McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown says he wish to see Pato O’Ward driving different races such because the Daytona 500 in addition to his Method 1 runs.
O’Ward has been confirmed to be making his subsequent FP1 look for McLaren at his residence race in Mexico Metropolis subsequent month, in what would be the first time he’s pushed throughout an F1 weekend on the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. Brown says the 25-year-old has acquired the attributes to drive in several classes and suggests there might be an identical crossover to the one which sees Kyle Larson operating with McLaren on the Indy 500.
“He’s one among our reserve drivers, we would like him to get by means of the IndyCar season,” Brown informed the Dale Jr. Podcast. “He’s examined our Method 1 automotive a bunch — he’s an enormous expertise and will probably be large information in Mexico, which is nice.
“Clearly there was the entire fiasco per week or two in the past and I’m going to be carrying my ‘Pato who?’ hat this weekend for some enjoyable! However he’s enormous. Once I go to Mexico — Method E races there, Method 1 — I’ve acquired individuals shouting at me, ‘Convey Pato! Convey Pato!’ So will probably be nice to place him out in Free Follow 1 — that will likely be huge information.”
Brown mentioned he’s nonetheless hopeful of O’Ward being concerned with the NASCAR occasion in Mexico, though schedule conflicts seem to preclude it taking place subsequent 12 months.
“If we will get him within the Xfinity race, that will be cool. I like that stuff. So I’d like to see Pato do this,” he mentioned. “Proper now it conflicts — I don’t know what the schedule will appear like on ’26 however perhaps that. Speaking by means of what else can we do with Hendrick Motorsports? Perhaps there’s one thing… Pato on the Daytona 500 — how cool would that be?”
O’Ward has already proven an curiosity in operating the Mexico Metropolis NASCAR race, beforehand telling RACER’s Marshall Pruett he’s eyeing a trip in 2026.
“I might like to,” O’Ward mentioned. “I’m actually bummed. I want we might have achieved it as quickly as the primary time, which is subsequent 12 months, nevertheless it’s once we go to Gateway and clearly my priorities lie in IndyCar, however I might like to do the subsequent one. That’s the race I might do completely. I don’t actually have curiosity doing one other race. I need to do this one, and I feel it’d be cool.”
