"Exciting personality" Pato O'Ward becomes IndyCar president Doug Boles' key to unlock the sport's growth

IndyCar President Doug Boles has branded Pato O'Ward as an "exciting personality" who can help grow the sport amongst a younger audience. Boles has recently taken over as the President of the series and has also been serving as the chief of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway since 2013.

Pato O'Ward is arguably an asset to IndyCar, as he brings a huge Mexican audience to the sport, which otherwise may not have tuned in to watch the American series. On top of that, the 25-year-old is also one of the quickest drivers on the grid currently, making him one of the most marketable drivers.

Even FOX Sports branded O'Ward as the "next face of IndyCar" in their commercial, aired during this year's Super Bowl.

Speaking to the Zionsville Monthly Magazine, Boles explained how he thinks O'Ward could be one of the drivers who can help grow the sport further, especially amongst a younger audience, as the seven-time race-winner is in his 20s.

“In order for the sport to grow, and for the Indy 500 to grow, we’re figuring out how to bring in the younger generations. So Pato O’Ward, for example, is in his early 20s, has an exciting personality and is fast on the racetrack," said Boles.

"So, we have those drivers that are younger as a way to reach out. We are working to get smarter in how we target our customers and our potential customers,” he added.

After an underwhelming start to the season in St. Petersburg, where he finished 11th, O'Ward will be hoping to make amends in round 2, as we head to the Thermal Club Grand Prix next. The race in California is scheduled to go ahead on March 23 and is set to be the first championship event to be held at the Thermal Club.

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How Pato O'Ward reacted to his disappointing first race of the 2025 season in St. Petersburg

Pato O'Ward in his #5 Arrow McLaren during the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg - Source: Getty

Pato O'Ward explained that he and his McLaren team managed to turn a bad day into a decent one because of the drive and the teamwork. The Mexican finished 11th at the end of the race but it was still a decent comeback after starting 23rd on the grid.

O'Ward had a poor qualifying, as the 25-year-old struggled his way to only 23rd on the grid. But he salvaged a few points for the team and finished just outside the top 10 after a decent race. After the race, he posted on X about turning a bad day into a relatively good one.

"We turned 💩 into gold today. Proud of my #5 @ArrowMcLaren crew. p.s thanks to everyone who came out to support us, you guys are the beeessstttt❤️"

O'Ward will be hoping for bigger gains and further growth this season, after having finished fifth in the drivers' standings in 2024. He will be hoping to claim his first championship, or at least emulate his best-ever season in IndyCar, when he finished third in 2021, having been in the title fight until the last race.