Pato O’Ward became the champion of the American Indy Lights series in 2018, after which the talented Mexican was invited to the Red Bull youth program, but he did not stay there, and for the same reason that Colton Herta will not be able to debut in Formula 1 in the near future, another promising overseas racer – due to the lack of an FIA super license.
But soon Pato signed a contract with McLaren Racing, as the British company has its own team in IndyCar, justifying the trust placed in him: he finished his debut season in 4th place in the individual standings and in 2021 he started winning races. and came in the top three, after which Zach Brown rewarded him with tests in Abu Dhabi.
In general, McLaren treats him very respectfully, otherwise they would not have been tasked with driving unique historic cars: for example, last year at the Velocity International festival he drove the MP4/13 championship of Mika Hakkinen and this fall – Ayrton Senna’s MP4 / 5B . Of course last year’s MCL35M is not limited to demonstration performance and testing, and now Pato will have his first Friday practice in Abu Dhabi behind the wheel of the MCL36.
O’Ward will continue to drive for the Arrow McLaren SP team in IndyCar next year, but of course in the future he dreams of pursuing a career in Formula 1.
“I am preparing for this step by step. At the same time, it is important not to anticipate events too much, although that is not easy, quotes the 23-year-old Mexican edition of The Race. “But it’s just as important to enjoy the work I’m doing now and get the best possible results.
I have a feeling that if I trade this way, the doors will open and everything will work out as it should. Of course, if I do my job well and continue to perform at a high level.
When I train in Abu Dhabi I will better understand what it means to work behind the wheel of a modern Formula 1 car, but I am just really grateful for this opportunity. Meanwhile, I want to absorb information like a sponge and keep learning. And just trying to perform better, helping the team and never forgetting to enjoy the moment is generally the most important thing.
Source: F1 News
I’m Todderic Kirkman, a journalist and author for athletistic. I specialize in covering all news related to sports, ranging from basketball to football and everything in between. With over 10 years of experience in the industry, I have become an invaluable asset to my team. My ambition is to bring the most up-to-date information on sports topics around the world.
