.158 mph

 

Santino Ferrucci in the No. 45 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda

Lap 1: 230.546 mph
Lap 2: 229.856 mph
Lap 3: 229.721 mph
Lap 4: 229.676 mph

Average: 229.949 mph

 

Grid so far:

9 48 06
28 21 30
29 3 18
2 25 98

 

Takuma Sato in the No. 30 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda

Lap 1: 231.386 mph
Lap 2: 230.857 mph
Lap 3: 230.525 mph
Lap 4: 230.067 mph

Average: 230.708 mph

 

Scott McLaughlin in the No. 3 Team Penske Chevrolet

Lap 1: 231.154 mph
Lap 2: 230.698 mph
Lap 3: 230.316 mph
Lap 4: 230.063 mph

Average: 230.557 mph

 

Rinus VeeKay in the No. 21 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet

Lap 1: 231.642 mph
Lap 2: 231.012 mph
Lap 3: 230.495 mph
Lap 4: 230.220 mph

Average: 230.841 mph

 

Grid so far:

9 48 06
28 29 18
2 25 98

 

Josef Newgarden in the No. 2 Team Penske Chevrolet

Lap 1: 230.420 mph
Lap 2: 230.179 mph
Lap 3: 229.786 mph
Lap 4: 229.811 mph

Average: 230.049 mph

 

Tony Kanaan in the No. 48 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda

Lap 1: 232.348 mph
Lap 2: 231.845 mph
Lap 3: 231.435 mph
Lap 4: 230.934 mph

Average: 231.639 mph

Stefan Wilson in the No. 25 Andretti Autosport Honda

Lap 1: 229.993 mph
Lap 2: 229.819 mph
Lap 3: 229.591 mph
Lap 4: 229.454 mph

Average: 229.714 mph

 

Grid so far:

9 06 28
29 18 98

 

James Hinchcliffe in the No. 29 Andretti Steinbrenner Autosport Honda

Lap 1: 231.106 mph
Lap 2: 230.659 mph
Lap 3: 230.300 mph
Lap 4: 230.189 mph

Average: 230.563 mph

 

Ed Jones in the No. 18 Dale Coyne Racing with Vasser/Sullivan Honda

Lap 1: 230.752 mph
Lap 2: 230.363 mph
Lap 3: 230.043 mph
Lap 4: 229.828 mph

Average: 230.246 mph

 

Helio Castroneves in the No. 06 Meyer Shank Racing Honda

Lap 1: 231.202 mph
Lap 2: 231.384 mph
Lap 3: 231.222 mph
Lap 4: 230.850 mph

Average: 231.164 mph

 

Grid so far:

9 28 98

 

Ryan Hunter-Reay in the No. 28 Andretti Autosport Honda

Lap 1: 231.523 mph
Lap 2: 231.247 mph
Lap 3: 230.969 mph
Lap 4: 230.821 mph

Average: 231.139 mph

 

Marco Andretti in the No. 98 Andretti Herta-Haupert Autosport w/ Marco Andretti & Curb-Agajanian Honda

Lap 1: 230.041 mph
Lap 2: 229.446 mph
Lap 3: 228.821 mph
Lap 4: 228.740 mph

Average: 229.261 mph

 

First out is Scott Dixon in the No. 9 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.

Lap 1: 232.574 mph
Lap 2: 231.762 mph
Lap 3: 231.612 mph
Lap 4: 231.368 mph

Average: 231.828 mph

About the author

Christopher DeHarde has covered IndyCar racing and the Road to Indy for various outlets since 2014. In addition to open wheel racing, DeHarde has also covered IMSA and various short track racing events around Indiana. Originally from New Orleans, DeHarde moved to the Indianapolis area in 2017 to further pursue a career as a motorsports writer.

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