What is the current status of the Indy 500 entry list?

Each year, the peloton IndyCarThe series, which typically has between 24 and 27 entries throughout the year, must expand to 33 drivers for the Indianapolis 500, the maximum number allowed in the race since 1934. Two exceptions have occurred since then, in 1979 and 1997, with 35 cars on the starting grid each time. In recent years, however, reaching 33 entries has proven more difficult, largely due to the presence of only two engine manufacturers, Honda and Chevrolet, who must share the entire supply.

In addition to the 25 cars that participate in the championship throughout the year, several teams add single-seaters for the Indy 500 (such as Meyer Shank Racing with Helio Castroneves, or Arrow McLaren with Ryan Hunter-Reay). Other teams only participate in the Indy 500, notably Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, which will field Conor Daly and Jack Harvey this year. According to Racer.com, another team, Abel Motorsports, is expected to return to the Indy 500.

Already present in 2023 with RC Enerson, Bill Abel's team has reportedly submitted an application to compete at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, in a car which would be driven by his son, Jacob. Jacob competed in the 2025 IndyCar season but did not qualify for the Indianapolis 500. This would bring the total number of cars entered for the 2026 edition to 32.

The unknown Prema

Indeed, with the 25 cars entered full-time, we can already add the two Dreyer & Reinbold entries, and the additional entries from Meyer Shank Racing, Arrow McLaren, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (Takuma Sato), and ECR (Ed Carpenter). The entry list is therefore currently officially 31 cars, and would be 32 with Abel, leaving one vacancy. The teams Prema and Andretti are the most likely candidates to find this 33rd car.

The first team mentioned remains in limbo. The Italian outfit, which participated in the 2025 season with two cars and, most notably, secured a surprising pole position for the Indy 500 with Robert Shwartzman, has yet to start a single race on the calendar. This is due to financial problems and the lack of a buyer for a program from which the Rosin family withdrew at the beginning of the year.

With two cars still available, Prema could theoretically restart its season fairly quickly, once the necessary funding is secured. However, the first test session will take place at the end of April in preparation for the Indy 500, and Chevrolet might want to field a full team for that event. If running one or two Prema cars independently isn't possible, the Italian team could partner with another team, such as AJ Foyt Racing, to jointly run a new car, still powered by a Chevrolet engine.

The unknown woman… Herta

At Andretti, the problem is paradoxically clearer, and also more complex! Every year, the team, now owned by Dan Towriss, fielded an additional car for Marco Andretti. Mario's grandson announced his retirement at the end of the 2025 season and will therefore not be returning to racing this year. However, this doesn't mean the team would want to set aside this fourth car for May. A candidate was readily available to drive it: Colton Herta.

The Californian, who has competed in the last seven seasons in IndyCar, has set sail this year for the championship of Formula 2, in his capacity as Cadillac's test and development driver, with a clear objective, to achieve the Formula 1The initial calendar for Formula 1's feeder series made participation in the Indy 500 extremely easy, as there were no races in Canada. The Grand Prix at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve will indeed be held on the same day as the Indy 500.

Colton Herta's participation in the Indianapolis 500 has still not been confirmed, for a very simple reason: it's still uncertain whether he'll be available at that time! With the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix no longer scheduled for April, F2 is currently looking for alternatives to maintain the same number of races in the season, or at worst, lose only one. One of the alternatives is currently being considered between Miami and Montreal… If F2 ultimately chooses to go to Canada, Colton Herta would be unable to participate in the Indy 500, since missing even the Sunday race in Montreal could significantly hinder his quest for Super Licence points at the end of the season.

The Andretti team is therefore awaiting the decision of Bruno Michel's teams. If Herta's participation proves impossible at Indianapolis, Andretti might not enter a fourth car, as the time to find a replacement could be too short. These two teams are thus waiting for the official entry list for this 110th Indy 500, and the situation might not be resolved until early May…

ALSO READ > Mick Schumacher is struggling to find his feet in IndyCar: "I wasn't ready for this."