# The 18 Greatest IndyCar Rookie of the Year Winners

> First-year sensations who went on to titles, Indy 500 glory and even Formula 1 crowns sit beside cult heroes from the sport's wildest eras. Decades of debut brilliance, one question. Where do you stand?

*By YPB Team · Published June 28, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/the-18-greatest-indycar-rookie-of-the-year-winners*

---

## Current results (3 votes)

1. **Mario Andretti** — 100% (3 votes · score 1000/1000)
   1964 Rookie of the Year who became a four-time IndyCar champion, Indy 500 winner, and F1 world champion.
2. **Graham Rahal** — 0% (0 votes · score 625/1000)
   2008 Rookie of the Year who became the youngest IndyCar race winner at the time in his debut season.
3. **Teo Fabi** — 0% (0 votes · score 535/1000)
   1983 Rookie of the Year who won the Indy 500 pole and four races in a sensational debut season.
4. **Jacques Villeneuve** — 0% (0 votes · score 416/1000)
   1994 Rookie of the Year who won the 1995 Indy 500 and CART title, then the 1997 F1 championship.
5. **A.J. Foyt** — 0% (0 votes · score 416/1000)
   1957 Rookie of the Year and the first four-time Indianapolis 500 winner, an American racing icon.
6. **Scott Dixon** — 0% (0 votes · score 416/1000)
   2001 CART Rookie of the Year who became a six-time IndyCar champion and an all-time wins leader.
7. **Johnny Rutherford** — 0% (0 votes · score 416/1000)
   1962 Rookie of the Year who went on to win the Indianapolis 500 three times.
8. **Felix Rosenqvist** — 0% (0 votes · score 341/1000)
   2019 Rookie of the Year whose strong debut earned him a seat with championship-winning teams.
9. **Bobby Rahal** — 0% (0 votes · score 341/1000)
   1982 Rookie of the Year who won two races as a rookie and later the 1986 Indianapolis 500.
10. **Marco Andretti** — 0% (0 votes · score 341/1000)
   2006 Rookie of the Year who nearly won the Indy 500 in his debut, extending the Andretti legacy.
11. **Juan Pablo Montoya** — 0% (0 votes · score 341/1000)
   1999 CART Rookie of the Year who won the title as a rookie, then the Indy 500 and Monaco Grand Prix.
12. **Simon Pagenaud** — 0% (0 votes · score 341/1000)
   2012 Rookie of the Year who became the 2016 IndyCar champion and 2019 Indianapolis 500 winner.
13. **James Hinchcliffe** — 0% (0 votes · score 250/1000)
   2011 Rookie of the Year, a multiple race winner and one of the sport's most popular personalities.
14. **Alexander Rossi** — 0% (0 votes · score 250/1000)
   2016 Rookie of the Year who stunned the field by winning the 100th Indianapolis 500 as a rookie.
15. **Dan Wheldon** — 0% (0 votes · score 250/1000)
   2003 Rookie of the Year who won two Indianapolis 500s before his untimely death in 2011.
16. **Sebastien Bourdais** — 0% (0 votes · score 139/1000)
   2003 CART Rookie of the Year who promptly won four straight Champ Car championships.
17. **Rick Mears** — 0% (0 votes · score 139/1000)
   1976 Rookie of the Year who went on to win the Indianapolis 500 a record-tying four times.
18. **Danica Patrick** — 0% (0 votes · score 139/1000)
   2005 Rookie of the Year whose breakthrough rookie season redefined visibility for women in motorsport.

Tags: sports, drivers, motorsport, indycar