In a stunning upset, rookie Robert Shwartzman and first-year NTT INDYCAR SERIES team PREMA Racing claimed the NTT P1 Award for the 109th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on May 18, 2025. Shwartzman, in his first-ever oval race, became the first rookie to win the Indy 500 pole since 1983, with a four-lap average speed of 232.790 mph in the No. 83 PREMA Racing Chevrolet during the Firestone Fast Six.
“This is a dream; it can’t be true,” said Shwartzman. “The car felt amazing. I can’t thank PREMA and Chevy enough.” PREMA, new to INDYCAR, is the first team to win the pole in its debut since 1984.
Takuma Sato (232.478 mph) and Pato O’Ward (232.098 mph) will join Shwartzman on the front row. Scott Dixon, Felix Rosenqvist, and Alex Palou complete the second row. The race airs at 10 a.m. ET on May 25 on FOX, FOX Deportes, and the FOX Sports app.
Despite early struggles, Shwartzman’s team made steady improvements, culminating in a dramatic pole-winning run. Meanwhile, Team Penske faced setbacks with Josef Newgarden and Will Power relegated to Row 4 due to technical violations, alongside Scott McLaughlin, who starts 10th after a crash.
Marco Andretti, Marcus Armstrong, and Rinus VeeKay secured the final spots in Last Chance Qualifying, while Jacob Abel narrowly missed the field. The next practice is Monday, May 19, from 1-3 p.m. ET (FS1, FOX Sports app). Visit IMS.com for tickets and details.
