Robert Shwartzman, a 25-year-old rookie with no prior oval experience, made headlines by securing the pole position for the 109th Indianapolis 500, scheduled for Sunday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Driving for PREMA Racing, a team new to the IndyCar series, Shwartzman’s performance marks him as the first rookie to earn the front spot at this event since Teo Fabi in 1983, spotlighting a stunning breakthrough for the Formula 1 reserve driver turned IndyCar contender.
The Robert Shwartzman rookie Indy 500 polesitter achievement surprised many, considering his background as a rap artist, social media influencer with over 1.6 million Instagram followers, and his unique journey through various motorsport categories before arriving at the pinnacle of American open-wheel racing.
From European Formulas to IndyCar: Shwartzman’s Unlikely Path
Born in Tel Aviv, Israel, and raised in Saint Petersburg, Russia, Shwartzman’s racing career began in Europe, where he excelled in junior categories. He claimed the 2019 FIA Formula 3 Championship with PREMA Racing and finished second in the 2021 Formula 2 season, outperforming notable drivers like Mick Schumacher and Oscar Piastri. These successes positioned him as a promising future Formula 1 competitor, particularly as Ferrari’s reserve driver from 2021 through 2024.
Despite this promising trajectory, geopolitical complications stemming from Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine halted his racing under the Russian flag, prompting him to pivot toward IndyCar. His decision to join PREMA Racing’s IndyCar expansion in 2025 marked a bold shift into a discipline he had never previously raced, including on oval tracks—the signature challenge of the Indianapolis 500.
Shwartzman reflected on his move to IndyCar, expressing cautious optimism:
“In Formula 1, there are quite a lot of things going around that I have no control of, so I come here with the thought that this is a place I’m going to be racing for quite a while. My target is to bring myself up and the team to the top level.”
—Robert Shwartzman, IndyCar driver
PREMA Racing’s Bold Indy 500 Debut and Shwartzman’s Performance Progression
PREMA Racing, an established European team with a strong record in junior formulas and endurance racing, made its unexpected entry into the Indy 500 with Shwartzman behind the wheel. Initially seen as long shots, the team and driver started with 20,000-to-1 odds on betting platforms like DraftKings and Fanduel. Entering May 2025 ranked 24th in the NTT INDYCAR Series standings, Shwartzman’s average starting and finishing positions hovered in the low 20s, underscoring his rookie status and limited exposure to oval racing.
Shwartzman’s performance during the lead-up to qualifying showed steady improvement despite early struggles. At the Indy Open Test, he posted the 25th-fastest time, while his initial practice sessions placed near the back of the field. However, his pace gradually increased, culminating in a sixth-best speed during the Saturday practice before the qualifying event.
During qualifying, Shwartzman executed a measured approach, emphasizing consistency and control. In his own words:
“Just need to be consistent, do the four laps, and the last run I just give it all.”
—Robert Shwartzman, on qualifying strategy
This approach paid off as he secured a spot in the Fast 6 session and ultimately earned a four-lap average speed of 232.790 mph, edging out two-time Indy 500 winner Takuma Sato and 2024 runner-up Pato O’Ward to claim the pole.
Teamwork, Focus, and Avoiding Errors: Keys to Surprising Success
Shwartzman credited his team’s mentality and methodology as crucial factors in his success. He emphasized their careful, incremental work and the importance of avoiding mistakes on a demanding track where errors can have costly consequences. Reflecting on tough rivals who failed to qualify well due to mishaps, he noted:
“We’ve seen Colton (Herta), Marcus (Ericsson), Scotty (McLaughlin), they were really fast, but I think they could have definitely challenged. But with that mistake, (all three wrecked in practices before qualifying), they didn’t manage to do it. So that was the thing that I didn’t really want to do.”
—Robert Shwartzman
He further emphasized that success at Indy does not require brilliance or extensive experience but the synergy of having a skilled, focused team taking deliberate steps forward.
Rookie Revelations and Race Day Readiness
Despite the lofty pole position, Shwartzman acknowledged the challenge that still lies ahead. During Monday’s penultimate practice session, he recorded a modest 26th-fastest time, struggling at times in race traffic situations, which can dictate outcomes on race day.
Shwartzman described testing the car under varying conditions with different competitors like Alex Palou and Pato O’Ward, noting that while he and O’Ward had similar performance, Palou appeared slightly stronger. This reveals the ongoing development challenge PREMA Racing faces to optimize race setup and grip for sustained race pace.
“We need to see what was different and try to get a bit more grip,”
Shwartzman said, highlighting the work still needed to compete consistently during the 500-mile event.
Beyond Racing: The Multifaceted Persona of Robert Shwartzman
Shwartzman’s talents extend outside the race track, embodying a unique profile as a music enthusiast and social media figure. In 2023, under his rap alias “Shwartzy,” he released a track titled ACTIVE, showcasing a creative side not often associated with professional athletes.
Following his pole win, Shwartzman humorously described his humble celebration: a late-night McDonald’s meal consisting of a McChicken, nuggets, and fries, the first food he had since early in the day. He recounted:
“I had no food since I don’t know when, came back home straight away, just ate it because I was so hungry, jumped in the shower, and went straight to bed. That was around 12:20 a.m., I think, and then 6:30 a.m. woke up, so around six hours of sleep.”
—Robert Shwartzman
He also expressed excitement about potentially exploring music further, joking about recording a song commemorating his milestone pole position at the Indy 500.
What This Means for the Indy 500 and Shwartzman’s Future
Robert Shwartzman’s performance has wide implications both for his career and for the landscape of American open-wheel racing. His status as the first rookie polesitter in more than four decades and as IndyCar’s first Israel-born driver signals a shift in the traditional driver pipeline, demonstrating that unconventional paths can lead to success at the highest levels.
Shwartzman’s transition from a favored Formula 1 reserve driver to a leading IndyCar contender reveals opportunities for drivers stalled in F1 to rejuvenate their careers in other competitive series. PREMA Racing’s entry, powered by his breakthrough, highlights the potential for new teams to disrupt established norms at events as prestigious as the Indianapolis 500.
As the race unfolds, all eyes will watch how Shwartzman handles the pressures of leading the most iconic oval event despite his rookie status, and whether his team’s preparation and adaptability can translate into race-day victory.
