McLaren, trust in O’Ward: he will be reserve driver
McLaren announced today that its IndyCar driver Pato O’Ward will be a reserve driver in the 2024 season. The 24-year-old from Monterrey started racing at the age of six and has been part of the McLaren family since 2020, when he joined be part of Arrow McLaren. The Mexican took part in several development tests on the MCL35M (the 2021 car), as well as driving in the 2021 Abu Dhabi young driver test and PL1 of the 2022 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
The promotion of O’Ward, fourth in the 2023 IndyCar championship, comes following the sensational rift that occurred in the summer between the team and Alex Palou, reserve driver for this year. The Mexican will share duties with Rio Hirakawa, already announced as a reserve driver in September. Ugo Ugochukwu, Gabriel Bortoleto and Bianca Bustamante are also part of McLaren Driver Development.
Stella’s words
“We are pleased to welcome O’Ward to our reserve driver roster for the 2024 season. Pato had an impressive season in IndyCar and performed well in his development testing, so it was natural to take this next step now which is eligible for an FIA Super Licence. With such a large calendar, it is prudent to ensure you have a large roster of drivers you can call upon should the need arise. We look forward to seeing him progress into this new role“.
O’Ward’s words
“I am thrilled to take on this new role within the McLaren family. I have spent a lot of time with the F1 team, having previously driven in free practice and participated in some tests. I’ve always said it’s never a bad day when you get to get into an F1 car, so I’m looking forward to joining the reserve driver pool for next year, in addition to my driving duties with Arrow McLaren. I thank Andrea and Zak for this great opportunity“.
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