IndyCar working "very aggressively" to fulfill Pato O'Ward's dream of a race in Mexico

The Vice President of Penske Entertainment, Michael Montri, has given an update on IndyCar's plans for a race in Mexico, which Pato O'Ward, the series' most popular driver and its only Mexican driver, has been urging for since 2021.

O'Ward's dream, however, has yet to materialize. In 2024, when NASCAR beat IndyCar to secure a race in Mexico City, the Arrow McLaren driver was disappointed. IndyCar CEO Mark Miles then made a controversial comment stating how O'Ward wasn't famous enough to warrant a race in Mexico. However, he later clarified his stance, not meaning to demean the star driver.

Recently, Penske VP Michael Montri confirmed their ongoing efforts to capitalize on O'Ward's popularity and simultaneously fulfill his dream on the Pit Pass Indy podcast.

"We're working on it, for sure. Obviously, it's an issue of ours to get down there, particularly when Pato's in our series and while he's so popular and his popularity is growing. It's great to have him in the series and we're working on it."

"You know I'd like to tell you that it's a done deal and we're gonna race there as soon as next year, but I can't say that right now. But we're working on it very, very, very aggressively, let's say," he said.

IndyCar last raced in Mexico City in 2007 during the CART era and the series' last international race was the Sau Paolo Indy 300 in Brazil in 2013.

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Pato O'Ward gives a promising update for an IndyCar race in Mexico from 2026

Pato O'Ward at the F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2024 - Source: Getty

Earlier in January this year, IndyCar CEO Mark Miles revealed to motorsport.com that the series made progress on the Mexico front and another race in Denver. In another interview, Miles confirmed a strong interest in a Mexico City race, emphasizing how they had taken the stance of 'sooner is better'.

Pato O'Ward cheerfully commented on such a turnaround during IndyCar's media days earlier this month.

"People are going to be pumped. I'm going to be pumped. I hope all of you are going to be pumped because it's [the race in Mexico] going to be a great event. It's going to be the best event on the calendar outside of the Indy 500. I know there's talks going on. I know it's quite more advanced than what it's ever been. I really hope we see it on the calendar in 2026."

O'Ward also promised to be as involved as possible to fast-track the negotiations between IndyCar and the Mexico City race promoters. The 25-year-old, who serves as McLaren's F1 reserve driver, last drove in Mexico City during F1's 2024 Mexico GP weekend. He replaced Lando Norris in FP1.

On the IndyCar racing front, O'Ward is aiming for more consistency in the 2025 season after a volatile 2024 with Arrow McLaren, where results swayed in both extremes. He scored a career-best three victories in a single season last year but ended up finishing in fifth place in the standings, one position down from 2023.