At a glance
- Felix Rosenqvist’s 0.0233-second victory over David Malukas in 2026 heads this top ten, followed by Al Unser Jr.’s 1992 win over Scott Goodyear.
- The countdown covers finishes decided under green; including caution finishes changes the order.
- The selections and displayed margins follow The Sports Cast’s published top ten.
In this article
Felix Rosenqvist’s victory over David Malukas in the 2026 Indianapolis 500 moved the closest-finish benchmark to 0.0233 seconds. A final-lap pass after a late restart settled a race that displaced the long-standing 1992 finish at the top of The Sports Cast’s countdown.
The distinction between green-flag and caution finishes matters here. Doctor Indy’s two-car records include Dario Franchitti’s 2012 victory under caution at 0.0295 seconds and Takuma Sato’s 2020 caution finish at 0.0577 seconds. Those belong in a ranking of margins regardless of flag conditions; this list follows The Sports Cast’s ten selections below.
1. 2026: Felix Rosenqvist over David Malukas — 0.0233 seconds
A late restart left a one-lap sprint, and Rosenqvist made the decisive pass on that final tour. Malukas finished just 0.0233 seconds behind, establishing the new benchmark reported by The Sports Cast. The smallest margin on this list therefore came from a last-lap change of leader, rather than a leader surviving one final attack.
2. 1992: Al Unser Jr. over Scott Goodyear — 0.043 seconds
Goodyear used the draft down the front straight to challenge Unser at the line, but ran out of distance to complete the move. The 0.043-second result remained the reference point until 2026. Its enduring image is the opposite of Rosenqvist’s finish: the pursuing car drawing alongside, with the leader still narrowly ahead when it mattered.
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3. 2014: Ryan Hunter-Reay over Helio Castroneves — 0.060 seconds
Hunter-Reay and Castroneves fought through a six-lap sprint to the flag. Hunter-Reay took the lead for the final time at the beginning of the last lap, then resisted Castroneves to win by 0.060 seconds. Jalopnik’s account identifies that last-lap lead change as the decisive move.
4. 2006: Sam Hornish Jr. over Marco Andretti — 0.063 seconds
Hornish caught and passed Marco Andretti just before the finish line. Unlike Hunter-Reay, who had the final lap to defend his position, Hornish completed his winning move in the closing yards. The Sports Cast lists the margin at 0.063 seconds.
5. 2023: Josef Newgarden over Marcus Ericsson — 0.097 seconds
Officials red-flagged the race with two laps remaining, setting up a restart with one racing lap left. Ericsson led, but Newgarden passed him on the backstretch and held on to win. BroBible’s race recap describes the restart sequence behind that final-lap reversal.
6. 2015: Juan Pablo Montoya over Will Power — 0.104 seconds
Montoya’s second Indianapolis 500 victory came at the expense of Team Penske teammate Will Power. His late surge ended with the pair separated by 0.104 seconds, giving this countdown another intra-team contest alongside the Penske duel in 2003.
7. 1982: Gordon Johncock over Rick Mears — 0.160 seconds
Johncock emerged from his final pit stop more than 11 seconds ahead, but a handling problem allowed Mears to close. Mears caught him on the final lap and attacked on the run to the finish. Johncock survived by 0.160 seconds: a narrow result produced by an eroding lead rather than a one-lap restart.
8. 2017: Takuma Sato over Helio Castroneves — 0.201 seconds
Sato passed Max Chilton and Castroneves on his way to becoming the first Japanese Indianapolis 500 winner. Castroneves finished 0.201 seconds behind, adding another close defeat to his appearances in this countdown.
9. 2019: Simon Pagenaud over Alexander Rossi — 0.208 seconds
Rossi took the lead with three laps remaining, only for Pagenaud to reclaim it one lap later. Rossi closed again on the final lap and threatened into Turn 3, but Pagenaud defended the position and reached the flag 0.208 seconds ahead.
10. 2003: Gil de Ferran over Helio Castroneves — 0.299 seconds
De Ferran held off Penske teammate Castroneves through a six-lap shootout. The 0.299-second victory stopped Castroneves from winning three consecutive Indianapolis 500s, giving the finishing margin a significance beyond the gap itself.
Related reading: IndyCar caution rules: how emergency service operates when pits are closed.
Image credit: Representative image. · Source: sports.yahoo.com · Modifications: Optimized to WebP; earlier source editing history is unverified · Image source
