Shwartzman Shocks The World, Wins Pole for Indy 500

Rookie Robert Shwartzman pulls into pit lane after his eventual pole run on the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the 109th Indianapolis 500 (Photo: Anthony Sylvia | The Podium Finish).

Speedway, Ind. – Tao Fabi in 1983. That is the last time a rookie has won the pole for the Indianapolis 500. Rookie driver Robert Shwartzman defined the odds with his first-year team Prema Racing, and wheeled his No. 83 Chevrolet to become the first Israeli-born driver to start and win the pole for the 109th Indianapolis 500 with a four-lap average of 232.790 mph.

“Honestly, it’s unbelievable,” said Shwartzman after claiming his first career NTT INDYCAR Series pole award. “I was just processing it, and I still can’t believe it. It’s just a dream.”

“I have to say big thanks to my engineers. They did an amazing job, step by step, by improving the car, trying new things. All of these steps that we did were just better, better, better. And then got to a point where the car was really good.”

Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Takuma Sato and the 2024 runner-up of last year’s running of the Indianapolis 500, Pato O’Ward, will share the front row with Shwartzman for the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. Sato qualified second at 232.478 in the No. 75 AMADA Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda. O’Ward will start in the third position after his four-lap average of 232.098 mph in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet.

“Well, first of all, I want to say a huge congratulations to Robert Shwartzman and the PREMA Team,” said Sato. “What an amazing event with pulling another rookie driver in pole position is entirely impressive.”

“I’m very happy for the team that put my car, the 75 (Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing) car, on the front row, which is an amazing result because I think we were kind of in a roller coaster situation. Not just today, but through yesterday and probably the last two weeks. As everybody knows that the team has to build a brand new car after we had a moment in the open test.”

For Shwartzman, once shunted of an opportunity to race in Formula 1, saw an opening on the IndyCar side and decided to jump on board with the newly formed Prema Racing team for the 2025 campaign. The start of the 2025 season has not been what the team or Shwartzman had hoped for, currently sitting 24th in the championship standings, but the team had steadily shown speed through the week of practice and in opening qualifying rounds.

“It happened so that unfortunately I haven’t been given a chance to go to Formula 1 even though I really tried my best,” said Shwartzman. “I know it’s, like, okay, if that’s not the way to go, I’ll try here in Indy, and here we are. I think it’s a good place to be. I really like it. I really enjoy it.”

Drama is a known constant at Indy. It began during the Fast 12 practice when Scott McLaughlin lost control of his No. 3 Pennzoil Team Penske Chevrolet in turn two, and slammed into the outside SAFER Barrier, sending the car onto its side tub before landing back upright. The damage was so significant, and with the little time the team had to get their backup car ready, they were forced to forfeit their attempt to qualify before things kicked off for Fast 12 qualifying, ultimately putting McLaughlin in the 12th starting position.

“It was a little loose for sure,” said McLaughlin. “Just ran a little light on downforce, and I tried to finish the run, it was coming to the end, and then just trying to make sure I got around. I should have bailed, unfortunately, I didn’t.”

Two-time back-to-back Indy 500 winner Josef Newgarden during Fast 12 qualifying practice on Sunday, May 18 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Photo: Anthony Sylvia | The Podium Finish).

Just right before the Fast 12 qualifying round began, Team Penske teammates Josef Newgarden in the No. 2 Shell V-Power NITRO+ Chevrolet and Will Power in the No. 12 Verizon Chevrolet were pulled out of the qualification line and disqualified for unapproved changes to both cars’ attenuators. IndyCar Technical Director Kevin Blanch explained that it was a “body fit violation on the rear attenuator,” a violation of IndyCar Rule 14.7.8.16. The two Team Penske cars of Newgarden and Power will start in the final row in Sunday’s race.

“They weren’t accidentally doing it because they had the blowtorch right there in order to get it out,” O’Ward said. “Honestly, I feel bad for (Jacob) Abel and for everybody who did the last chance qualifying. Those cars weren’t in regulations.”

“The rule is pretty black and white. Those cars should have been in the last chance qualifier. Like, those cars should have never – obviously they didn’t do anything in the Fast 12, but they should have been brought into the LCQ because they had that yesterday, I guarantee you. Until someone pointed it out today. Those cars, if they’re disqualified today, they should have been disqualified yesterday.”

Marco Andretti, the grandson of 1969 Indianapolis 500 winner Mario Andretti, in the No. 98 Mapei Andretti Global Honda and Marcus Armstrong in the No. 66 Spectrum Meyer Shank Racing Honda set themselves comfortably in the first two spots of the last row shootout, the shootout was a battle of the teammates at Daly Coyne Racing for the 33^rd and final qualifying spot.

Rinus Veekay in the No. 18 askROI Honda and Jacob Abel in the No. 51 Miller High Life Honda were in a position that no owner or team drivers want to experience. At the end of the day, it was rookie Abel who was outqualified by his teammate and did not make the field for the Indianapolis 500.

“I’m going to try as hard as I cannot to get emotional, but it’s a dream come true,” said Abel. “I grew up in Louisville, Kentucky, only a couple of hours away from here, and I’ve been a fan of this sport forever. To finally have a purpose of being here and to be a driver, even in just four days of practice, was a cool experience and something that I’ll forever remember, driving the Miller High Life car, too. It’s a real bummer that it’s not going to be in the race. It sucks, but it was cool while it lasted.”

Up next for the NTT IndyCar Series is a two-hour practice session on Monday, May 19 at 1 p.m. ET and Carb Day on Friday, May 23, where the teams will get one last two-hour practice session and a pit stop competition, all leading up to the green flag for the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge at 12:45 p.m. ET on Sunday May 25 on FOX and the SiriusXM IndyCar Radio Network channel 218.

109th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge Starting Lineup