After an exciting Fast 12, it was Felix Rosenqvist, Pato O’Ward, Robert Shwartzman, Scott Dixon, Alex Palou and Takuma Sato who would be contesting the Firestone Fast 6.
Of the six drivers, two had won the 500 in Dixon and Sato. O’Ward almost won the race in 2024, Palou took pole in 2023, Shwartzman had never raced on an oval and Rosenqvist had qualified well in the past few years.
Sato quick for Rahal Letterman Lanigan
Sato, the 2017 and 2020 winner, had the first run. His first speed was a 233.024. His #75 Rahal Letterman Lanigan machine was quick, but he had a large drop-off on lap two, going down to a 232.308. Lap three was better as he got to a 232.552mph speed on lap 3. After three laps it was a 232.628 average. On lap four it went away from him, as he dropped to a low 232.030 mph, which gave him an average of 232.478 mph. This was a solid speed considering Sato entered solely for the 500.
Championship leader Palou struggles
Next was Alex Palou, the 2023 polesitter and the championship leader. The great speed was not matched by Palou, setting a 231.948 on his first lap. Lap two was more consistent with another 231.9, but he was still half a mile per hour down on Sato. He needed an improvement, but did not. It was a 231.1. He needed nothing short of a miracle to be on pole. He bled even more time as it was a 230.510mph speed on lap four, giving him an average of 231.378mph.
Five-time polesitter Dixon unable to top Sato
Palou’s Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Scott Dixon, a five-time polesitter at the Brickyard and the 2008 Indianapolis 500 winner, became the third driver of the Firestone Fast Six to take to the track. Dixon was much closer to Sato. He was still 0.5mph down on Sato after one lap, but he was still in it if he kept the run consistent. Dixon’s second lap was poorer, dropping another 0.5mph on Sato to a 232.092. The third lap was slightly worse, but was still not too bad. He was on to beat Palou as it was a 231.872. Lap four for the Kiwi was better for him, as he set a 231.910, meaning Sato was guaranteed at worst fourth and Dixon at worst fifth.
Shwartzman goes top
Rookie Robert Shwartzman driving for new team Prema, who miraculously got into the Fast Six, came next in his #83. He needed a 233.024 or better to be ahead of Sato, and he was. A 233.188mph was his first lap. Prema and Shwartzman could write an incredible story and get on the front row as a rookie driving for a rookie team. Lap two continued to be impressive with a 232.931, giving him a 233.049 average with two laps left. He had 0.6mph on Sato with two laps left. The third lap was a big drop off of 0.7mph, but he was still ahead of Sato, a man who was driving in Formula One when Shwartzman was a child. Lap four was much better for the Israeli, going top with a 232.785 on lap four and an overall speed of 232.790, an incredible time for a rookie. Shwartzman could become the first rookie since Teo Fabi in 1983 to take pole at the 500.
O’Ward fails to deny Shwartzman
The driver most likely to stop Shwartzman was Pato O’Ward in his #5 Arrow McLaren machine. O’Ward and Rosenqvist, the final two to go, were in the top two in the Fast 12. His first lap was disappointing as he was in the 232.4s, which was nowhere near enough for pole and was worse than Sato and Dixon’s first laps. The second lap was another drop off. A 232.080 now put him close with Dixon’s time. O’Ward was not in the fight for pole, but rather for the front row. Lap 3 was better than Dixon’s with a 231.949, but he still needed to set at least a 231.7 on his final lap to guarantee a top four start. It was a consistent run on lap four as he dropped down to a 231.8. The average time for the Mexican was a 232.098, putting him third. O’Ward reported the hybrid was not working, leaving him in the double digits on percentage.
Rosenqvist drops off in speed compared to Fast 12
Rosenqvist was the final to go. The Swede was the only driver who could deny Shwartzman. Whatever happened, there would be a maiden polesitter at the 500, as Rosenqvist, despite his strong form at the 500 in qualifying, had never taken pole. HIs first lap was a 232.5 for his average, which was what the four lap average was for the Meyer Shank Racing driver of the #60 in the Fast 12. Lap two came and he dropped half an mph, which almost guaranteed Shwartzman the pole. He needed nothing short of a miracle to get ahead of both Sato and Shwartzman. His third lap continued the downward spiral, losing another 0.5mph while lap four was better, it was only enough for fifth.
Shwartzman takes pole
Robert Shwartzman, driving for Prema, took an incredible pole for the 2025 Indianapolis 500. He became the first rookie since Teo Fabi to take pole at the 500. This race is the first for Shwartzman on an oval in his entire career, but he took to it like a duck to water.
