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McLaren recently confirmed that IndyCar drivers Alex Palou and Pato O’Ward will be making their F1 debuts with the Woking-based team this season. The young drivers will receive the opportunity to take part in one free practice session each.
McLaren, like all other teams, are obligated to give two young drivers a practice run as per new rules. Both drivers, however, have previously driven the team's 2021 challenger in private test sessions.
Alex Palou is a 25-year-old IndyCar driver, currently racing for Chip Ganassi Racing in the IndyCar Series. The Spaniard became the first from his country to win an IndyCar Series championship in 2021. He has previously also competed in Spanish Formula 3, Euroformula Open, GP3, and Japanese Formula 3, as well as Super Formula.
Palou currently stands fifth in the championship, with 510 points to his name. He will be taking over Daniel Ricciardo's car this weekend at the upcoming US Grand Prix in Austin for FP1 on Friday.
Pato O'Ward is a four-time IndyCar Series winner. He currently races for Arrow McLaren SP in the championship and is on contract with the team until the end of the 2025 season.
The 23-year-old Mexican started his career in racing back in 2005 and has been with the team for the last three years. He currently stands seventh in the championship with 480 points to his name. He will be driving McLaren's 2022 challenger for the first time at the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
Lando Norris has gotten "used to some of the elements" of McLaren, says Daniel Ricciardo
Ever since he joined the team at the start of last season, Daniel Ricciardo has struggled to keep up with the on-track performance as compared to his teammate Lando Norris. The eight-time race winner believes that while a reason for this is that Norris is a talented driver, the Briton has gotten used to certain elements of the car given that McLaren is the only team he has ever driven for in F1.
Speaking to The Race, when asked about the possible reason why Norris seems more comfortable with the car than him, the Aussie said:
“If I’m going to give you a short answer, I’ll put it down to two things. One, I’ll never take credit away from him – the kid’s good. There’s no denying that. And if I say he’s not, then I’m just being a bitter, sore loser.”
“The second is, ignorance is bliss. And I’m not saying he’s got no knowledge of racecars, not at all. I think he’s quite actually in tune with what he does, from a technical point of view. But it’s the only F1 car he’s driven. Obviously, there’s been variations of the McLaren. But he hasn’t driven for another team. So in a way he has got, I’m sure, used to some of the elements of this car.”
72 points currently separate the two drivers in the drivers' standings.
