A shock polesitter at the Indy 500, but he was always that good: Robert Shwartzman

A Formula 3 champion in 2019, Robert Shwartzman - driving under the Ferrari banner as an academy driver - he looked destined for Formula 1. Two Formula 2 campaigns and a season in endurance racing later…he probably was wondering if his days in single seater racing were over.

Fast forward a little, back with PREMA Racing’s IndyCar outfit, driving the number 83 car, he became the first rookie to put their car on pole position for “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing, the Indy 500, since 1983 when Italian Teo Fabi achieved the same feat.

Teo Fabi’s Indy 500 pole in 83 was the first rookie one since 1950.

Those of you of not much IndyCar knowledge will be most familiar Shwartzman either from Formula 2, Formula E testing, or more likely; free practice sessions with Ferrari or whatever guise Sauber were running under at the time he participated for them.

Shwartzman with Ferrari.

Consistency is a big strength of the 25 year old’s, and he’s put it to good use in championships, however his Formula 2 exploits were sort of “always the bridesmaid, never the bride” as he became embroiled in title battles. That theme continued as he aimed to secure and F1 drive, missing out on Haas and Sauber drives despite encouraging test and practice sessions with them and Ferrari.

Ahead of Zhou Guanyu for PREMA in F2.

He may now have found a home in American racing, where his natural pace and talent can be highlighted and with that, be a part of PREMA’s story there. What better place to do just that than The Brickyard, on pole position for the Indy 500?

Pole position on his and the team’s debut Indy 500 - talk about starting as you mean to go on.

📸 Image credits: PREMA Racing, Formula Motorsport Limited.