Last year, Robert Shwartzman did what no one expected. In just his sixth career IndyCar start—and the biggest one of all—the 25-year-old rookie stunned the motorsports world by earning pole position for the 109th Indianapolis 500. He posted a blistering four-lap average of 232.790 mph to edge out two-time Indy 500 winner Takuma Sato, becoming the first rookie to claim the top spot since Teo Fabi in 1983.
It was a storybook moment for Shwartzman and his team, Prema Racing, which was also making its IndyCar debut. But the race itself was a different story. After leading eight laps, his dream run ended on lap 87 following a frightening pit road incident that involved contact with multiple Prema crew members and the wall. Despite the early exit, he was named Indy 500 Rookie of the Year and finished 24th in the season standings.
Then came the unexpected twist: Prema Racing didn't return for the 2026 season, citing financial difficulties. That means Shwartzman, the defending pole-sitter, is watching this year's Indy 500 from home—a rare and painful situation. He's the first driver since Bruno Junqueira in 2003 to not even attempt the race after earning pole the year before.
On the eve of qualifying for the 2026 Indy 500, Shwartzman opened up about what the moment meant to him—and how hard it is to sit out.
"Those four laps in qualifying... honestly, nothing else even comes close," he shared. "This place is just different. There's nowhere else like it, especially for everything it demands from us drivers. Watching from the sidelines this year is pretty tough, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't wish I was back in the car. I'll never take the chance I had to qualify and race here for granted. I hope to be back out there fighting for it again one day. Until then, I'll be watching."
For fans of the sport—and anyone who loves an underdog story—Shwartzman's words are a reminder that the Indianapolis Motor Speedway has a way of creating legends, even if their next chapter is still being written. Whether he returns to the grid next year remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the fire to race at Indy is still burning strong.