How to watch the 2023 Indy 500: UK live stream, TV schedule and start time

The Indy 500 is one of motor sport’s truly great spectacles, and if last weekend’s qualifying sessions were any indication, the race’s 107th running won’t disappoint.

Alex Palou, IndyCar’s current championship leader, captured the second-closest pole position in Indy 500 history last weekend – his blistering 234.217mph 4-lap qualifying run just 0.006mph clear of Rinus Veekay.

There was drama at the back too, with Rahal-Letterman-Lanigan team-mates Jack Harvey and Graham Rahal battling for the 33rd and final spot on the grid, the latter grabbing a provisional advantage before Harvey bumped him out with his final effort – going just 0.007mph faster.

Following qualifying, Katherine Legge and Stefan Wilson were involved in a frightening crash during Monday’s practice session, with Wilson suffering a fractured vertebrae. The injury will force the British driver to miss the race, with Graham Rahal announced as his replacement. Legge walked away unharmed.

But with the rest of the grid now set, all attention turns to the race – an event historically filled with drama and uncertainty.

How to watch Indy 500: UK live stream and TV details

The 107th Indy 500 is part of a glamorous motor sport weekend which also contains the Monaco Grand Prix. For viewers in the UK, the Sky Sports Arena channel will broadcast the race build-up live. Sky Sports F1 customers can watch all of the post-Monaco Grand Prix coverage before the channel switches to Indianapolis at 5.30pm, 15 minutes before the start of the race.

For viewers in the UK, there is a five-hour time difference to Indianapolis, with full session times found below:

Live TV: In the UK, the race will be broadcast on Sky Sports Arena, with coverage starting at 3.30pm BST. Sky Sports F1 joins the action at 5.30pm.

Live Stream: Sky Sports customers can live stream the action from the Sky Go app. Similarly, Now TV also carries the Sky Sports Arena and Sky Sports F1 channels, with weekend passes available specifically for this year’s Indy 500.

Highlights: Highlights of the race will be made available on the IndyCar YouTube channel, which is usually released on the same evening as the race.

Indy 500 UK livestream and TV schedule

All times in BST

Indy 500 circuit details and weather forecast

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway ranks among motor sport’s most iconic circuits, having hosted one of the world’s greatest racing spectacles since 1911. The four corners of the 2.5-mile Brickyard has a different radius, each providing a varying challenge for drivers.

The record for the circuit’s fastest racing lap is currently held by Eddie Cheever, who clocked an average of 236.103mph during his 38.119sec tour at the 1996 Indy 500. The same year, Arie Luyendyk also set the record for the fastest qualifying lap, reaching an average speed of 237.498mph.

As expected, the weather in Indianapolis is set to be clear all weekend, reaching a high of 27 degrees celsius during the race, with intermittent clouds and 7mph winds expected.

Who will win the 2023 Indy 500?

In a race where chaos historically reigns supreme, pre-selecting a winner for the Indy 500 is a near impossible task.

Pole-sitter Palou is an obvious favourite, having also secured victory on the Indianapolis road course just two weeks ago, but winning the Indy 500 from the very front of the grid is a steep ask. In 107 races, only 21 drivers have won from pole position, the last victory occurring in 2019 with Simon Pagenaud.

Elsewhere on the grid, previous Indy 500 winners Scott Dixon (2008), Alexander Rossi (2016), Takuma Sato (2017, 2020), Tony Kanaan (2013) and Marcus Ericsson (2022) occupy grid slots 6-10 – meaning all are well within reach of victory over the course of a 500-mile race. Former F1 driver Romain Grosjean may also be in contention, despite qualifying 19th, having captured two second-place finishes already in the 2023 NTT IndyCar Series.

Further back, chances at victory become slim, but not impossible. In 1936, Louis Meyer joined Ray Harroun as the only two drivers to win the Indy 500 from the lowest starting position (28th) – a record the likes of Christian Lundgaard (31st), Sting Ray Robb (32nd) and Jack Harvey (33rd) will all be dreaming of breaking.

2023 Indy 500 full session times

All times in BST