“Couldn’t use me”: When Pato O'Ward opened up on his time with Red Bull

Several drivers in IndyCar once harbored dreams of racing in Formula 1, and Pato O'Ward was no exception. The Mexican driver was once contracted to the Red Bull Racing team, and he opened up about his brief stint with the F1 outfit.

In 2019, prior to fully committing to IndyCar racing, Pato O'Ward joined the Red Bull Racing junior team, intending to be promoted to its F1 outfit to team up with Max Verstappen. However, things did not shape out for O'Ward as he had envisaged, and his stint would only last six months with the Austrian outfit.

Reflecting on his time with Red Bull during an interview via ESPN in 2022, the Arrow McLaren driver touched on his struggles but stressed he only boasts positive memories of the team. He said:

"Red Bull couldn't use me. I appreciated that [being released so I could join Arrow McLaren]. The contract I signed for Red Bull was for Formula One, nothing else."

Pato O'Ward had initially penned a contract in a bid to secure the required FIA super license and subsequently, ultimately, earn an F1 seat. However, his struggles through Formula 2 and the Super Formula series led Red Bull to reconsider their options.

The Monterrey native subsequently joined Arrow McLaren — a move that has since paid off. Not only has he developed into one of the finest drivers in the IndyCar Series, but he has also consistently remained a top contender for the drivers’ championship.

Pato O'Ward previously spoke about how IndyCar can challenge F1

Pato O'Ward also previously spoke about how IndyCar can challenge Formula 1. The 26-year-old stressed the need for the American series to spread its tentacles beyond the United States.

The Mexican, in a 2024 interview via Planet F1, highlighted how compelling IndyCar has become, but its regional status continues to limit its potential for expansion.

“Almost everybody would be pretty keen to go international. The excuse is always that our sponsors don’t care about international [markets]. Well, then why does everybody want to go to Formula 1? Like, your excuse is not accepted,” O'Ward asaid.

“[IndyCar] can’t be compared to Formula 1, because they go worldwide. They’ve got a few races in the US, but they don’t have 17 races in the US. I guarantee you, if we had one race on every continent, it would be easier to achieve [growth], because not everything is concentrated in one country,” he added.

The Arrow McLaren racer also recommended that IndyCar leverage the untapped markets in North and South America, where F1 hasn’t fully captured the fan base.

“I’m very big on, we have to go to Mexico. We are wasting time not tapping into Brazil.”

Pato O'Ward is one of the drivers on the current IndyCar grid with firsthand experience of the frenzy both racing series generate, having taken part in several Formula 1 sessions and tests with the McLaren team. However, since his debut with Harding Racing in 2018, the Mexican has yet to experience an IndyCar race outside the US.

The IndyCar Series last held a race outside the United States at the Interlagos circuit in Sao Paulo, Brazil, during the 2013 campaign.