IndyCar star Pato O’Ward has been linked with a move to Formula 1 for some time. Previously a part of the Red Bull junior team, he has been testing cars with McLaren since 2021.
The Mexican signed to the McLaren driver development programme in 2023, making FP1 appearances in Abu Dhabi in 2023 and Mexico City in 2024. O’Ward will return to his home race in 2025 to gain extra F1 mileage and provide data for Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
The 26-year-old acts as McLaren’s reserve driver alongside his duties with the team in IndyCar. O’Ward says ‘95%’ of his days as reserve are painful as he is stuck on the sidelines and in the simulator.
Regularly competing for top positions in IndyCar, many have wondered if O’Ward could make the move from North America and join the F1 grid.
Norris and Piastri have long-term contracts at McLaren, thus ruling out a seat with the Woking outfit, unless the F1 driver market produces dramatic changes. Speaking with Kym Illman on his YouTube channel, the Mexican has ruled out a move to one F1 team.
Pato O’Ward would rather stay in IndyCar than join Sauber in Formula 1
If O’Ward is targeting a move to F1 in 2026, he is in a difficult situation. Most teams have their drivers signed up for the long term, with there being limited options available.
Red Bull and Racing Bulls have seats available next season, but a return to their setup for the Mexican seems incredibly unlikely. The same goes for Mercedes and Alpine, who have multiple drivers already on their shortlist for 2026.
| Driver | Team |
| Yuki Tsunoda | Red Bull |
| George Russell | Mercedes |
| Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes |
| Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls |
| Franco Colapinto | Alpine (five-race deal from Imola) |
Next season will see dramatic changes amongst the team as the 2026 F1 regulations come into effect. Sauber will officially leave the sport after more than three decades, as Audi enter the sport as a works team.
Like in 2024, Sauber currently sit bottom of the constructors’ championship with a car that is set to leave Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto languishing at the back for much of the year.
| Position | Constructors’ Standings | Points |
| 1 |
McLaren Racing |
246 |
| 2 |
Mercedes-AMG Petronas |
141 |
| 3 |
Red Bull Racing |
105 |
| 4 |
Scuderia Ferrari |
94 |
| 5 |
Williams F1 Team |
37 |
| 6 |
Haas F1 Team |
20 |
| 7 |
Aston Martin F1 Team |
14 |
| 8 |
Racing Bulls |
8 |
| 9 |
Alpine F1 Team |
7 |
| 10 |
Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber |
6 |
Asked whether he would join Sauber in F1 or stay in IndyCar, O’Ward told Illman: “I stay where I am.” A move to the team is off the table anyway, with Hulkenberg and Bortoleto signed as Audi drivers.
The Mexican added that he would move to the pinnacle of motorsport if a big team offered a drive: “Red Bull, Ferrari, McLaren, you go to Formula 1.”
READ MORE: All you need to know about McLaren F1 Team from team principal to engine
Pato O’Ward is an option for Cadillac in 2026 – what are his chances of joining the team?
With the existing F1 teams seemingly off the cards for O’Ward in 2026, Cadillac presents his only realistic chance of joining the grid.
Mario Andretti is an admirer of the 26-year-old, stating that Cadillac could ‘fight pretty hard’ to sign O’Ward from McLaren. The American brand have several options available on the driver market, with the IndyCar star being one of them.
Fans have called for Cadillac to sign O’Ward and Sergio Perez and establish a ‘dream team’ with the Mexican duo. While Perez looks a clear favourite, it may not be so simple for the former.
Cadillac want an experienced driver to join the team, with the likes of Valtteri Bottas, Zhou Guanyu, Mick Schumacher and Felipe Drugovich all linked. O’Ward will have to sell himself well and impress with McLaren to stand a chance of joining the American brand.
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