Rookie Robert Shwartzman has pulled off a surprise by securing pole position for the Indy 500. This is all the more remarkable as Prema is participating in the IndyCar Series for the first time this season. For the former Ferrari test driver, it feels like a dream. “I thought it couldn’t be true.”
After multiple victories in Formula 2 and a stint as a test driver for Ferrari, Robert Shwartzman is making his debut in the IndyCar Series this season. For his team, the Italian Prema, the Indy 500 was also a baptism of fire. The Russian-Israeli driver surprised everyone by securing pole position for the ‘greatest spectacle of motorsport’ at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He is the first rookie to achieve this since 1983, when Italian Teo Fabi pulled off the same feat.
“I honestly can’t believe it,” Shwartzman tells FOX Sports. “I closed my eyes and thought it was a dream, that it couldn’t be true. Honestly, I just don’t know what to say. The car felt amazing and I can’t thank Prema and Chevrolet enough. They did such a great job. It’s unbelievable. I’m here for my first oval race, so I never expected to be in this position. Incredible.”
Intense Competition
Shwartzman is up against successful drivers. He shares the first row with Takuma Sato and Pato O’Ward, while Scott Dixon, Felix Rosenqvist, and Alex Palou form the second row. Sato won the Indy 500 in 2017 and 2020. O’Ward has not yet won the Indy 500, but he did finish second last year.
Most eyes will be on Palou. The Spaniard leads the IndyCar championship with a lead of nearly a hundred points over Kyle Kirkwood and has already won four of the five races this season. The 200-lap race will be held next Sunday, May 25 at 16:45 UTC.
