In a first, Israeli rookie Robert Shwartzman wins pole position at Indy 500

JTA – Robert Shwartzman, a Russian-Israeli driver, will take pole position at annual automobile race Indy 500 next Sunday, 25 May, the first rookie in more than 40 years to do so.

In remarks after the race, Shwartzman signalled opposition to the war in Gaza, and called for peace between nations.

Shwartzman, 25, won the leading spot at Indianapolis Speedway by achieving the fastest four-lap average in the final day of qualifying races on Sunday, 18 May.

Pole position is no guarantee of a victory, but if Shwartzman prevails, he will be the first Jew to win the race since hall-of-famer Mauri Rose won three times in 1941, 1947, and 1948. Israeli racer Alon Day also competed in Indy races more than a decade ago.

Born in Tel Aviv and raised in Saint Petersburg, Russia, Shwartzman raced internationally before entering the Indy series, and identified as a Russian racer before the country’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Speaking to reporters after the race on Sunday, he called broadly for peace.

“Representing Israel, I just want to believe that for all the people, they realise that what’s going on generally, let’s say, I’m not supporting it,” he said. “I just want peace in the world. I want people to be good, and I don’t want the separation of countries, saying ‘this is a bad country, this is a good country’. There is no bad or good. We’re all human beings, and we just have to support each other and respect each other.”

He also expressed hope that a major race would be held in in Israel.

“It would be amazing if we could go to Israel,” Shwartzman said in response to a question about that possibility. “Obviously, I’m not in control of it. It’s just, again, a dream, but like you said, it’s definitely an amazing idea to have a racetrack in Israel where we can hold an international race.”