Pato O’Ward was announced this Thursday as a reserve driver for McLaren in Formula 1 for the upcoming season. It is a role he adds to his full-time commitments in the IndyCar Series with Arrow McLaren.
The driver is 24 years old and already has a lot of experience behind the wheel of Formula 1 cars since joining the Woking structure in 2020 – he participated in various development tests in the MCL35M, was present at the young driver tests in Abu Dhabi two years ago, and last year took part in the first free practice of the Abu Dhabi GP. This year he will repeat his participation in Abu Dhabi.
The team principal of McLaren, Andrea Stella, stated: ‘The McLaren Formula 1 Team is pleased to welcome Pato O’Ward to our reserve driver lineup for the 2024 season. Pato had an impressive season in the IndyCar Series and performed well in the driver development tests, so it seemed natural to take this next step now that he is eligible for an FIA Super License. With the expanded calendar, it is prudent to ensure that we have a wide pool of drivers we can call upon if needed. We look forward to seeing him progress in this new role’.
