INDYCAR Updates Replacement Driver Status for Indianapolis 500

INDIANAPOLIS (Thursday, April 17, 2025) – INDYCAR has informed race teams of a procedural update involving eligible drivers ahead of the 109th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. During a recent Team Manager call, teams were made aware that a replacement driver would be eligible with the following parameters:

• A replacement driver will only be considered if the primary (entered) driver also is participating in another marquee event with the driver’s principal racing series on Indianapolis 500 Race Day.
• The INDYCAR-approved veteran replacement driver is eligible for and passes the Indianapolis Motor Speedway refresher program in the entry during the first day of Indianapolis 500 practice.
• Additional tires for the refresher program will not be allowed for the Indianapolis 500 entry. The tire allotment for each entrant is 32 sets for the event. Any tires used for the refresher program will be taken from the allotted tires to that entry.
• During the refresher program, minimal setup changes will be allowed.
• After the replacement driver completes the required phases of the refresher program, additional laps during the session will not be permitted.
• Once INDYCAR is notified that a team will use its replacement driver for the Indianapolis 500, the entry’s qualified position is forfeited, and the car will start at the rear of the starting lineup and ordered according to Rule 8.1.8.6.
• A qualified driver, who is officially replaced by the team, may return and compete with that entry provided the replacement driver has not participated in a session other than the refresher program. The car’s starting position will remain at the rear of the field with the starting lineup ordered according to Rule 8.1.8.6.

The 2025 INDYCAR rulebook will be updated to reflect these changes.

The 109th Indianapolis 500, round five of the 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship, is Sunday, May 25. Coverage begins at 10 a.m. ET on FOX, FOX Deportes and the FOX Sports app. The award-winning INDYCAR Radio Network is available on SiriusXM channel 218 and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA.

The next NTT INDYCAR SERIES race is the Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix on Sunday, May 4. Coverage begins at 1:30 p.m. ET on FOX, the FOX Sports app and the INDYCAR Radio Network.