Indianapolis 500 qualifying results: Robert Shwartzman stuns the field to take pole

Today, the full field for the 109th Indianapolis will be set.

Saturday’s Full-Field qualifying set spots 13-30 on the grid, but Sunday brings three critical sessions that will complete the field from the car that will start 33rd on the grid, to the car that will start in pole position.

The first session is the Fast 12, which consists of the fastest 12 cars from Saturday’s Full-Field qualifying session. Each car is guaranteed one four-lap run during the session, with the order determined based on the speed chart from Saturday, starting with the slowest car of the 12. Here are the drivers who are participating in the Fast 12:

Alex Palou
Josef Newgarden
Pato O’Ward
Scott Dixon
Robert Shwartzman
David Malukas
Felix Rosenqvist
Takuma Sato
Will Power
Marcus Ericsson
Christian Lundgaard
Scott McLaughlin

More on McLaughlin in a moment.

At the end of one hour, the top six cars will advance to the Firestone Fast Six, while the bottom half will fill out spots 7-12 in the Indianapolis 500.

Then comes Last Chance Qualifying. With 34 cars entered and just 33 spots on the grid, the bottom four cars from Saturday’s session will duke it out over an hour for a spot in the field. Marco Andretti, Marcus Armstrong, Jacob Abel, and Rinus VeeKay are the four fighting for the final three spots in this session.

Cars are guaranteed one attempt at a four-lap qualifying run, and can make multiple attempts until the clock expires.

Sunday ends with the Firestone Fast Six, with the top six cars from the Fast 12 battling for pole position. This runs for 30 minutes, with each car guaranteed one attempt at a four-lap qualifying run.

Here are the qualifying results, with the top six — and bottom three — spots left to be filled:

We will be covering the three sessions live, so follow along!

Note: All times are in Eastern time.

Firestone Fast Six

7:21: Returning after a quick dinner break …

Here is Shwartzman’s chat with FOX Sports after taking pole position:

6:59: ROBERT SHWARTZMAN WILL START THE 109TH INDIANAPOLIS 500 IN POLE POSITION! FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 43 YEARS A ROOKIE WILL BE ON POLE POSITION FOR THE INDIANAPOLIS 500!

6:58: Rosenqvist’s second lap is a 232.098, which averages out to 232.301. Shwartzman is inching closer and closer to pole position with every moment.

6:57: Rosenqvist is slightly behind Shwartzman’s pace after his first lap, which comes in at 232.505.

6:56: Rosenqvist is the last driver to take to the track, as he was fastest in the Fast 12. Can he take pole away from Shwartzman, or we will have a rooke in P1 for the start of the Indianapolis 500 for the first time in over 40 years?

6:56: “The car felt amazing, it’s so fast,” says Shwartzman to FOX Sports. “I’m really proud of the team … honestly it feels unbelieveable.”

6:55: O’Ward’s effort is good for third at the moment.

6:55: O’Ward’s first three laps have an average of 232.166. He’s behind the pace from both Shwartzman and Sato, but is in line for a potential front-row start.

6:52: Pato O’Ward is up next. This is a good time to mention that I interviewed the Arrow McLaren driver for an exclusive that will come out next week.

6:51: ROBERT SHWARTZMAN WILL START ON THE FRONT ROW IN HIS FIRST INDIANAPOLIS 500. Shwartzman’s run of 232.790 is good enough for provisional pole, and with just two drivers remaining he is guaranteed to start no lower than P3.

6:50: White flag waves for Shwartzman’s final lap, he is currently at an average of 232.792 which is ahead of Sato.

6:49: Shwartzman’s second lap comes in at 232.931, with an average of 233.049 over his first two laps. He has a shot at provisional pole …

6:48: Shwartzman’s first lap comes in at 233.166. He is absolutely flying, but can he keep this pace over the next three laps?

6:47: Shwartzman is up now. A rookie IndyCar driver, for a first-year team, taking pole position at the Indianapolis 500 would be one HECK of a story …

6:45: Dixon’s effort comes in at 232.052. That puts him ahead of Palou, but behind Sato.

Three drivers remain, and Sato is inching closer to a front-row start.

6:43: Scott Dixon is up, and his first lap comes in at 232.537. He is running behind Sato, but seems to be gaining on him based on the “ghost car” graphic from FOX Sports.

6:40: Palou’s effort of 231.378 is only good for second at the moment. Sato remains in provisional pole position.

6:37: Palou takes to the track now, as the championship leader has his eyes on pole position.

6:36: Sato deploys the hybrid boost on his third lap, which ticks faster than Lap 2 at 232.552. He comes across with a completed qualifying run at 232.478.

6:35: His second lap comes in at 232.308, which is a big drop from his first.

6:33: Sato’s run is underway, and his first lap checks in at 233.024.

6:31: Now we have the Firestone Fast Six. Takuma Sato, Alex Palou, Scott Dixon, Robert Shwartzman, Pato O’Ward, and Felix Rosenqvist are the six drivers left with a shot at pole position, and they will each get one shot, in that order.

Last Chance Qualifying notes

6:25: Andretti, Armstrong, and VeeKay have booked spots in the 109th Indianapolis 500.

6:22: Abel falls short, with an average of 226.394. VeeKay is in, Abel is out.

“I feel relieved, but no real happiness,” says VeeKay to FOX Sports. “Unfortunately it was one of the two that was going to go out.

“Jacob’s not just a teammate, he’s a really good friend.”

6:21: Abel’s second lap is a 226.423, and his average is only 226.501. He still has the extra boost from his hybrid system, which could make a big difference.

6:20: Abel’s first lap comes in at 226.579, which is behind the first lap VeeKay posted.

6:17: VeeKay came in at 226.913, and the door is absolutely open for Abel to knock him out of the Indianapolis 500.

His first attempt came in at 227.740, and his second was just 226.913. The door is very much open.

Andretti and Armstrong are in the field, and now it is down to VeeKay and Abel with this last run.

6:16: VeeKay’s first two laps are in the books and he is well off his pace from his first attempt. This run could backfire on him if he ends up opening the door for Abel to jump ahead of him.

6:13: Scratch that. VeeKay has just taken to the track and is going to go on offense. Rather than wait to see what happens with Abel, they are putting in a lap ahead of the rookie, to perhaps clinch a spot and put Armstrong on the bubble instead.

6:10: Under ten minutes remain, and Abel is going to have the final qualifying attempt of Last Chance Qualifying. Either he puts it in the show — and bumps out Dale Coyne Racing teammate Rinus VeeKay — or VeeKay will be the last car on the grid.

6:01: Abel turns a few laps, aimed at cooling the engine, before returning to pit lane. The crew will bolt new tires on and he’ll head back out to try and clinch a spot in the show.

5:58: Abel is being pushed down pit lane, and is getting ready to make another run with just over 20 minutes remaining.

5:47: More footage of Newgarden running … and running:

5:43: VeeKay’s effort comes in at 227.740, which is good enough for third and bumps Abel — his teammate at Dale Coyne Racing — out of the 500.

However, over 30 minutes remain in Last Chance Qualifying.

5:40: Absolutely hilarious scenes on FOX Sports as cameras pick up Josef Newgarden running to air out his frustration from not getting a chance to qualify. At one point Newgarden plays it up to the FOX Sports cameras, as he runs parallel to the back straight as Rinus VeeKay on his first attempt in Last Chance Qualifying.

Here is the clip of Newgarden first being spotted by the cameras:

5:37: Jacob Abel’s first qualifying run checks in at 227.112, which is well off the pace from both Andretti and Armstrong. Abel slots in third for the moment.

5:30: Marco Andretti puts together four strong laps, with an average of 229.741, which puts him to the top of the speed charts here in Last Chance Qualifying.

5:25: Armstrong sets a benchmark of 229.091, which is now the speed to beat.

Reminder: This session has a running 60-minute clock. Drivers can take multiple attempts at a four-lap qualifying run during Last Chance Qualifying.

5:21: Last Chance Qualifying is about to begin. For one of the drivers, Marcus Armstrong, today is a chance to rebound after a hard crash in practice yesterday. Armstrong is first to take to the track in the No. 66 Meyer Shank Racing Honda.

Four Hondas will participate in this session.

Fast 12 qualifying notes

5:06: Here is video of both Cindric and IndyCar Technical Director Kevin Blanch speaking with FOX Sports:

5:01: Tim Cindric tells FOX Sports that “it’s a shame we didn’t give our guys a chance to go for it.” His understanding is that Power’s car passed through inspection but Newgarden’s failed based on a seam at the rear of his car. The team believed that Power was likely at risk of failing a re-inspection as the components were the same on both cars, so they pulled Power out of line as well.

4:48: Alex Palou does enough, with a mark of 231.800. The championship leader is through to the Firestone Fast Six.

4:45: Team Penske president Tim Cindric will address the media in five minutes regarding Newgarden and Power.

4:43: Pato O’Ward jumps to P2 with a mark of 232.186, making him the fastest Chevrolet on the grid. That books a spot in the Firestone Fast Six, but also eliminates teammate Christian Lundgaard.

4:38: Veteran Scott Dixon books a spot in the Firestone Fast Six with a mark of 231.971. That is good for second, behind only Rosenqvist. Rosenqvist, Dixon, Shwartzman, and Sato are through to the Firestone Fast Six, with only Pato O’Ward and Alex Palou left to make an attempt. At the moment Malukas and Lundgaard are on the bubble.

4:32: Rookie Robert Shwartzman, who is racing on an oval for the first time, and has booked a spot in the Fast Six, as his average of 232.008 jumps him into P2 with just free drivers left. A huge development for Shwartzman and Prema Racing

4:29: David Malukas pumps in a four-lap run with an average of 231.599, which slots him in third behind Rosenqvist and Sato.

Commentators on FOX Sports are reporting that both Newgarden and Power are officially out of the Fast 12. That means we will have an All-Penske fourth row of McLaughlin, Newgarden, and Power.

4:24: Felix Rosenqvist rockets to the top with an average of 232.523, and his fourth lap was actually his fastest. A tremendous run from Rosenqvist.

4:20: Newgarden has pulled out of line as well, and word from FOX Sports that both Newgarden’s car and Power’s car have failed pre-qualifying technical inspections.

4:19: Takuma Sato jumps to the top of the speed charts with a 231.686 effort.

4:15: Marcus Ericsson finishes with a mark of 231.014, which slots him in behind Lundgaard. But the big news is that both Will Power has just pulled out of line, which might mean he may not attempt a qualifying run. Stay tuned.

4:11: Lundgaard sets a benchmark of 231.360 mph, which is the time the rest of the 12 will be chasing.

4:09: Christian Lundgaard from Arrow McLaren is up first.

4:08 There are only 11 drivers in the Fast 12. Scott McLaughlin’s crash in practice earlier today has knocked him out of the session.