Robert Shwartzman 'begged' Josef Newgarden's former engineer to stay at PREMA after Indy 500 heroics

PREMA Racing's IndyCar rookie, Robert Shwartzman, recently revealed he requested Josef Newgarden's former race engineer Eric Leichtle to stay with the team after the 2025 Indy 500. Shwartzman surprised the motorsports world by claiming the pole position during last month's Indy 500 event with Leichtle in his corner.

Shwartzman, via a recent interaction with the IndyCar series at the World Wide Technology Raceway, made it known that Eric Leichtle will be his engineer at all the oval races in the 2025 IndyCar season.

In line with this, he has also admitted to begging Leichtle to help him as much as possible to feel at home in the IndyCar series.

"Well, I think what we have agreed at this stage is he's gonna do all the oval races. That's very important for me, I'm really happy, like you know, I called him after the Indy 500 race, and you know, we did an incredible job there in qualifying, you know, it was unbelievable. Also I was like please I beg you sort of in a way," Shwartzman said (3:24 onwards).

Robert Shwartzman, despite starting the 2025 Indy 500 from pole position, was not able to complete the 200-lap race following an unfortunate contact on lap 87.

Robert Shwartzman 'looking forward' to second oval race

Being a rookie in America's highest class of open-wheel racing this year, pretty much everything is quite new for Robert Shwartzman. During the same IndyCar series interview, he was also asked to share his thoughts on the upcoming oval race at the World Wide Technology Raceway, having previously tested at the short oval track.

In line with this, Shwartzman made it known that he is looking forward to competing in his second oval race.

"Sort of like on this day it's going to be rainy, it's going to be a very long day. Yeah we'll see how the programme is gonna go, if something is gonna change, if they're gonna swap, something for tomorrow, I don't know, but honestly, I'm just looking forward for this race," Shwartzman added (0:48 onwards).

The 2025 IndyCar season is seven rounds down, and Robert Schwartzman is currently in 22nd place in the drivers' standings. He has so far managed 79 points and is behind Arrow McLaren's Nolan Siegel, who has put on board 93 in the same number of races. Moreover, Shwartzman has yet to score a top-five or a top-ten finish.

As discussed above, Round eight of the 2025 IndyCar season is going to be an oval race, the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 at the World Wide Technology Raceway on Sunday, June 15. Considering Robert Shwartzman's sublime heroics from the Indy 500, several eyes will be on his No. 83 Chevrolet challenger.