INDIANAPOLIS

Alexander Rossi spent the biggest weekend in auto racing last year in Monaco, looking for a television that was broadcasting the Indianapolis 500. Back then, American was still hoping he could land a full-time ride in Formula One.

He eventually ran out of time.

On Sunday, in the biggest race of his life and as a rookie driver to boot, Rossi almost ran out of gas. Almost. Instead, the 24-year-old Rossi outlasted his faster rivals and his fuel tank for a stunning victory in the historic 100th running of the Indianapolis 500, landing him atop the biggest podium in motorsports after his car ran out of gas on the victory lap. This was a win no one — not even Rossi — could have predicted when he decided to return the United States and give Indy- Car a chance.

“He had no idea. He honestly had no idea,” said team coowner Michael Andretti. “He was 100 percent Europe, the way he was training and everything. He never even saw an oval except for Phoenix before this.”

Indeed, Rossi decided at age 10 he wanted to be an F1 driver. He left California for Europe six years later and spent a frustrating time bouncing around as a test driver.

But his options had grown cold, and when Bryan Herta needed a miracle to remain in IndyCar, he signed Rossi and merged his team with Andretti Autosport.

Rossi’s win allowed the long-suffering Andretti family to celebrate in the biggest race of their storied careers and it left the top drivers in the field fuming over Rossi’s good fortune.