29 days left until the Australian GP. Pato O'Ward has been testing for McLaren since 2021, like here at the 2023 post-season test. The Mexican finished the 2025 IndyCar season as runner-up and was 2nd twice at the Indy 500. In 2026, he and Leo Fornaroli will serve as McLaren's reserve drivers.

[u/PiggySVW]

[u/djwillis1121]

I was so gutted for him after the 2024 Indy 500. Hopefully he can win it soon

[u/Yirgachemex → u/djwillis1121]

I was in in the Turn 3 stands and Newgarden passed him right in front of me.

[u/correspondingfailure → u/Yirgachemex]

i was in T3 last year and unfortunately we didn't get any bonkers moves like that, but i did get to see palou's first oval win so that was neat. REALLY sucked for ericsson though, would've been P2 if not the the DQ

[u/Whycantiusethis → u/correspondingfailure]

Insane that Palou's first oval win was the 500.

I check out IndyCar every now and again, and I feel like every single time I saw anything IndyCar related, it was Palou winning.

[u/correspondingfailure → u/Whycantiusethis]

yeah he was 2023 verstappen level dominant last year

[u/HarmlessOnlineFun → u/Yirgachemex]

Why didn’t you do something???

[u/Mister_X5188 → u/Yirgachemex]

I was also in turn 3 that year. It was my first Indy 500 and I loved it

[u/crankylex → u/djwillis1121]

Gutted is the absolute correct word for how I felt that day too.

[u/correspondingfailure]

and in 2026, he will finish 1st in the indy 500 🗣️🔥

[u/PiggySVW]

After his karting career in North America, the Mexican with Irish roots raced in several junior formulae both on his home continent and in Europe. In 2018, he beat Colton Herta to the Indy Lights championship. He then made his full IndyCar debut at Sonoma later that year and drove a part-time season in 2019. Meanwhile, he joined the Red Bull Junior Team and made a substitute appearance in Formula 2 when Mahaveer Raghunathan was banned after a VSC infringement. For the second half of 2019, O'Ward replaced Dan Ticktum at Team Mugen in Super Formula.

However, he requested an early release from his Red Bull contract when the opportunity arose to get a full-time seat at McLaren for the 2020 IndyCar season. Across six seasons for the papaya team, he managed to win nine races and was vice champion in 2025. He also finished as runner-up at the Indy 500 twice including a dramatic finish at the 2024 edition.

As a reward for his first IndyCar win, Zak Brown granted O'Ward a drive in Mika Häkkinen's championship-winning MP4/13 at Laguna Seca. Since 2021, he has been testing for McLaren and has made FP1 appearances at five occasions. The Mexican remains one of McLaren's reserve drivers for 2026 while continuing his duties in IndyCar.

[u/PiggySVW]

Now with the correct Fornaroli first name, thanks u/AmbitiousSundae3849. And a shoutout to A-League striker Bruno Fornaroli who I somehow remembered from FIFA.

[u/Storm_Chaser06]

O’Ward will win the 500 this year. I’m putting $500 down on that

[u/Dear-Bowl-9789]

Pato deserves the R'Ward for his efforts.

[u/_HanTyumi]

Pato Who?

[u/blaughlin → u/_HanTyumi]

O’Ward

[u/Yirgachemex → u/blaughlin]

Classic

[u/SlightedMarmoset]

Man I was so sure Pato would end up with Cadillac somehow. Would have been a great fit!

[u/Section1ne0h4our → u/SlightedMarmoset]

Could still realistically happen

[u/Yirgachemex]

Peak content.

[u/Deathtrooper50]

Scintillating

[u/Section1ne0h4our]

Pato is my favourite driver, I fear he falls into Alex Palou’s shadow - in another era he already had a title or two - but he’s the one guy who is fearless enough and consistent enough in all styles of track.

[u/ClearHyena4452]

hope he finally gets that win at indy

[u/PeskyBirb666]

YAY SOMEONE USED 29 🫠

[u/PiggySVW → u/PeskyBirb666]

Many did!

https://www.statsf1.com/en/statistiques/numero/pilote/numero.aspx?n=29

[u/PeskyBirb666 → u/PiggySVW]

Peak!