Origins
Robert Shwartzman was born on 16 September 1999 in Tel Aviv, Israel, and was raised in Saint Petersburg, Russia, and in Italy. He holds both Israeli and Russian sporting heritage. For most of his junior career he raced under the Russian flag, but following the FIA's prohibition on Russian and Belarusian flags and anthems after Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, he has competed under the Israeli flag — the country of his birth. As such he is most accurately described today as an Israeli-Russian driver racing under an Israeli licence.
Ferrari junior and early titles
Shwartzman joined the Ferrari Driver Academy in October 2017 after impressing in tests with Prema, and the two would become his defining partnership. His first major crown came in the 2018 Toyota Racing Series with M2 Competition: he finished every one of the season's fifteen races inside the top five — the only driver to do so — and took the title along with the Denny Hulme Memorial Trophy. He spent 2018 in FIA Formula 3, finishing third in his rookie campaign with Prema.
FIA Formula 3 champion, 2019
In 2019 Shwartzman won the inaugural FIA Formula 3 Championship with Prema Racing, the new ladder series that replaced the GP3 and European F3 categories. He prevailed over fellow contenders including Ferrari Academy stablemate Marcus Armstrong and Jehan Daruvala, his points advantage proving decisive. It remains the standout single-seater achievement of his career.
Formula 2 with Prema, 2020-2021
Shwartzman stepped up to the FIA Formula 2 Championship with Prema in 2020, partnering Mick Schumacher. He took four wins and finished fourth in the standings with 177 points. In 2021, again with Prema and now alongside Oscar Piastri, he scored two wins and 192 points to finish runner-up — vice-champion — behind the title-winning Piastri.
Ferrari reserve, sportscars and IndyCar
From 2021 Shwartzman served as a Ferrari Formula 1 reserve driver, taking part in Friday practice outings and testing through 2024. He moved into endurance racing with a Ferrari 499P Hypercar run by AF Corse in the 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship, where he took a class-relevant result at the Lone Star Le Mans round. In November 2024 it was announced he would race full-time in IndyCar for Prema Racing's new entry in 2025, reuniting with former F2 rival Callum Ilott. He delivered a stunning result by qualifying on pole for the 2025 Indianapolis 500 — his oval debut and the first rookie pole at the race since Teo Fabi in 1983, and Prema's maiden IndyCar pole. Though he did not finish the race, he was named the 2025 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year.