Pato O’Ward Bio
Patricio “Pato” O’Ward Junco, born on 6 May 1999, is a Mexican auto racing driver who competes full-time in the IndyCar Series. He drives the No. 5 Chevrolet for Arrow McLaren and is signed to the McLaren Driver Development Programme, where he also serves as a reserve driver for the McLaren Formula One team. A former Indy Lights champion, O’Ward has become one of the most prominent North American open-wheel racers of his generation.
Early Life and Background
O’Ward was born in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico, to Patricio O’Ward and Elba Junco. He later attended high school in San Antonio, Texas, splitting his formative years between Mexico and the United States. O’Ward has explained on The Marshall Pruett Podcast that his surname traces back to his Irish great-grandfather, while he considers himself “full-blown Mexican.” This bicultural upbringing helped shape his adaptable outlook as he moved between countries to pursue a career in motorsport.
He began his racing career in karting at the end of 2005 and remained in the discipline until 2012, building the foundation of his car control and race craft. In 2013, he moved into open-wheel racing, competing in Latam Fórmula 2000, Formula Renault 1.6 NEC, and Pacific F2000. The following year, he contested the French F4 Championship, gaining valuable European experience and exposure to a variety of circuits.
Path to NASCAR
O’Ward’s professional path has remained firmly within open-wheel racing, and he has not pursued a career in NASCAR national series competition. His progression moved from Pro Mazda with Team Pelfrey, where he finished sixth in 2015 and runner-up in 2016, into the 2018 Indy Lights championship. That same year he made his IndyCar Series debut at Sonoma Raceway, qualifying fifth and finishing ninth, tying David Martínez for the best debut result by a Mexican driver in American open-wheel racing.
Pato O’Ward Career
Early Career (2015-2018)
O’Ward launched his professional career in 2015 with Team Pelfrey in the Pro Mazda Championship, finishing sixth overall. The following season, he returned to Team Pelfrey and emerged as championship runner-up, demonstrating the consistency and pace that would soon catch the attention of top teams. His rapid development positioned him for a move into Indy Lights in 2018.
Signed by Andretti Autosport, O’Ward dominated the 2018 Indy Lights championship. He won nine of the seventeen races, was named Rookie of the Year, and clinched the drivers’ championship at the penultimate round in Portland, beating future IndyCar rival Colton Herta for the title. Shortly after, he made his IndyCar debut with Harding Racing, immediately showing the speed that would define his top-flight career.
IndyCar Breakthrough (2019-2021)
In 2019, O’Ward joined Carlin on a part-time IndyCar deal and ran thirteen races, placing 26th in the final standings with a best finish of eighth at the Circuit of the Americas. He also joined the Red Bull Junior Team that year and contested rounds in Formula 2 and Super Formula. After being granted an early release from Red Bull, he signed with Arrow McLaren SP for the 2020 season.
O’Ward’s 2020 rookie IndyCar campaign was strong. He earned pole and his first podium at Road America, finished fourth at Iowa, and ended the Indianapolis 500 in sixth place, taking home the Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year award. In 2021, he broke through with his maiden IndyCar victory in the second Texas Motor Speedway race, becoming the first Mexican to win an IndyCar race since Adrian Fernandez in 2004 and the first non-Penske Chevrolet winner since 2016. He closed the year third in the championship and won the A.J. Foyt Oval Championship.
Arrow McLaren Era (2020-Present)
O’Ward has been the face of Arrow McLaren since 2020 and signed a three-year contract extension in May 2022. He added a second-place finish at the 2022 Indianapolis 500, a 2023 campaign highlighted by three second-place finishes and a best starting spot of fifth at the Indy 500, and a 2024 season that included a victory at Mid-Ohio, where he became the first driver to win an IndyCar race in the hybrid powertrain era. He also won the Milwaukee Mile and was awarded the St. Petersburg victory after Josef Newgarden was stripped of the win for a push-to-pass violation.
The 2025 season opened with an eleventh place at St. Petersburg, a third-place run at the Indianapolis 500, and an eighth-career win at Iowa in his 100th IndyCar start. He added another victory at the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto, reinforcing his place among the series’ elite.
Driving Style and Strengths
O’Ward is widely regarded as one of the most aggressive and versatile IndyCar drivers, equally effective on street circuits, road courses, and ovals. His race craft shines in wheel-to-wheel combat, and he pairs attacking instincts with sharp strategic calls. A strong partnership with his Arrow McLaren engineering group has helped him convert raw speed into consistent podiums and race wins.
Notable Races and Milestones
Signature moments include his first IndyCar win at Texas Motor Speedway in 2021, the 2024 Mid-Ohio victory that opened the hybrid era, and his 2025 milestone 100th start win at Iowa. He also finished second at the 2022 Indianapolis 500 after a dramatic final-lap bid and led eleven laps at the 2024 Indianapolis 500 before being passed by Newgarden on the last lap.
Pato O’Ward Career Wins
O’Ward has accumulated at least eight career IndyCar victories, complemented by major endurance sports car wins earlier in his career. His triumphs span street circuits, road courses, and short ovals, highlighting his all-around ability.
IndyCar Series Highlights
O’Ward’s first IndyCar win came in the second Texas Motor Speedway race of 2021. He added victories on a street course in Detroit, a permanent road course at Barber in 2022, the Iowa short oval in 2022, the Mid- Ohio road course and Milwaukee Mile in 2024, and the Iowa and Toronto events in 2025. In 2024, he secured his first season with more than two wins, capped by a third win at Milwaukee.
Other Wins and Performances
In 2017, O’Ward won the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring in the Prototype Challenge class with Performance Tech Motorsports, becoming the youngest driver ever to win both events at seventeen. He also captured the 2017 Prototype Challenge drivers’ championship and the North American Endurance Cup. In 2022, he returned to the 24 Hours of Daytona and won the LMP2 class with DragonSpeed, Colton Herta, Devlin DeFrancesco, and Eric Lux.
Pato O’Ward Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
O’Ward is the son of Patricio O’Ward and Elba Junco, who raised him between Monterrey and San Antonio, Texas. His Irish surname comes from his great-grandfather, giving him a mixed heritage that he has spoken about openly.
Personal Life
O’Ward splits his time between the United States and Mexico, balancing his IndyCar commitments with reserve driver duties for the McLaren Formula One team. He remains closely connected to his family roots in Monterrey.
2025 Season Performance
O’Ward’s 2025 campaign opened with an eleventh-place finish at St. Petersburg before a strong run to third at the Indianapolis 500, trailing Álex Palou and David Malukas. He reached the milestone of 100 IndyCar starts at Iowa, where he delivered his eighth career victory and first of the year.
He followed that win with another triumph at the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto, reinforcing his status as a consistent championship threat. With multiple wins already on the board, O’Ward is positioned as one of the leading challengers to Palou and Newgarden deep into the season.
Backed by Arrow McLaren and supported by McLaren’s Formula One program, O’Ward enters the second half of 2025 with momentum, valuable hybrid-era experience, and the versatility needed to fight for the IndyCar Series championship.