McLaren Announces Pato O’Ward for Free Practice 1 at Mexico City GP
McLaren has confirmed that Pato O’Ward will participate in Free Practice 1 ahead of the 2025 Mexico City Grand Prix, set to take place at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in October. This marks O’Ward’s second consecutive appearance in the session, further solidifying his role as a reserve driver for McLaren’s Formula 1 team while competing in the NTT IndyCar Series.
Team principal Andrea Stella expressed confidence in O’Ward’s capabilities, stating, “Pato provided an appreciated contribution last season and continues to impress, making him a suitable driver for the Free Practice 1 session.” Stella emphasized the importance of O’Ward’s participation in developing knowledge for the team and maintaining a versatile reserve driver pool.
O’Ward himself conveyed enthusiasm for the opportunity, stating, “I’m excited to be jumping back in the car for FP1 at my home race in Mexico. The Mexico City fans were unbelievable last time, and I look forward to working with Zak [Brown], Andrea, and the whole team once again.”
This initiative underscores McLaren’s strategic approach to driver development and engagement in key markets, particularly as O’Ward continues to gain traction in both IndyCar and Formula 1 circuits.
