Rosenqvist takes $4.34m from record $30m Indy 500 purse

Swedish driver Felix Rosenqvist earned a winner's record prize of $4.34 million from a highest-ever Indianapolis 500 purse of nearly $31 million, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway announced on Monday.

A day after Rosenqvist edged American David Malukas by 0.0233 seconds in the closest finish in Indy 500 history, he received a historic payout, the fifth consecutive record purse for the famed oval race.

The average payout for the 33-car field was $936,500, far above last year's average of $596,500.

Last year's Indy 500 purse was $20,283,000 and the winner payout was $3.8 million.
"The Indianapolis 500 continues to make history in more ways than one," IndyCar and Speedway president J. Douglas Boles said.

Felix Rosenqvist poses for a photo during the Winner's Photoshoot at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Indiana, on Tuesday. AFP

"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 (70).

"And now the largest purse. There's no better end to a memorable month."

Mick Schumacher, the 27-year-old German son of seven-time Formula One champion Michael Schumacher, was named Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year. He took home $218,800 for finishing 18th in the field of 33, the top finish for any of the four Indy 500 newcomers.

Agence France-Presse