Prema Racing rookie Robert Shwartzman leveraged his little experience on ovals to deliver a qualifying thriller at Indianapolis and claim shock 2025 Indy 500 pole, marking one of the most remarkable stories in IndyCar history.
The 25-year-old rookie from Tel Aviv, Israel, not only became the first rookie since 1983 to claim pole position at the Indianapolis 500 but also delivered his first-year IndyCar team a debut pole in their maiden attempt at the Brickyard.
The drama and unpredictability of Qualifying Day 2, coupled with the high stakes for every driver and team, set the stage for an unforgettable edition of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”
The road to Robert Shwartzman’s shock 2025 Indy 500 pole began with a turbulent week for Prema Racing. Early practice sessions saw the team languishing at the bottom of the timing sheets, struggling to dial in their cars for the unique demands of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Few expected the rookie driver and rookie team to be contenders let alone pole favorites. Yet, as qualifying unfolded the narrative shifted dramatically.
Shwartzman’s composure and raw speed became evident as he advanced through each stage culminating in a four-lap average speed of 232.790 mph during the Firestone Fast Six, the final and most critical qualifying session.
This achievement made him just the third rookie ever to win the Indy 500 pole on track and the sixth first-year starter to lead the field to green at the iconic race.
After Saturday’s initial qualifying session locked in positions 13 through 30 and determined the Top 12 drivers who would fight for pole, Sunday’s action was divided into three distinct phases: the Top 12 session, the Firestone Fast Six shootout, and the Last Chance Qualifier for the final row of the grid.
The Top 12 session set the tone for a fiercely competitive day. Felix Rosenqvist driving for Meyer Shank Racing led the field with a four-lap average of 232.523 mph, narrowly edging out Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward and Shwartzman who slotted into third.
The other three advancing to the Fast Six were Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon, reigning series champion Alex Palou and two-time Indy 500 winner Takuma Sato. The session was a showcase of both experience and emerging talent with five race winners and Shwartzman, a rookie making his first-ever oval start, moving forward to the 2025 Indy 500 pole shootout.
The Firestone Fast Six was the ultimate test with each driver getting a single attempt to lay down their fastest four-lap average. The order was determined by their speeds in the Top 12 with Takuma Sato running first and Rosenqvist last.
Sato set a strong benchmark but it was Shwartzman who stunned the paddock. His run was not only technically flawless but also demonstrated nerves of steel as he extracted every ounce of performance from his Prema Chevrolet.
When the dust settled, Robert Shwartzman’s average speed of 232.790 mph was enough to hold off both Sato and O’Ward who completed the front row. Rosenqvist despite his earlier pace could not match the rookie’s speed and settled for a spot on the second row alongside Dixon and Palou.
For Shwartzman, the achievement was almost surreal:
“I was like, ‘This is a dream; it can’t be true,’” he said in the post-qualifying interview. “I don’t know what even to say. The car felt amazing. I can’t thank PREMA and Chevy enough.
“Coming here for my first oval race I would never even expect it to be in this position. It’s unbelievable.”
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The accomplishment was equally historic for Prema Racing, which became the first team since Mayer Motor Racing in 1984 to claim pole in its first Indy 500 attempt.
The rest of the grid was determined through equally intense competition. The second row featured some of the sport’s most accomplished drivers: Scott Dixon, Felix Rosenqvist and Alex Palou.
The third row comprised David Malukas, Christian Lundgaard and Marcus Ericsson, the latter a former Indy 500 winner himself. The fourth row was a Penske powerhouse with Scott McLaughlin, Josef Newgarden, and Will Power-three of the team’s top drivers.
