Indy 500 runner-up Ericsson dropped to 31st for technical violation

Indianapolis 500 runner-up Marcus Ericsson of Sweden was dropped to 31st on Monday, after IndyCar announced penalties from post-race technical inspections following Spaniard Alex Palou's victory on Sunday.

Ericsson was demoted from second third-from-last after unapproved modifications were found to his car's energy management system covers, allowing more efficient aerodynamics for better speed.

The punishment means Palou was joined on the official podium by American David Malukas, who moves up from third crossing the finish line, and Mexico's Pato O'Ward, who rose to third after being the fourth to take the checkered flag following 200 laps at the 2.5-mile (four kilometer) Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval.

The speedway announced Monday that Palou took home a winner's top prize of $3.8 million from a record total purse of $20,283,000, beating last year's old mark of $18,456,000.

Punishments for technical violations were also handed down to Ericsson's Andretti Global teammate, American Kyle Kirkwood, and Britain's Callum Ilott.

Kirkwood's car had the same modification issues as Ericsson's vehicle, incurring a penalty that dropped him from sixth in the field to 32nd.

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Danish racer Christian Rasmussen rose into sixth as a result.

Ilott's entry was found improper upon an inspection of the front wing assembly, the car failing to meet minimum endplate height and location specifications.

That dropped the British racer from 12th to 33rd and last in the field.

Britain's Louis Foster moved up one spot into 12th in his first Indy 500 start as a result of the penalty.

All three cars were fined $100,000 and team managers for all three entries were suspended for the next IndyCar race in Detroit.

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