Delayed for four hours, the 108th running of the Indianapolis 500 gets underway

Persistent rain showers forced the field of 33 drivers to wait

Marcus Ericsson claimed his second victory in the prestigious race

INDIANAPOLIS - After a storm delayed the start of the 108th Indy 500 track drying has begun. Persistent rain showers forced the field of 33 drivers to wait for four hours before the green flag finally dropped on the race, which is one of the most prestigious and highly-anticipated events of the motorsport calendar.

When the race eventually got underway, it was Marcus Ericsson who emerged victorious, claiming his second win in the 500-mile race. The Swedish driver led for 116 of the 200 laps and held off a late charge from Pato O'Ward to take the checkered flag.

O'Ward, who started from pole position, led the early stages of the race but was unable to match Ericsson's pace in the closing laps. The Mexican driver finished second, while his Arrow McLaren SP teammate Felix Rosenqvist completed the podium.

The race was also notable for the performance of rookie driver Kyle Kirkwood. The 24-year-old American qualified third and ran in the top five for much of the race before finishing sixth.

The victory was a major triumph for Ericsson, who has now won two of the biggest races in motorsport, having also won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2022. It was also a significant win for Chip Ganassi Racing, which has now won the Indy 500 five times.