Schwartzman Shocks Field to Take Indy 500 Pole
- Rookie Robert Shwartzman won the pole position for the Indianapolis 500 on May 18, 2025, at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
- Shwartzman, a 25-year-old dual Israeli-Russian national, secured pole after Team Penske's disqualification removed key competitors.
- Driving for Italian team Prema Racing, making its IndyCar debut, Shwartzman became the first rookie pole sitter since 1983.
- He said, "Honestly it feels like I'm dreaming," reflecting on the achievement as team members celebrated his run becoming official.
- This result marks a notable surprise in Indy 500 qualifying, suggesting a shift in competition with a rookie leading the field.
55 Articles
55 Articles

Shwartzman The First Rookie To Take Indy 500 Pole In 42 Years
Source: Penske Entertainment / Penske Entertainment SPEEDWAY, Ind. — In a stunning turn of events, a rookie will be starting on pole for the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500. The new sweetheart of the fans, without a doubt, is Robert Shwartzman. The Israeli rookie with no oval experience and very little IndyCar experience dazzled the crowd at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway with an impressive run on Saturday. He replicated the results on Su…
Shwartzman Starts P1 at 2025 Indy 500 – WRBI Radio
Indianapolis, IN – First oval race, first Indy 500, and now first P1 for both Robert Shwartzman and the PREMA racing team. With only 5 INDYCAR starts under his belt, Rookie Shwartzman made it to the coveted Pole Position after posting an average speed of 232.790 MPH during the ‘Firestone Fast Six’ shootout this evening. Unfortunately, the day did not end on a positive note for all who qualified today. There were 4 cars vying for the last row, wh

Shwartzman shocks the field as he becomes 1st Indy 500 rookie since 1983 to win the pole
A rookie driver for a brand new team has won the pole for the Indianapolis 500. Robert Shwartzman became the first Indy 500 rookie to qualify on the pole since Teo Fabi in 1983.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 77% of the sources are Center
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
Ownership
To view ownership data please Upgrade to Vantage