The 2022 Indianapolis 500 (branded as the 106th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge for sponsorship reasons) is a 500-mile (800-kilometer, 200-lap) event in the 2022 IndyCar Series set for Sunday, May 29, 2022, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana. The GMR Grand Prix on the mixed road course will officially kick off the month of May's festivities on May 14.
Hélio Castroneves, a four-time winner, is the reigning champion.
SPONSORSHIP
Gainbridge, an online financial services company, was announced as the 500's new presenting sponsor on January 31, 2019, on a four-year deal. This is the fourth year of the present agreement.
Changes in the rules
Crew members are not allowed to physically help the car as it exits the pit box during pit stops. A automobile cannot be pulled out of the pits and must exit on its own power.
QUALIFYING CHANGES
Based on the popularity of the three-round system utilized on road and street courses, the two-day format that began in 2019 has been expanded (except Indianapolis Road Course NASCAR weekend). The two-day format will remain in place (Saturday, May 21 and Sunday, May 22), with cars continuing to use the regular four-lap qualifying efforts. The top twelve cars from the first day will compete in a fresh second round on the second day, with the top six cars from the second round advancing to the final round, which will determine the pole position and starting position six. If there are more than 33 participants, the Last Chance Qualifying session will be used to determine starting positions 31–32–33.
The protocol on Saturday will be as follows:
From 12:00 p.m. to 5:50 p.m., you can qualify. Every automobile that enters will receive at least one attempt. Additional attempts are permitted if time and weather permit.
Second Round Qualifying will be held for cars ranked 1–12.
Cars 13–30 will be locked into their starting places and will not be allowed to requalify.
Last Chance Qualifying will be used for cars ranked 31 and lower.
If there are just 33 participants, there will be no Last Chance Qualifying, and all positions 13-33 will be locked-in.
The time trials will end on Sunday as follows:
The Last Chance Qualifying session will begin at 2:00 p.m. (if necessary). At least one effort will be made to qualify entries placed 31st and lower on Saturday. Saturday's qualifying times will be obliterated. Additional attempts will be allowed until 3 p.m., time and weather allowing. Positions 31–32–33 will be filled at the start. All other cars in the 34th and lower positions will be disqualified.
The second round of qualifying will begin at 4 p.m. On Sunday, the vehicles that finished first through 12th on Saturday will be guaranteed one attempt. Saturday's qualifying times will be obliterated. The cars will be driven out in reverse order (12th to 1st). The top six cars will compete in the championship round. The cars in the seventh through twelfth positions will be locked into their starting positions.
The last round of qualifying will begin at 5:10 p.m. One guaranteed try will be given to the cars that finished first through sixth in the second round. The qualifying times from the Top 12 session will be wiped clean. The cars will be driven out in reverse order (6th to 1st). The top six starting places, including the pole position, will be determined.
IndyCar Series 2022
2022 IndyCar Series
The Indianapolis 500 will be the sixth race of the season for the NTT IndyCar Series in 2022. Three different drivers, including one rookie, won the first four races of the season. Scott McLaughlin claimed his first career IndyCar victory in the season opener at St. Petersburg. Josef Newgarden won in Texas, passing McLaughlin on the final lap's last corner. Newgarden won again at Long Beach, while Pato O'Ward triumphed in Alabama. The GMR Grand Prix is the final event before the 500.
Schedules of races
On September 19, 2021, the schedule for the 2022 IndyCar Series was released.
The Indianapolis 500 will take place on May 29. In the two weeks preceding up to the race, there will be practice, time trials, and other auxiliary events. For the third year in a row, the Freedom 100 for the Indy Lights was omitted from the schedule. Only one race will be held on the road course during the GMR Grand Prix weekend in 2022.
The GMR Grand Prix, which includes the Road to Indy events, will serve as the track's inaugural weekend once again.
Broadcasting Rights of 2022 Indianapolis 500
The race will be streamed live on Peacock, NBC's internet streaming channel.
Former driver James Hinchcliffe has joined the NBC Broadcast team as a color commentator for the 2022 event, replacing Paul Tracy, who had held the position for the previous three years.