“You think of winning”: Pato O'Ward reveals his fearless IndyCar mindset

Being a motorsports racer comes with its fair share of risks; however, Pato O'Ward appears to be completely unfazed by them. The 26-year-old recently detailed the fearless mindset he adopts every time he straps into the cockpit of his car.

The Arrow McLaren star, who has developed into one of the foremost names in IndyCar racing, recently opened up about his mindset and approach toward races. The Mexican racer, in an interview with reporter Tracy Smith, emphasized that he focuses solely on winning rather than the potential hazards that come with racing.

Sharing his thoughts in a video posted on X by CBS Sunday Morning, Pato O'Ward stated:

“...no, you think of winning—you think of winning when you are in that car. At least I do, that’s all I think of.” (1:17 onwards)

Pato O'Ward has indeed proven to embody this winning mindset and has largely earned a reputation for his fearless, aggressive style of racing. The seven-time IndyCar race winner is also known for pulling off some audacious late-braking overtakes—a move that some drivers consider dangerous, especially when it doesn’t come off.

While O’Ward boasts considerable success throughout his career, including 30 career podiums in IndyCar, the former Carlin Racing rookie is still without a Drivers’ championship in the series. His best outing in an IndyCar season remains his third-place finish in 2021—a feat he appears on course to match in 2025.

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Pato O'Ward speaks about potentially winning the Indy 500

Pato O'Ward also shared his thoughts on winning his maiden Indy 500 title at some point. The Arrow McLaren driver has seen victory at the Brickyard circuit remain elusive throughout his career so far.

O'Ward, speaking on CBS Sunday Morning with Tracy Smith, expressed his belief that he will eventually clinch the prestigious Borg-Warner Trophy. Sharing his thoughts, he stated:

“I know I am going to get my Indy 500 win because I have been damn good there every single year. So I know the more I put myself in that position, I am going to get at least one.” (00:54 onward)

Pato O'Ward has come close to victory at the Indianapolis event on two occasions—2022 and 2024. In 2022, the Mexican driver lost out to eventual winner Marcus Ericsson following a late caution, which largely helped the Swedish driver hold off the charging O’Ward during the final stint of the race.

The 2024 instalment of the famed oval race wasn’t any kinder to the 26-year-old, as he lost the race on the final corner of the last lap to Josef Newgarden, who completed a sizzling overtake on O'Ward just before both drivers crossed the checkered flag. He again missed out on victory at the 2025 edition as, despite qualifying on the front row for the race, he could only muster up a third-place finish as Alex Palou claimed victory at the Indy 500 for the first time.