Pato O’Ward has built a sizeable fanbase in his native Mexico and further afield as a consistent front-runner in IndyCar, so here is everything you need to know about the Arrow McLaren driver.
The driver of the No. 5 car has competed for Arrow McLaren since 2020, having previously raced for Carlin and made his IndyCar debut with Harding Racing in 2018.
After a long wait, the Mexican took his first IndyCar victory at Texas Motor Speedway in 2021. It also earned O’ward a test in the McLaren Formula 1 car in Abu Dhabi after making a deal with McLaren Racing’s Chief Executive, Zak Brown.
Pato O’Ward took his first IndyCar win in just his second season
The Mexican driver had moments of brilliance throughout the early stages of his career, but he did not step onto the IndyCar podium before joining Arrow McLaren in 2020.
O’Ward hit the ground running at his new team and took second place in the second Road America race in Wisconsin, a major moment in his career.
More podiums followed that season, finishing second and third over the two races on the oval at Gateway before a third second-place finish at the season’s final round at St. Petersburg.
But 2020 was even more impressive for O’Ward, scoring podiums and finishing fourth in the standings ahead of Team Penske’s Will Power. He proved he could battle at the front of the field but hadn’t quite taken a victory.
Heading into 2021, the Mexican picked up where he left off the year before, scoring fourth place at the season opener at Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama.
After a difficult race at St. Petersburg, finishing down in 19th place, O’Ward stormed to his first victory in IndyCar at Texas Motor Speedway, continuing his good form on ovals.
He stood on the podium in both races on the oval, taking third place in the first running before triumphing in the second race of the weekend. The Arrow McLaren driver usurped American Josef Newgarden as Graham Rahal took third place.
A mixed month of May followed, floundering in the Indy GP before finishing fourth in the Indy 500. The penultimate weekend at Belle Isle followed and O’Ward delivered a superb weekend.
Third place the first race laid the foundations for an excellent victory on the bumpy, unforgiving streets in Detroit in the second running.
No more wins would follow for the Mexican that season, who endured a mixed return before scoring second place at Gateway, his third podium there in three races.
O’Ward lost the lead of the 2024 Indy 500 on the last lap
No Mexican driver has ever won the Indy 500 throughout its history, but O’Ward came agonisingly close in 2024 to winning IndyCar’s showpiece race.
He battled an oversteering Arrow McLaren throughout the 200 laps and a blisteringly fast Newgarden driving the No. 2 Team Penske car.
O’Ward kept out of trouble as Power and Colton Herta failed to finish at The Brickyard. As the white flag fell and they started the last lap, the Arrow McLaren driver used the draft to get in front of Newgarden heading into Turn 1.
The American stayed close to the race leader and returned to the lead on the back straight, passing O’Ward around the outside of Turn 3.
Newgarden took his second Indy 500 win in two years, while the 25-year-old had to settle for second, his second runner-up finish in three years at the Indy 500.
O’Ward came close to taking the victory one year earlier, as well, but collided with Marcus Ericsson to end his race as Newgarden took the win for the first time.
Pato O’Ward took victory in his class at the Rolex 24 on his debut at Daytona
Alongside his excellent IndyCar career and raw speed on both road circuits and ovals, O’Ward has taken class wins at the Rolex 24 at Daytona.
The Mexican first attempted the 24 Hours of Daytona in 2017 with Performance Tech Motorsports in the Prototype Challenge class and won his first endurance race.
Throughout that season, O’Ward continued to race in endurance racing, winning six of the seven races he competed in after Daytona, only missing out on victory at Road Atlanta in the PC class.
O’Ward returned to Daytona in 2018, finishing eighth, before taking his second win four years later in LMP2. He also competed in the event in 2024, ending the race in sixth place.
So, with that in mind, here is everything that you need to know about O’Ward…
How old is Pato O’Ward? Where was he born?
O’Ward is 25 years old and he was born on the 6th of May 1999 in Monterrey, Mexico.
How tall is Pato O’Ward? What is his height in feet?
O’Ward is 5’8, which measures as 172cm.
What is Pato O’Ward’s net worth?
O’Ward’s net worth is an estimated $15 Million (£11.5m).
Pato O’Ward’s career stats in IndyCar
As of the end of the 2024 season, O’Ward is yet to win an IndyCar title but has taken multiple race races.
IndyCar titles: 0
IndyCar race entries: 89
IndyCar wins: 7
Indy 500 wins: 0
IndyCar pole positions: 5
IndyCar podiums: 26