The Indianapolis 500 had its fair share of dramatics, but none were quite as shocking as Robert Shwartzman’s scary crash.
The rookie Russian-Israeli driver came into the race with high hopes after his qualifying time earned him the pole position last week.
But while pulling into his stall 87 laps in, Shwartzman lost control of his car and went sliding into four of his pit crew members.
“Honestly, it felt really strange — my brakes — already when I was going slow coming in the pit lane. I locked both front tires, which usually is not the case,” Shwartzman later said. “I wasn’t sure if it was the brakes or because the tires were cold … I tried to be very slow. But as soon as I touched my brakes, my whole front just locks and I just went right into the guys.”
Shwartzman’s red, green and white car became fully out of his control.
“It was really scary,” Shwartzman said. “At the moment I braked, I was just a passenger.”
The wreck ended Shwartzman’s chances of finishing the Indy 500.
One of the crew members who was struck by Shwartzman’s car had to be taken away in a stretcher.
While the crew member’s injuries are unclear at this time, Shwartzman seemed relieved at the outcome of what could have been a tragic accident.
“Luckily nobody got really, hardly injured, I think there is only one guy who had a bit of an injury,” the driver said. “I’m happy that everybody is fine.”
Shwartzman had made headlines with his performance ahead of the Indy 500, as the Prema Racing driver became the first rookie to take the pole position since 1983.
Shwartzman wasn’t alone in dramatic bow-outs, as fellow drivers Alexander Rossi and Rinus Veekay also had car problems that forced them out of the race.
Scott McLaughlin, who many had high hopes for in the race, also fizzled out as he crashed in the pace lap before the green flag had even waved.
“It’s just really sad,” Shwartzman said. “We did such good work in qualifying. But it’s the Indy 500, anything can happen. A lot of strong drivers are out of the race or behind. This is what happens, this is Indy.”
Spaniard Alex Palou took home the checkered flag for his first Indianapolis 500.