Pato O'Ward has a one-word response to a slip-up at Iowa

Pato O'Ward may be one of the most electrifying drivers on the IndyCar grid, but even the best have their subtle moments of error, and the Mexican driver had a rare slip-up at the Iowa Speedway event. However, rather than dwell on his rare mishap, O'Ward opted to poke fun at the moment with a hilarious reaction.

The Arrow McLaren driver, who was aiming to get in some mileage around the oval course during the final practice session, experienced a rare moment as he spun just moments after leaving the pit lane. The 26-year-old, however, instead of reacting with the traditional technical jargon drivers often use over team radio, offered a one-word response.

The Monterrey native simply radioed back to the pit wall with: “Oops.”

O'Ward’s reaction has since generated buzz across the IndyCar community, with the series’ official page taking to social media to make a light-hearted moment out of his response.

Shifting focus to the main race event, Pato O'Ward continues his search for a maiden race win of the 2025 season. The former Carlin Racing rookie will be hoping to clinch his first victory of the campaign at Iowa Speedway—a track where he claimed victory in Race 2 of the 2022 edition of the event.

Arrow McLaren celebrate Pato O'Ward on milestone IndyCar race at IOWA Speedway

The Arrow McLaren team celebrated Pato O'Ward on his milestone race achievement ahead of the Iowa Grand Prix. The Mexican driver reaches his 100th IndyCar race of his career at the Newton event.

O'Ward, who made his debut in the open-wheel racing series with Harding Racing at the 2018 Grand Prix of Sonoma, has over the years developed into one of the foremost faces across the IndyCar series. The 2018 Indy Lights champion, following his debut, has gone on to claim seven race victories and 30 podium finishes.

Celebrating Pato O'Ward’s milestone, the Arrow McLaren team took to its Instagram to share a post that highlights the 26-year-old’s transition from a rookie in the series to his present-day status in the sport.

“Happy 100th start, No. 5. 👏👑”

While Pato O'Ward gradually creeps into veteran status in the IndyCar series, it has to be noted that the Mexican driver is yet to clinch the series championship or the highly revered Indy 500 crown. While he has indeed come close to clinching the latter, O’Ward has largely failed to maintain a sustained push to claim the drivers' title.

Sadly, his 2025 campaign appears to be unfolding in a subtly similar manner, as he currently lies 125 points behind the championship leader, Alex Palou. However, if there appears to be a race where Pato O'Ward can grab his championship ambition by the scruff of the neck, a race victory at the famed Iowa Speedway oval could just be the ideal starting point for him.