Alex Palou Indy 500 prize money: How much will winner take home. And what about the rest?

Alex Palou made history on Sunday by becoming the first Spaniard to win the Indianapolis 500. The 28-year-old, driving for Chip Ganassi Racing, held off Marcus Ericsson for a close victory. With the title, the Spain-born driver will take home a whopping prize money. 

Indy 500 prize money: How much will Alex Palou get?

The Indy 500 purse is among motorsport’s largest, funded by Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS), NTT IndyCar Series awards, sponsors, and TV revenue. In 2024, the purse reached a record $18,456,000, with winner Josef Newgarden earning $4,288,000, including a $440,000 BorgWarner rollover bonus for back-to-back wins. 

The purse has grown steadily, from $16,000,200 in 2022 to $17,021,500 in 2023, and is expected to hit or exceed $19 million in 2025, per IndyStar estimates. 

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Approximately 20% of the purse goes to the winner, with the rest distributed among the 33-driver field based on finishing position, laps led, and special awards.

Palou’s 2025 winnings are projected at $3.8 million to $4.5 million, assuming a purse of $19 million and no rollover bonus (since he’s a first-time winner).

Base Winner’s Share: Historically, winners receive ~15–20% of the purse, equating to ~$3.8 million for a $19 million pot.

Laps Led Bonus: Palou led at least 14 laps, with each lap led worth ~$5,000–$10,000 based on 2024 payouts, adding $70,000–$140,000.

Qualifying and Practice Awards: Despite starting sixth, Palou’s fast practice laps (226.765 mph) and Top 12 qualifying (233.043 mph) likely earned $10,000–$50,000 in bonuses, per IndyCar.com. 

Chartered Team Boost: The 2025 IndyCar charter system grants higher payouts to chartered teams like Chip Ganassi Racing, increasing Palou’s share over non-chartered entries.

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The remaining purse is distributed progressively, with second-place Marcus Ericsson likely earning ~$1.05 million (as Pato O’Ward did in 2024) and the average driver payout around $550,000, up from $543,000 in 2024. 

Special awards, like the $50,000 Rookie of the Year bonus (won by Kyle Larson in 2024), add to individual earnings. Pole-sitter Robert Shwartzman earned $100,000 for his historic rookie pole. 

The exact payout is only revealed after the race.