Indy 500 Shocker: Rookie Shwartzman’s Pit Crash Mars Race, Palou Wins

The Indianapolis 500 took a dramatic turn on Sunday when rookie sensation Robert Shwartzman, starting from pole position, saw his dream race skid into chaos on pit road. After dominating qualifying with the fastest lap around Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Shwartzman’s day unraveled in a heartbeat. A pit stop around lap 87 turned disastrous when his car slid uncontrollably, striking four crew members in a heart-stopping moment. One was whisked away on a stretcher, leaving the paddock in stunned silence.

"It was like the brakes betrayed me," Shwartzman recounted, visibly shaken. "I was creeping in, super cautious, but the front tires locked, and I was just along for the ride." The Prema Racing driver, the first rookie to snag pole since 1983, could only watch as his Indy 500 hopes crumbled. "We nailed qualifying, but this race? It’s a beast. It chews up even the best."

The incident ended Shwartzman’s day, a bitter pill for a driver who’d shown such promise. Meanwhile, Alex Palou seized the moment, clinching his first Indy 500 victory and his fifth win in the 2025 season’s opening six races, cementing his status as a force to be reckoned with.

The Indy 500, as always, proved it’s more than a race—it’s a crucible where triumph and heartbreak collide in an instant.