---
title: "Takuma Sato Made $2.5 Million for Winning the 2017 Indy 500"
description: "That's nearly $1.7 million more than second-place finisher Helio Castroneves."
date: "2017-06-01"
modified: "2017-06-01"
authors:
  - name: "Caleb Jacobs"
    job_title: "Senior Editor"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/caleb-jacobs"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/start-finish/10909/takuma-sato-made-2-5-million-for-winning-the-2017-indy-500"
categories:
  - "News"
tags:
  - "Indy 500"
  - "indycar"
  - "pay"
  - "salary"
  - "takuma sato"
---

# Takuma Sato Made $2.5 Million for Winning the 2017 Indy 500

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2017/05/sato-hero-image.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

Winning the biggest race of the year in any series tends to earn the victor a pretty large sum. [Takuma Sato](<https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/10758/takuma-sato-wins-the-101st-indy-500>) experienced that for himself on Sunday when he conquered the [101st running of the Indy 500](<https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/10755/indy-500-red-flagged-after-big-crash-with-scott-dixon-and-jay-howard>), receiving a purse of $2.5 million. That's a tremendous amount of cash, especially when you consider that runner-up Helio Castroneves was paid just under $771,000 for finishing right behind him.

Here's a list of a few things Sato could purchase with his cash prize:

- [This Six-Mile 1993 Porsche 911 Carrera RSR 3.8](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/10768/six-mile-1993-porsche-911-carrera-rsr-3-8-sells-for-2-25-million-at-auction>) -- $2.25 Million
- [McLaren's Upcoming Three Seat Hypercar](<https://www.thedrive.com/new-cars/8653/mclarens-new-three-seat-hypercar-will-cost-you-2-5-million>) -- $2.5 Million
- [205 MPH Italdesign Zerouno Supercar](<https://www.thedrive.com/new-cars/10791/italdesigns-super-exclusive-1-6-million-zerouno-supercar-hits-the-track>) -- $1.6 Million

But hey, who's counting? Sure enough, Sato won't take *all* of that money home. There are loads of taxes and fees that aren't figured into that $2.5 million lump sum, but even after all of that, the driver is still in for a monumental payday.

![message-editor%2F1496183465979-indy500gallery.png](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/message-editor/1496183465979-indy500gallery.png>)
**IndyCar**

Last place competitor Jay Howard was awarded $200,305, and he didn't even finish the race. [Fernando Alonso](<https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/10759/fernando-alonso-didnt-miss-monaco-during-the-indy-500>), who suffered an engine failure that put him out of the running, won $305,805—merely 0.76 percent of his [annual salary with the McLaren F1](<https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/7590/fernando-alonso-earns-37000000-more-than-max-verstappen>) team including bonuses.

Collectively, there was more than $13.2 million in prize money given out to the 33 2017 Indy 500 participants. The race lasted just over three hours, meaning that the drivers were paid approximately $4.4 million per hour as a whole. Not too shabby.

## Author
Caleb Jacobs is The Drive’s senior editor. When he’s not searching for stories or poring over copy, he’s usually driving his dump truck or wishing it was running so he could drive it. He was born and raised in the Missouri Ozarks, and he lives there today with his family.

### Author social links  
[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/caleb-jacobs-319323119>)  
[Instagram](<https://instagram.com/calebjwords>)  
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