McLaren has decided to immediately end Pato O’Ward’s activities related to Formula 1, responding to a request made by the Mexican driver himself. After several years seeking an opportunity in the category, he chose to put an end to his participation in the team’s program and fully focus his career on IndyCar.
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This decision marks the end of a journey that began when Zak Brown invited O’Ward to act as the team’s test driver. Even after participating in five TL1 sessions and end-of-season tests, the chance to secure a full-time seat never materialized.
The Mexican had Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri ahead of him in McLaren’s hierarchy, both with long-term contracts. Additionally, the team also added Leonardo Fornaroli as a reserve driver, further reducing any promotion prospects for O’Ward.
According to information from the GPblog website, although he was registered as one of the reserve drivers this season, McLaren agreed to advance his departure from Formula 1 activities. O’Ward already had limited availability due to his commitments in IndyCar, and now, he will stop participating in the category’s paddock even after the North American championship ends.
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For the British team, the replacement does not represent a problem. Leonardo Fornaroli is seen as a promising talent and may even secure a Formula 1 seat as early as next season. McLaren would also be open to the possibility of loaning the current Formula 2 champion, with Haas among the interested teams.
O’Ward stated that he remains grateful for the experience gained in Formula 1 but emphasized that his priorities have changed: “There is nothing left in me that wants to continue as a reserve driver in F1. I am at a great moment in IndyCar. I love the category. It’s where I want to be. I’m not excited to drive an F1 car, so I politely asked to be released from all my duties in Formula 1,” he declared.
The Mexican also explained that he wants to have greater control over his routine to prepare for the future. Additionally, he criticized the new F1 regulations again: “You don’t want to be pressing a button to overtake someone artificially. This is not Mario Kart, we are racing. Honestly, I have no desire to be part of that. Formula 1 today is an artificial spectacle, and frankly, it doesn’t spark my interest,” he added.
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