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Pato O’Ward’s Pivotal Year: Juggling F1 Dreams and the IndyCar Title Hunt

Arthur Ling by Arthur Ling
February 18, 2025
in Motorsports
Reading Time: 6 mins read
0
Pato O’Ward’s Pivotal Year: Juggling F1 Dreams and the IndyCar Title Hunt

Pato O’Ward isn’t just racing in IndyCar—he’s fighting to define his career. As the 2025 season looms, the young Mexican driver finds himself at a crossroads, splitting time between his reserve role with McLaren’s Formula 1 team and his relentless pursuit of an elusive IndyCar championship.

O’Ward’s presence in both motorsport worlds speaks to his talent—but also to the pressure mounting on him to make a decision about his future. He admits that his patience for an F1 seat won’t last forever. Meanwhile, in IndyCar, the expectations are sky-high, and after coming painfully close in previous seasons, it’s clear: 2025 is a make-or-break year for him.


McLaren’s Dual Commitment: F1 and IndyCar—But Where Does Pato Fit?

O’Ward’s offseason has been anything but restful. One moment, he was at the Super Bowl, featured in an IndyCar commercial that sent his DMs into overdrive. The next, he was in Spain, pounding out nearly 150 laps in a McLaren MCL60 at Jerez before jetting back to Texas for IndyCar’s Sebring test.

For years, O’Ward has been McLaren’s top reserve driver, hoping for a Formula 1 call-up. But with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri locked into long-term deals at the championship-winning team, the 25-year-old is beginning to question whether his F1 dream is slipping away.

“It’s like going to a buffet but not being able to eat,” O’Ward explained in a candid interview. “Everyone else is eating and enjoying, and you’re just there, watching them do what you love.”

The frustration is evident. O’Ward isn’t content being a ‘crumb’ in McLaren’s F1 success story—he wants a real seat. But with McLaren’s F1 doors seemingly closed, he knows he needs to pivot his focus back to IndyCar.

“I’m not open to doing this [F1 reserve role] for five more years,” he admitted. “There’s a deadline, and it will come sooner rather than later.”

So what’s next?


The IndyCar Championship Push: No More Excuses

With McLaren’s F1 seat looking increasingly out of reach, IndyCar is where O’Ward must now make his mark. And if there’s one thing missing from his impressive resume, it’s a championship.

Despite his talent, the 2024 season was defined by inconsistency. He finished fifth in the standings, 84 points behind champion Alex Palou, but the real issue wasn’t speed—it was reliability.

“Not finishing races kills you, man,” O’Ward admitted. “All our great weekends were great, but our bad weekends really sucked. We had four DNFs—that’s 80-100 points gone.”

Some of those mistakes were on him. He spun out at Toronto and crashed at Barber. Others were on the team, including mechanical failures at Gateway and Milwaukee.

In IndyCar, consistency is everything. Palou won the 2023 title without ever finishing worse than eighth. That’s the standard O’Ward needs to match.


Tony Kanaan Steps In: Can He Fix McLaren’s IndyCar Woes?

McLaren’s IndyCar program hasn’t made the leap it expected. Gavin Ward’s departure triggered a massive restructuring, and the team now operates under a Formula 1-style leadership committee.

The biggest shake-up? Tony Kanaan taking on a bigger role. The Indy 500 legend is stepping in to mentor O’Ward and help stabilize the operation.

“The team is behind you,” Kanaan told him. And O’Ward feels that support. But now, it’s about turning that backing into results.

“My goal? Finish every race. I know it seems simple, but it’s a lot harder to do,” O’Ward said. “I also need to qualify better. If you’re in the Fast Six regularly, your race is instantly easier.”


The Indy 500: O’Ward’s Obsession

If there’s one race that haunts Pato O’Ward, it’s the Indianapolis 500.

In 2024, he lost the lead with two corners to go, finishing runner-up—again. That’s twice now he’s been so close to drinking the milk, only to walk away empty-handed.

“It’s like the never-ending job that keeps getting heavier,” O’Ward admitted. “Every year, the pressure builds.”

For O’Ward, anything short of a win at Indy is a failure. “It’s not like, ‘Hey, we’re on the podium.’ It’s more like, ‘Haha, first loser, you suck.’”

That level of self-imposed pressure is both motivating and dangerous. Does it push him to the next level? Or does it force mistakes?


Balancing Risk and Reward: Can O’Ward Find the Perfect Blend?

One of O’Ward’s biggest challenges is finding the right balance between aggression and consistency.

IndyCar’s championship system rewards risk-takers, but it also punishes mistakes harshly. O’Ward’s aggressive nature is what makes him exciting to watch, but it’s also what cost him a shot at the title last year.

“I love taking risks, but you need to leave some room for things to happen,” he admitted.

That balance will be the key to his success in 2025.


The Verdict: A Defining Year for O’Ward

This season will define Pato O’Ward’s career.

  1. If he wins an IndyCar title, his legacy is cemented—and his F1 dreams may be permanently set aside.
  2. If he struggles, the questions will grow louder—is he overextending himself? Should he have committed to one series earlier?

McLaren is still searching for its first IndyCar championship. If O’Ward can be the one to deliver it, he won’t need to worry about Formula 1 politics—he’ll be IndyCar’s undisputed king.

For now, he’s betting on himself. The question is: Will that bet pay off?

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