Pato O'Ward pens a powerful letter ahead of Indy 500 - “This place, it doesn't hand out anything”

Pato O'Ward offered an emotional glimpse into his thoughts and feelings as he penned a heartfelt letter to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway ahead of the upcoming Indy 500 event. The Mexican driver, who is set to participate in his sixth installment of the event, detailed his feelings about racing at the Brickyard.

The Arrow McLaren driver has been one of the brightest sparks in recent editions of the Indianapolis event and has come close to standing on the top step of the podium at the racing spectacle on multiple occasions. However, a race victory has proven elusive. Nonetheless, ahead of the 109th running of the ‘Greatest Spectacle in Racing,’ the 26-year-old has penned what the race means to him.

In an open letter written via FOX Sports, Pato O'Ward described the loud and intense atmosphere of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He also recounted his first experience racing at the Indy 500. However, what appeared most poignant in his letter were the heartbreak he’s endured in failing to clinch victory at the Brickyard.

“I've had my heart broken here. I've felt that car on the edge, pushing to places I didn’t know I could go. I've walked away so close to victory, but also with a sting so deep, thinking about how close we were. And yeah, it hurts. But it also fuels me," he wrote.

"Because this place... it doesn't hand out anything. You’ve got to earn it. Every lap. Every pit stop. Every moment of chaos when instinct kicks in and you trust that you and your team were made for this. And a bit of lady luck goes a long way,” he added.

Indeed, Pato O'Ward has had to endure some heartbreaks, including that of the 2024 season, which left him visibly emotional following the conclusion of the event. The Mexican driver came close to victory in 2022 but lost out to then-Chip Ganassi driver Marcus Ericsson after a late caution neutralized the race until the checkered flag. In 2024, however, Pato O'Ward again came close to victory, but a last-lap overtake by Josef Newgarden saw the 26-year-old finish the race in second place.

---

Pato O'Ward reflects on emotional outburst at 2024 Indy 500

Pato O'Ward recently reflected on his emotional outburst at the 2024 Indy 500 race. The Arrow McLaren driver was reduced to tears following his failure to clinch victory at the Brickyard.

O’Ward, who had qualified in eighth place for the race, looked in control as he steadily made up places during the event and appeared comfortably in first place with only a few corners of the final lap remaining. However, things took an unsavory twist when Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden made a late pass on him to clinch the win.

Pato O'Ward, following the race, was visibly devastated as he struggled to step out of his car. The McLaren F1 test driver had to be consoled by members of his pit crew in the aftermath of the event. However, reflecting on the incident in an interview with FOX Sports, he stated:

"I mean, at that moment, it was a moment that a lot of emotions were kind of exploding out of a bottle, and they truly were uncontrollable. It was a very raw scene of what it’s like to be just right there, but just missing it. It’s been a few times that that’s happened, so that’s why I think it was such a heavy emotion."

"I dedicate and do everything for this moment, and sometimes it’s just right there, but haven’t quite gotten it. It’s just the human side of it, I would say," he added.

Whether he will be third time lucky at the 2025 edition of the race remains to be seen, but it has to be stated that the 26-year-old enters this year’s Indy 500 off the back of a podium finish at the recently held Sonsio Grand Prix. Through the 2025 season so far, O’Ward has recorded two second-place finishes in his five races.