Pato O’Ward

Patricio “Pato” O’Ward Junco was born on May 6, 1999, in Monterrey, Mexico, and grew up as the son of Patricio O’Ward and Elba Junco; he attended high school in San Antonio, Texas. He owes his unusual last name to an Irish great-grandfather, though he describes himself as a “full-blown Mexican.” He began racing karts in late 2005 and remained in the category until 2012, before switching to single-seater racing in 2013, competing in, among others, the Latam Fórmula 2000, Formula Renault 1.6 NEC, and Pacific F2000. In 2014, he spent a year in the French F4 Championship.

His path upward led him to the Pro Mazda Championship in 2015 with Team Pelfrey, where he finished sixth, before becoming vice champion in 2016 with the same team. Meanwhile, in 2017, he won the title in the Prototype Challenge class with Performance Tech Motorsports in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. In 2018, he signed with Andretti Autosport for Indy Lights, won nine of seventeen races, was named Rookie of the Year, and secured the championship at the penultimate race in Portland against Colton Herta. Just two weeks later, he made his IndyCar Series debut for Harding Racing in Sonoma, finishing ninth from fifth on the grid.

After a difficult 2019 season with part-time drives for Carlin, during which he was separated from Harding Steinbrenner Racing due to sponsorship issues and briefly tried his hand with the Red Bull Junior Team, O’Ward found his racing home at Arrow McLaren SP in 2020. There, he quickly established himself as one of the most consistent drivers in the field: In the overall IndyCar Series standings, he finished third in 2021, fourth in both 2020 and 2023, and even second in 2025, his best championship placement to date. At the Indianapolis 500, he has finished second twice, in 2022 and 2024, making him one of the most successful drivers without a victory at this legendary race. Additionally, as a member of the McLaren Driver Development Programme, he gained experience as a reserve and test driver for the Formula 1 team.

In the 2026 season, Pato O’Ward remains a full-time driver at Arrow McLaren in the IndyCar Series and continues with the team, with which he has become one of the faces of the championship since 2020. Following his strong second-place finish in the overall standings in 2025, his goal is clear: his first IndyCar title and the long-awaited victory at the Indianapolis 500, which has eluded him despite two second-place finishes. With his experience, his consistency, and the backing of Arrow McLaren, the Mexican driver remains among the top contenders for the title in 2026.