Pato O'Ward reflects on his constant pursuit to crack the code of acing Indy 500

Arrow McLaren driver Pato O'Ward believes he hasn’t yet figured out what it takes to win the Indianapolis 500, despite coming close more than once. After putting in what he called the best qualifying run of his Indy 500 career on Saturday, O’Ward admitted he’s still searching for the missing piece that will finally take him to victory lane at the Greatest Spectacle in Racing.

Pato O'Ward qualified fourth on the speed charts with a four-lap average of 232.82 mph, his fastest-ever run at Indianapolis. He said he was happy with the consistency of the car and felt confident heading into Sunday’s Top 12 qualifying session.

The 26-year-old from Mexico is aiming to make the Fast 6 pole shootout for a chance to start on the front row, something he’s never done before in the Indy 500. Speaking to Chris Myers and Danica Patrick after his run, in a clip shared on Instagram, Pato O'Ward said he was pleased with the speed and overall balance of the car.

When asked what it will take to finally win the Indy 500, the Arrow McLaren driver said it’s not something he’s been able to figure out yet. He explained that while he knows how to put himself in a position to fight for the win, there’s no clear formula for success.

“What can I say? I mean, I would love to tell you what exactly I need to win it, but I haven't really quite cracked it yet," O’Ward shared. "I definitely know how to position myself in order to have that shot, and that's what I am looking forward to doing this year again, just really having that chance to hopefully get it done for everybody. It's just the timing, the timing is so tough. You kind of depend on others' decisions as well. If there is a crash, the opportunity is gone.”

O'Ward has twice finished second at the Indy 500, in 2022 and again in 2024. Both times, he came heartbreakingly close. He admitted that patience and luck are just as important as speed at Indianapolis.

Pato O'Ward will return to Formula 1 practice in Mexico later in the year

The McLaren Formula 1 team recently announced that Pato O'Ward will take part in Formula 1 Free Practice 1 at the 2025 Mexico City Grand Prix.. It will be his second straight FP1 appearance at his home race, continuing his duties as one of the reserve drivers for the McLaren F1 team.

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The 26-year-old will drive the MCL39 on Friday, October 24, at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. He will also support the team throughout the weekend by providing feedback to help with the setup of the car for McLaren’s full-time drivers, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.

O'Ward will return to F1 duties after finishing his 2025 season in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES with Arrow McLaren. He held the same reserve driver role last year when McLaren won the Constructors’ Championship in F1.

Looking ahead to his next F1 outing, Pato O'Ward shared (via McLaren.com):

“I’m excited to be jumping back in the car for FP1 at my home race in Mexico this year. The Mexico City fans were unbelievable last time out, and it was a great feeling being able to extract everything from the programme that the team had planned. I’m looking forward to going again this year, working with Zak, Andrea, and the whole team.”

As things stand in IndyCar, O’Ward is currently fourth in the championship standings with 148 points. He trails points leader Alex Palou by 100 points.