PREMA has announced that Robert Shwartzman will pilot one of the two cars for the team’s maiden season competing in the NTT IndyCar Series.
An Israeli-Russian national, Shwartzman climbed through the Formula 3 and Formula 2 ladder while racing for PREMA.
He finished second in the 2021 F2 championship, and has spent the past three years as a test and reserve driver for the Ferrari F1 team. He has completed a few FP1 sessions while looking for an opening in the exclusive series.
This announcement will see Shwartzman change gears and come race in America’s top open wheel series with a team he is intimately familiar with.
“I’m definitely very very excited to be back at PREMA to start a new adventure in IndyCar,” said Shwartzman.
“Everything will be new to us and there will be many challenges, but it will also be a lot of fun and a lot of work at the same time. I think a very successful future lies ahead for us.
“IndyCar is a very competitive series, with so many strong drivers, and I’m looking forward to the racing, as it looks really cool. I have never driven on ovals and to master them, it will be a completely new challenge.
“However, with PREMA we achieved a lot in the past, and I think that my F1 and Endurance experience will be helpful to make us evolve fast and get up to speed quickly.”
A new path for Shwartzman
Shwartzman has completed a solitary IndyCar test outing with Chip Ganassi Racing at the start of 2023, but has not competed in any race weekends to this point.
He will be paired alongside Callum Ilott, a veteran of IndyCar and also a former PREMA driver, who will be able to guide him on the particulars of the competitive series.
Ilott will also be able to give Shwartzman tips about driving on ovals, which will be a completely new experience for the 25-year-old.
“We are extremely delighted to welcome Robert back to the PREMA family,” said team owner Rene Rosin.
“We have had some exceptional seasons together, winning a lot of races and the 2019 FIA F3 title, and we also thoroughly enjoyed working with him. He is an extremely talented driver and I think that, by working together, we will be able to overcome the steep learning curve that lies ahead of us.
“I cannot wait to see him and Callum compete under the PREMA banner again.”
Shwartzman’s first race will be the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on March 2, but will likely complete one or two test sessions before then.
