Pato O’Ward
Patricio “Pato” O’Ward Junco, born on 6 May 1999, is a Mexican professional racing driver who competes full-time in the IndyCar Series for Arrow McLaren. He drives the No. 5 Chevrolet and is a member of the McLaren Driver Development Programme, where he also serves as a reserve driver for the McLaren Formula One team. A two-time runner-up at the Indianapolis 500, O’Ward captured the 2018 Indy Lights championship and has emerged as one of the most consistent contenders on the IndyCar grid.
Early Life and Background
Patricio O’Ward Junco was born in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico, to Patricio O’Ward and Elba Junco. He attended high school in San Antonio, Texas, in the United States, splitting his upbringing between the two countries. O’Ward has explained that his surname comes from his Irish great-grandfather and that he considers himself Mexican and American.
O’Ward began his racing career in karting at the end of 2005 and stayed in karting through 2012. He moved into open-wheel racing in 2013, competing in the LATAM Formula 2000, the Formula Renault 1.6 NEC, and the Pacific F2000 series. Those early seasons gave him the seat time and race craft that shaped his climb up the junior ladder.
Path to NASCAR
Although Pato O’Ward is widely associated with open-wheel racing, his professional career has run through European and American junior formulae, the Road to Indy, and the IndyCar Series rather than the NASCAR ladder. His development included the French F4 Championship in 2014 and the Pro Mazda Championship in 2015 and 2016 with Team Pelfrey, where he finished sixth and then runner-up in the standings.
Pato O’Ward Career
Early Career (2013-2017)
O’Ward’s early professional years were spent mastering a wide range of cars. In 2014, he raced in the French F4 Championship before moving to the Pro Mazda Championship with Team Pelfrey in 2015 and 2016. He added a 2017 sports car campaign with Performance Tech Motorsports in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Prototype Challenge class, co-driving with James French to win the 24 Hours of Daytona, the 12 Hours of Sebring, and the Prototype Challenge drivers championship. At seventeen, he became the youngest driver ever to win both Daytona and Sebring in the class.
Indy Lights Championship (2017-2018)
In 2018, O’Ward signed with Andretti Autosport in Indy Lights. He won nine of seventeen races, was named Rookie of the Year, and clinched the drivers’ championship at the penultimate round in Portland, beating Colton Herta for the title. The dominant run established him as a top American open-wheel prospect.
IndyCar Debut and Early Years (2018-2019)
Two weeks after sealing the Indy Lights title, O’Ward made his IndyCar Series debut at Sonoma Raceway with Harding Racing in 2018, qualifying fifth and finishing ninth to tie David Martínez for the best debut result by a Mexican driver in American open-wheel racing. A planned full-time move with Harding Steinbrenner Racing in 2019 collapsed due to sponsorship, and O’Ward landed a part-time deal with Carlin, racing thirteen events and placing 26th in points with a best finish of eighth at Circuit of the Americas.
Off-track, O’Ward joined the Red Bull Junior Team in May 2019 and made a one-event Formula 2 appearance at the Red Bull Ring, replacing the banned Mahaveer Raghunathan. He was also named as Dan Ticktum’s replacement in the Super Formula Championship, but limited Super License points from his Indy Lights title kept him from a Formula One seat, and Red Bull released him after three Super Formula rounds.
Arrow McLaren Era (2020-Present)
On 30 October 2019, O’Ward was confirmed at Arrow McLaren SP for 2020, and the relationship has defined his rise. His first season produced early podiums at Road America, a sixth-place Indianapolis 500 finish, and the Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year award. In 2021, O’Ward became the first Mexican IndyCar winner since Adrián Fernández in 2004, taking the XPEL 375 at Texas Motor Speedway, and added a second win on the streets of Detroit while finishing third in the championship behind Álex Palou and Josef Newgarden. He also won the A.J. Foyt Cup as the top oval driver of 2021.
After signing a three-year extension in 2022, O’Ward finished second in that year’s Indianapolis 500 and added a short-oval win at Iowa. The 2023 season brought no wins but a career-high number of podiums and top-five finishes, with a fourth-place championship result. In 2024, he was awarded the St. Petersburg opener after Josef Newgarden was stripped of the win, led laps and finished second at the Indianapolis 500, took Mid-Ohio to become the first winner of IndyCar’s hybrid era, and added a Milwaukee Mile victory to post his first season with more than two wins. The 2025 campaign has produced further wins, including his eighth career victory at Iowa in his one-hundredth IndyCar start and the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto, with a championship-best finish of second in the standings.
Driving Style and Strengths
O’Ward is regarded as one of the most well-rounded drivers on the IndyCar grid, comfortable on ovals, road courses, and street circuits alike. His smooth car control and aggressive race craft are paired with a sharp strategic sense, and he has built a strong relationship with his Arrow McLaren engineering group. The 2021 A.J. Foyt Cup underscored his oval prowess, while his 2024 Mid-Ohio win demonstrated his road-course race management in the new hybrid era.
Notable Races and Milestones
Signature moments include his 2021 XPEL 375 breakthrough, the 2022 Indianapolis 500 where he nosed ahead of Marcus Ericsson on the final lap, the 2024 hybrid-era win at Mid-Ohio, and his 100th-start victory at Iowa in 2025. He is a two-time Indianapolis 500 runner-up and the 2018 Indy Lights champion.
Pato O’Ward Career Wins
As of mid-2025, Pato O’Ward has accumulated 9 IndyCar Series victories, 32 podium finishes, and 7 pole positions in his full-time IndyCar career. His win collection spans ovals, permanent road courses, and street circuits, and he added the A.J. Foyt Cup in 2021 as the top oval scorer of the season.
IndyCar Series Highlights
O’Ward’s first IndyCar win came at Texas Motor Speedway in 2021, the second race of a Texas double-header, making him the first Mexican IndyCar winner since 2004. His most recent verified wins are the 2024 Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio and the 2025 Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto, with the 2025 XPEL Grand Prix at Iowa marking his eighth career victory. He is a two-time Indianapolis 500 runner-up, finishing second in 2022 and 2024, and a two-time Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year award winner in spirit through his 2020 honor and a third-place run in 2025.
Other Wins and Performances
Outside IndyCar, O’Ward is a 2017 IMSA Prototype Challenge champion, having won the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring in the PC class. He returned to the 24 Hours of Daytona in 2022 with DragonSpeed in LMP2, sharing the winning car with Colton Herta, Devlin DeFrancesco, and Eric Lux.
Pato O’Ward Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
O’Ward’s father, Patricio O’Ward, and his mother, Elba Junco, raised him between Monterrey, Mexico, and San Antonio, Texas. He has spoken openly about his Irish great-grandfather’s influence on the family name, describing his heritage as both Mexican and American.
Personal Life
O’Ward splits his time between the United States and Mexico while pursuing his IndyCar program and his duties as a McLaren Formula One reserve driver. He is a public ambassador for Mexican motorsport and continues to be a leading figure for open-wheel racing in the region.
2025 Season Performance
O’Ward’s 2025 IndyCar campaign opened with an eleventh-place finish at St. Petersburg before momentum built through the spring and early summer. He captured his eighth career victory at Iowa, in his 100th series start, and added a ninth at the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto. At the 109th Indianapolis 500, he finished third behind Álex Palou and David Malukas, extending his streak of top results at the Brickyard.
Through mid-season, O’Ward remained in championship contention with teammate Christian Lundgaard inside the Arrow McLaren camp, and his consistency on ovals, road courses, and street circuits kept him inside the top five in points. With the second half of the season ahead, the focus is on maintaining regular podium form and converting strong race pace into race wins to mount a serious challenge for the Astor Cup.
Off the IndyCar track, O’Ward continued his role as a McLaren Formula One reserve driver, taking part in the Mexico City Grand Prix free practice and the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix activities during the 2025 season. That dual programme, combined with his Arrow McLaren contract, positions him for a pivotal year in his North American campaign.