Robert Shwartzman’s Indianapolis 500 Debut Ends in Collision
Robert Shwartzman’s inaugural Indianapolis 500 concluded prematurely after a collision with the pit wall led to damage and a near-miss for his PREMA Racing crew. The incident occurred as Shwartzman entered the pit lane, where his No. 83 Chevrolet slid into the stall, striking the left-side tire changers and refueler. Three team members were knocked to the ground, with one suffering a foot injury that required immediate medical attention.
“I was going slow coming in the pit lane; I locked both front tires, which usually is not the case,” Shwartzman explained post-race. “I wasn’t sure if it was the brakes or if the tires were cold. When I touched the brakes, the fronts just locked and went straight into the guys. Luckily, nobody got really injured.”
The impact damaged the car’s suspension and nose, forcing Shwartzman to retire with a 29th place finish. He expressed disappointment, noting that the team had performed well in qualifying and highlighting the unpredictability of a 500-mile race.
“We need to learn from this, and hopefully next year, we’ll come back to have a proper battle for the win,” he added. Investigations into the cause of the incident are pending, focusing on potential mechanical issues or the effects of cold tires.
