Pato O’Ward is quickly heading toward being the most popular Mexican racing driver on the planet after his Formula 1 appearance at the Mexico City Grand Prix.
He appeared for McLaren in Free Practice One and proved throughout the week that the fans there adore him.
Just months on from NASCAR beating IndyCar to securing a race in the country, it reminds the open-wheel series that there is a market to explore in the North American country.
They have hosted multiple categories for many years now, and done so with success – so is it time for IndyCar to finally make a move?
Pato O’Ward wants IndyCar to explore ‘huge market’ in Mexico
As Sergio Perez continues to struggle to perform for Red Bull in Formula 1, the increased threat that he leaves the grid could leave Mexico without a driver with a home race to cheer on.
It’s a big reason why IndyCar should be looking to facilitate a move to Mexico sooner rather than later.
There’s huge potential in the country, waiting to be tapped into, and it could also help deliver a huge boost to the series’ viewership ratings.
Speaking about the proposition of such a development with the IndyCar website, O’Ward has a lot of faith in the Mexican fans turning up for the North American series.
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“I think I’m a believer that IndyCar should expand but expand within the Americas, and I think Mexico is a huge market for motorsports – always has been. And will just continue to draw eyeballs to IndyCar throughout the world.
“I absolutely think the fans would show up for an IndyCar race. I’ve been saying it for years, and I think [visit to the mall] Wednesday proved my point.”
How is O’Ward so popular in Mexico?
With the exception of the odd victory, Perez hasn’t enjoyed too much success across the course of his Formula 1 career.
O’Ward on the other hand, has risen through the ranks to stardom and is now considered a title contender in IndyCar.
His McLaren outfit is close to providing him with a car that can compete every weekend, but they have a few final tyre issues to resolve before they are considered to be regular threats at every event.
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If he was to win a championship, he could be in with a shot of a Formula 1 drive, which would then leave IndyCar stranded.
The series is probably hesitant to host a race there while they are entirely dependent on O’Ward to enjoy success in their eyes…