"I heard it in the car" - Pato O'Ward recalls the deafening Indy 500 ovation Josef Newgarden received

Pato O'Ward was on the wrong side of IndyCar history at the 2024 Indy 500. In the final corner of the final lap, Josef Newgarden overtook him to win his second consecutive race at the Brickyard. Ahead of the 2025 season, O'Ward recalled that surreal moment that brought the crowd to its feet.

The Arrow McLaren driver looked set to win his first Indy 500 after he took the race lead from Newgarden as the final lap started. Until Turn 3, he attempted to break the tow to keep the two-time IndyCar champ behind. However, coming into turn 3, Newgarden made a brave overtaking move on the outside to reclaim his throne. The 345,000 fans in attendance lost their minds and deafening cheers consumed the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

In a recent interview with IMS and IndyCar President Doug Boles, O'Ward described the audience's loud ovation for Newgarden's overtake.

"Oh, it's unbelievable, unbelievable. I heard it in the car. And people are like, 'There's no way you heard it.' I heard it (bumps his hand on chair for emphasis). I heard it because at that point we were kind of crossing the bricks. At that point, you are not up in the revs in sixth gear. You've got the buzz of the engine and it's just you. I was like, 'What!' Obviously, I wasn't looking around, but I heard the volume of something that wasn't the car elevate. That was pretty magical," the Mexican driver said.

O'Ward was in tears when his helmet finally came off in the pit lane. His team members, family, and girlfriend were seen consoling him after the emotional rollercoaster.

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Pato O'Ward was at a loss for words after bitter Indy 500 loss

Pato O'Ward: Formula 1 Testing In Abu Dhabi - Source: Getty

Pato O'Ward's voice was shaky when he made it to the post-race interviews for the 108th Indy 500 in the pit lane. His raw emotions were on display. The 25-year-old explained how volatile his race was and yet he managed to get agonizingly close to victory.

"It is hard to put it into words. We went back, we went forward, we went back. Some people were driving like maniacs. We had so many near-race enders. Just so close again. So f***ing close. I put that car through things I never thought it was going to be able to do. It is always a heartbreak when you’re so close, especially when it’s not the first time and you don’t know how many opportunities you have," he said via Motorsports on NBC on YouTube. [0:25]

The next morning of the "Greatest Spectacle of Racing", he made an X post to express his gratitude to fans who made him feel revitalized with their messages. The No. 5 Chevrolet driver also thanked his team at Arrow McLaren.

O'Ward closed 2024 with a series-high three victories and a fifth-place finish in the championship standings. He found synergy with the hybrid power units introduced in the second half of the season, and that will be one of the factors giving him an edge in 2025, IndyCar's first full season with the hybrid technology.