Washington (United States) (AFP) – 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. “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.”
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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.
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