Robert Shwartzman Pulls Off Stunning Pole Position in Indy 500 Debut

Robert Shwartzman pulled off a remarkable feat by taking pole position for the Indy 500 — in his very first Indy 500, his first-ever oval race, and the first oval race for Prema Racing. In a thrilling session, the 25-year-old rookie was nearly 0.3 mph faster than the surprising Takuma Sato, who claimed second. Pato O’Ward secured the final spot on the front row.

The battle for pole unfolded in dramatic fashion throughout the day. Early on, it appeared to be shaping up as a showdown between Chip Ganassi Racing and Team Penske. But Penske suffered a major setback during the final practice before qualifying when Scott McLaughlin crashed heavily.

Last year’s polesitter lost control in Turn 2, spun 180 degrees, and slammed into the wall rear-first. His car briefly lifted off the ground before landing back on its wheels. McLaughlin walked away unscathed, but the car was beyond repair. Although the team had a backup ready, they chose not to risk sending it out untested for qualifying.



Just before the start of the Fast 12 session, things got worse for Penske. The cars of Josef Newgarden and Will Power were pulled from the qualifying line. Newgarden’s car failed tech inspection due to an issue with the rear attenuator — a safety device designed to absorb energy during a crash. Power’s car had passed inspection, but shared the same problem. As a result, Penske withdrew both entries from the session, meaning all three of its cars will start from 10th, 11th, and 12th on the grid.

With Penske's cars out of the picture, the Fast 12 session effectively became a Fast 9. It seemed like the path to pole was now clear for Ganassi drivers Scott Dixon and Álex Palou. But neither managed to top the charts; they ended up fourth and fifth, respectively, although both advanced to the Fast 6. Felix Rosenqvist set the fastest time of the round, followed by Pato O’Ward and an impressive Robert Shwartzman. Takuma Sato also made the cut for the pole shootout.

Sato opened the Firestone Fast 6 with a blistering run — nearly 0.8 mph faster than his Fast 12 speed. Palou surprisingly couldn’t match the Japanese driver’s time, falling well short with an average of 231.378 mph — over 1 mph slower than Sato. Dixon also couldn’t respond, keeping Sato temporarily on top for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.

That was, until an incredible rookie run changed everything. Shwartzman put together a lightning-fast four-lap average to unseat Sato and claim the provisional pole. Could a rookie really take the top spot in his Indy 500 debut?

O’Ward couldn’t stop him. The Mexican struggled with imbalance and reported issues with the hybrid system on his McLaren. He settled into third place with only Rosenqvist left to run.

Rosenqvist’s first lap was nearly 0.7 mph slower than Shwartzman’s opener, and he eventually slipped to fifth overall. That sealed it: rookie Robert Shwartzman had pulled off one of the biggest surprises in recent memory by taking pole position in his very first oval qualifying attempt.

“I can’t believe it — it feels like a dream,” Shwartzman told FOX after the session. “This is just amazing. Huge thanks to Prema and Chevrolet. This is my first oval race — I never expected this. We started the week off slow, but the car kept getting better. Once I made it into the Fast 12, I didn’t want to change anything. Right now, I’m not even thinking about the race yet — I just want to enjoy this moment. I’ve never raced on an oval before, so we’ll see where we end up.”

Fast 12 Qualifying Results
Fast 6 Qualifying Results