25-year-old rookie Robert Shwartzman shocked the IndyCar paddock when he put his No. 83 Prema Racing Chevrolet on pole for the Indianapolis 500 with a four-lap average of 232.790mph. Not only is this Shwartzman’s first-ever oval race, it is also the first oval race for Prema, a well-established team in Europe that is competing in IndyCar for the first time this year.
Shwartzman will share the front row with RLL Racing’s Takuma Sato and Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward. He is the first Israeli-born driver to ever qualify for the Indy 500, let alone start from pole position. He’s also the first rookie to earn pole position in their Indy 500 debut since Teo Fabi did it 42 years ago in 1983.
But while Shwartzman celebrated, another rookie ended the day in disappointment as Dale Coyne Racing driver Jacob Abel was the only driver who failed to qualify for this year’s 500, losing out to teammate Rinus VeeKay in the last-chance qualifier.
For those following Kyle Larson in his journey to complete the rare Indy 500/Coke 600 ‘Double,’ he will start 21st for the 500.
Now, for a complete rundown of the grid…
2025 Indianapolis 500 Starting Lineup
Robert Shwartzman, Prema Racing
Photo by: Michael L. Levitt / Motorsport Images via Getty Images
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