IndyCar sensation Pato O'Ward reveals 2 biggest goals before F1 dream comes calling

Arrow McLaren's driver Pato O'Ward sat down for an interview with Ken Waller as the duo discussed the world of IndyCar racing. The interviewer questioned the Mexican driver about his long-term goals, as O'Ward revealed his two biggest goals before making the big step to Formula 1.

“What are your long-term goals in racing, and do you see yourself transitioning to Formula 1 in the future?” asked Ken Waller

“My biggest goal in racing is to win the Indianapolis 500. I would love to be an INDYCAR Champion as well. It would be great to tackle the challenge of Formula 1. I’m really close to those first two, so I’m happy with where my progress is so far. I’m just enjoying my time as a racing driver”, replied Pato O'Ward [via Gio Journal].

Pato O'Ward joined IndyCar in 2018 as a part-time driver and has been racing in the series as a full-timer for over 5 years. Arrow McLaren has been making steady strides in terms of performance, and the recent 100% acquisition by McLaren Racing will further boost the performance and optimization within the team.

O'Ward has finished in the Top 5 of the IndyCar championship in 4 of his 5 full-time seasons. The Mexican driver has seven race wins in the series along with 26 podiums. At just 25 years old O'Ward has a lot of time to grow and improve.

If the Mexican is able to put in consistent performances throughout the upcoming season, he can very well be in the championship fight. As far as winning the Indy 500 goes, O’Ward finished P2 at the 2024 race, with Josef Newgarden overtaking him in the final laps.

Pato O'Ward gave an update on IndyCar’s Mexico race

Pato O'Ward during the Formula 1 testing at Yas Marina Circuit - Source: Getty

Pato O'Ward came out last year and suggested IndyCar expand its calendar to Mexico, as it currently only races in the US and Canada. Earlier this year, Penske CEO Mark Miles gave an update on the Mexico race detailing how the corporation has made significant steps in closing a deal.

O’Ward came out on the Pit Pass Indy podcast and gave an update on the IndyCar’s race in Mexico as he said:

“I think we can see it as soon as 2026. That's definitely what I've been pushing for and what I know IndyCar is pushing for. It might be pretty close to the Arlington Grand Prix. You never know if they might be back-to-backs because it is gonna be the closest one to Mexico, in terms of logistics travel-wise.”

“So yeah, we'll see, but I'm definitely a huge part of that Mexican event and excited to help IndyCar get there and make sure (we) knock it out of the park,” Pato O'Ward added [18:43 onwards].

The Arrow McLaren driver drove McLaren's F1 car at the Mexico GP circuit in 2024 during the Free Practice 1 session and received a huge welcome from the fans.