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In 2021, Pato O'Ward shared his first experience of driving an F1 car with McLaren driver Lando Norris. The Mexican took part in a Young Drivers Test for the Papaya team at Abu Dhabi, and Norris was also present at the circuit during the post-season test.
McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown had promised O'Ward an F1 test if the Mexican won an IndyCar race in the 2021 season. The driver then went on to claim not one but two races with Arrow McLaren in the 2021 season, and the promise was subsequently fulfilled for him.
O'Ward took part in McLaren's Abu Dhabi Young Driver Test on December 18, 2021, after the season had already concluded. This was the first time that the then 22-year-old had driven an F1 car, and he shared his amazement about the machine throughout the test. Behind-the-scenes footage of the test was shared on McLaren's official Youtube page, and the team's F1 driver Lando Norris could also be seen at the circuit during the test.
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In the video, Norris asked O'Ward about the biggest difference that he felt between an F1 car and an Indy car. The Mexican first mentioned the high level of grip in the F1 car impressed him, and then also shared that he struggled with keeping his neck straight amid the high levels of G-Force.
"I mean, I'm sure you felt it [coming] from F2, the neck. Mate, all the morning I was fine. As soon as I started doing all the long runs, I-I had to put a pad in." O'Ward shared.
Norris then teased O'Ward and jokingly told him that he should not have admitted to using a pad on camera.
In the video, O'Ward was also visited by Daniel Ricciardo, who sat inside the car while still in the garage. The Aussie driver was at McLaren during that time and spent two seasons with the team from 2021 to 2022.
"He has not crashed": Pato O'Ward and Lando Norris' hilarious conversation about him driving the Briton's car
Lando Norris joked that Pato O'Ward had not crashed the car during his first F1 test, and the Mexican sheepishly replied by saying that there were still two more hours of the test to go. Norris also claimed that O'Ward was actually driving his car for the test in Abu Dhabi.
In the same video posted by McLaren back in December 2021, O'Ward and Norris had a hilarious conversation midway through the Mexican's first F1 outing, as Norris joked that it was a positive that O'Ward did not crash the car.
"He has not crashed, so, I am happy." Norris told the camera.
"Hey, two hours to go,", O'Ward replied, while tapping his head.
Since 2021, Pato O'Ward has done several additional tests with McLaren and even made his first F1 Practice Session appearance at the 2023 Mexican Grand Prix. He was also the reserve driver for the Papaya team's F1 outfit in 2024 and has continued in that role for 2025.
