Robert Shwartzman named Indy 500 Rookie of the Year

Although the Prema Racing driver was forced to retire, unlike Louis Foster (who finished twelfth after various disqualifications), it was Shwartzman who was chosen as the Rookie of the Year for this 109th edition of the Indianapolis 500. The judges are asked to vote based on the raw results, of course, but also on the contributions of the various drivers throughout the month of May.

There's no denying that the Russian-Israeli driver made a big contribution in the final qualifying session, simply taking pole position. Shwartzman became the first rookie since Teo Fabi in 1983 to take pole position. All this at the wheel of a car from a team that also made its oval debut at this Indy 500.

Despite a retirement after colliding with mechanics during a pit stop, fortunately without serious injury, Shwartzman earned a whopping $327 for his pole position and result. The total prize money awarded to the 300 drivers in the 33th edition of the Indy 109 broke new records, reaching $500 million. Of course, the winner, Alex Palou, took home the lion's share, with $20 million.

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