It has been over five years since Pato O’Ward found himself leaving the Red Bull academy and feeling as if his Formula 1 dreams were dashed.
The FIA’s decision to award the Mexican fewer super licence points for his Indy Lights championship win in 2018 cost him the opportunity to attaining one for 2020.
No super licence meant no opportunity to drive in Formula 1 that year and may have been part of the reason why Red Bull no longer decided to keep his services in their junior academy.
After his early release, he signed for McLaren’s IndyCar outfit and hasn’t looked back since, achieving many wins and developing a long way as a driver.
Zak Brown with subtle dig towards Red Bull and Christian Horner
The fiercest of rivals on the Formula 1 landscape currently, enjoyed a conversation on the way back from the Singapore Grand Prix.
Red Bull’s Christian Horner and McLaren’s Zak Brown are going head-to-head in what is guaranteed to be an ultra-close championship.
In a photo posted on X (formerly known as Twitter), Brown could be seen wearing a ‘Pato who?’ hat, in front of the team boss of the team that dropped him.
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The hat and meme originated from the Milwaukee Mile weekend, where the Mexican won race one in comfortable style, leading to comments from him after the race questioning his popularity.
That was after NASCAR had signed a deal to race in Mexico City before IndyCar, despite O’Ward’s massive popularity in the city and country.
Can O’Ward make a championship push with McLaren?
O’Ward is entering his fifth season with McLaren in 2025, and is very familiar with his surroundings now – to the points where he is the team leader.
He’s part of the youngest overall line-up on the grid currently, meaning that his experience is going to be crucial is making sure that the team are up to speed on all circuits next year.
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Competing with the likes of Andretti, Team Penske, and a downsized Chip Ganassi Racing will be tough, but McLaren seems to keep improving year on year.
They secured the most wins they have ever achieved in a year in 2024 with three, as O’Ward sat level with two other drivers for the highest secured in the season.
All his team needs to do in 2025, is find a more consistent basis with their setup and coax the tyres in order to stay in the hunt for the championship right until the end.