"It is hard to put it into words": When Pato O'Ward made his disappointed feelings known as Josef Newgarden secured major IndyCar benchmark

Josef Newgarden created history in May 2024 by winning his second consecutive Indy 500. His last lap pass on Arrow McLaren's Pato O'Ward made the crowd erupt, and Team Penske began the celebrations. But inside O'Ward's cockpit, anguish flowed.

The Mexican driver had gone from fourth to first within 13 laps, passing Scott Dixon on Lap 187 for third, Alex Rossi on Lap 190 for second, and swapped the lead with Newgarden four times in the last six laps. Though O'Ward took the lead in Turn 1 of the last lap, his No. 2 Penske rival retook it in Turn 3. Newgarden then easily sailed to victory, becoming the first driver since Helio Castroneves to win consecutively at the Brickyard in 2001-02.

On a day when O'Ward could've become the first Mexican driver to win the Indy 500, his skill failed against his rival and two-time IndyCar champ Newgarden's experience. The No. 5 Arrow McLaren driver was devastated after the near miss. His raw emotions surfaced, and he gave the post-race interview with teary eyes. He said (via AP News):

"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. 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."

"I’m fine," Pato O'Ward added. "It’s been a tough month, so much goes into this race. I think I’m somebody who wears my heart on my sleeve. I don’t really hide anything. And it’s just, when you come so close, and it just doesn’t seem to happen, it’s just a lot of emotion."

Pato O'Ward's previous results in the Indy 500 include a P6 on debut in 2020, fourth in 2021, a near-missed victory with P2 in 2022, and a DNF in 2023 after his race-ending crash with Marcus Ericsson. Though the 2024 loss stung him, the Mexican driver left the Indianapolis Motor Speedway a hero.

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Pato O'Ward became a "tremendous champion" in Josef Newgarden's eyes after "clean" Indy 500 battle

Josef Newgarden with his 2024 Indy 500 winner's trophy - Source: Getty

Pato O'Ward has been a force to reckon with since his IndyCar debut. With seven wins and 26 podiums in five years, the Mexican driver has established himself as a potential future IndyCar champion.

Even in the 2024 Indy 500, which ended in a lost cause, he raced Josef Newgarden fairly and avoided a repeat of his 2023 crash. Post-race, Newgarden thanked and commended him for holding up the value of "clean" wheel-to-wheel racing. He said (via IndyStar):

"It’s not that Pato O'Ward didn’t race me hard, he just raced me clean. That move (Newgarden's overtake in Turn 3) doesn’t work unless you’re racing someone like that. It just doesn’t. It's very easy that that doesn't work out. And so I think he's a tremendous champion. He could have easily won the race himself. He was very capable of that with his team. For us, it worked out. He drove me excellently. I’m very thankful for him and the way that he drove."

6x IndyCar champ Scott Dixon also consoled O'Ward, emphasizing how he had "plenty of time on his hands" to win the prestigious Indy 500. In 2024, O'Ward finished fifth in the championship standings with three wins and 460 points.