Pato O’Ward, a prominent figure in the IndyCar racing series, has garnered a passionate following as one of Mexico’s leading motorsport talents. Despite his current success in IndyCar, O’Ward once came close to securing a spot in Formula 1, a dream that ultimately unraveled due to circumstances outside his control. His journey toward F1 included multiple free practice sessions with McLaren over four years, showcasing promising times that fueled hopes of a future in the sport.
Before establishing himself in IndyCar, O’Ward built his early racing career competing in various feeder championships across Europe and North America. Financial difficulties, however, shifted his trajectory. In 2017, his breakthrough arrived in sports car racing when he joined Performance Tech Motorsport in the IMSA LMP2 category, winning nearly every race and capturing the championship with ease.
Climbing the Ranks: From Indy Lights to IndyCar Ambitions
After his success in sports cars, O’Ward returned to single-seaters by joining Andretti Autosport in the 2018 Indy Lights series alongside Colton Herta. The two dominated that season, securing 14 out of 17 wins between them, with O’Ward taking nine victories to claim the championship. This performance set the stage for an anticipated move to IndyCar in 2019.
However, the step up was complicated by financial troubles within Harding Racing, which left O’Ward without a confirmed seat. He managed a partial season with Carlin, showing flashes of talent such as an eighth-place finish at Circuit of the Americas but also encountering setbacks like failing to qualify for the Indy 500. Despite these challenges, O’Ward’s potential did not go unnoticed in Europe. In May 2019, Dr. Helmut Marko, renowned for his talent scouting in motorsport, expressed interest in O’Ward’s abilities.
The Opportunity with Red Bull’s Driver Programme
Red Bull’s driver academy, once a robust pipeline for F1 talent, faced difficulties in 2019 due to inconsistent performance and lineup changes. While Max Verstappen and Pierre Gasly held seats at Red Bull Racing, their sister team Toro Rosso had less stability, with drivers like Daniil Kvyat losing their seats and up-and-comers Dan Ticktum and Nirei Fukuzumi being overlooked for promotion.
In this context, Helmut Marko brought O’Ward into the Red Bull program and placed him in Japan’s Super Formula series to build experience. Despite limited racing time in 2019, O’Ward appeared ready to swap IndyCar for a 2020 F1 seat, potentially at Toro Rosso alongside Gasly. However, a critical obstacle loomed: the FIA superlicence, a mandatory qualification needed to race in Formula 1.
Superlicence Issues Halt Progress to Formula 1
O’Ward had initially secured approval for his FIA superlicence from then-F1 race director Charlie Whiting, a key requirement to fulfill the minimum criteria for F1 participation. Tragically, Whiting passed away before the 2019 season commenced. His successor, Michael Masi, introduced regulatory changes that affected O’Ward’s superlicence application, effectively revoking his eligibility.
“In that process of joining Carlin, I get signed by Red Bull,”
O’Ward told David Land. “I am with Red Bull for the remainder of 2019, which I had signed a contract to go to Formula 1 at the end of 2019, but it was contingent on my superlicence, which had been pre-approved by Charlie Whiting.
“When that was done, he still hadn’t passed away. Few weeks later he passes away new team comes in, politics decided to show up and they don’t give me my superlicence.
So by then I am in Japan trying to get these extra points for the superlicence, they still don’t want to count them because I am not doing the full championship, so everything just falls apart.
O’Ward’s pursuit to gather additional points in Japan’s Super Formula to qualify under revised criteria failed to satisfy the FIA, adding to his frustrations and ending the immediate prospect of joining the F1 grid.
McLaren’s Offer and a New Turning Point
With O’Ward’s F1 ambitions in jeopardy and an underwhelming stint in Japan, he faced uncertainty about his driving future. Still, his reputation remained strong, attracting interest from influential figures like Zak Brown of McLaren, who wanted to expand his involvement with Arrow Schmidt Motorsports. Unfortunately, the team’s 2020 driver lineup had already been finalized, with Oliver Askew and James Hinchcliffe confirmed, while O’Ward was restricted by his ongoing Red Bull contract.
When the FIA refused to reinstate his license, Helmut Marko released O’Ward from his Red Bull contract, enabling the Mexican to pursue opportunities elsewhere. This moment became critical in redirecting his career.
“But Zak had been kind of poking me around June [2019] or so, ‘he was like, ‘ What are you thinking?’, and I was like ‘I am not free, man, I have a contract, and I can’t do anything’,”
O’Ward explained. “In September I was at a media tour in Mexico for Red Bull, Helmut calls me and he’s like ‘Well the FIA, is not going to give you your superlicence so you’re free to go.’
“Which honestly [makes him] one of the best people I’ve dealt with. Because everybody in this business will always think for themselves and think, ‘Ah, his contract doesn’t end until December, ah, screw him, not going to affect me, whatever.
My contact wasn’t up until the end of December, and he called me, and he said,
“You are free to go, this is your future. I can see if we can get you a seat in Formula 2, but I can’t promise a seat in Formula 1 because I don’t know who’s going to be in the seat.”
Faced with limited alternatives and pressing financial needs, particularly as his parents were struggling, O’Ward reached out to Zak Brown to seek opportunities for 2020. Eventually, James Hinchcliffe lost his race seat, opening the door for O’Ward to return to North America and make a full commitment to IndyCar.
‘I was like ‘man, I need to start making money’, and by then my parents weren’t doing very well, so yeah, I believed IndyCar was my best opportunity,
O’Ward said. “It was a bit late by racing terms, like choosing who’s going to be your driver for at least Zak to make a decision.
The day I get let off by [Red Bull], I know this is late, but I am free’. A week later, he’s like,
Here’s a contact, didn’t really negotiate, as at the point, I had to take whatever they gave me. And yeah, they decided to let go of James, and they put me in the five, and we’re still here, so I guess I am doing something right!”
What This Means for Pato O’Ward and the Future of His Racing Career
Pato O’Ward’s near-miss with Formula 1 arose from a combination of regulatory hurdles and organizational changes beyond his hands, highlighting the sometimes unpredictable nature of motorsport careers. Despite this setback, his talent and determination have kept him competitive at the highest levels of racing outside F1, notably in IndyCar where he continues to build his reputation. His experience underscores the critical impact that the FIA superlicence and team politics can have on rising stars aiming for Formula 1.
As O’Ward has now focused fully on IndyCar, his return has been met with excitement by fans who recognize his skill and potential. Should circumstances with the FIA or team opportunities shift in the future, his prior connection with McLaren and Red Bull may reopen doors. For the moment, however, O’Ward’s focus remains on excelling in IndyCar, a platform where he can thrive and support his ambitions in motorsport while honoring the deep Mexican racing heritage that both he and Sergio Perez represent.
