​McLaren IndyCar driver Pato O’Ward has gone public on a podcast to reveal that he asked his team to fire him from his reserve driver role. The Mexican racer has been openly critical of the current Formula 1 cars in the past, and his latest comments add another layer to the ongoing dialogue about his future in motorsport. While GPblog initially cited paddock chatter suggesting a potential deal between Max Verstappen and McLaren could be announced soon, another McLaren driver has now signaled a clear shift away from Formula 1.
Speaking on Conor Daly’s Speed Street podcast, O’Ward explained his current mindset, saying: “I’m grateful for the experiences and all I’ve been able to learn in the world of F1. And obviously, driving those cars, especially the last few years, I’ve had an amazing experience just to what they are capable of, but I think I’m in a different point in my life now, and I don’t really care anymore. There is nothing in me that is aching to continue as a reserve in F1. I’m in a great place in IndyCar. I love the series. That’s where I want to be.”
O’Ward, who has participated in five FP1 sessions for McLaren—two of them at his home race in Mexico—stressed his decision: “I’m not excited to drive one, so I have politely asked to be fired from all my services in F1. A lot of the times I don’t really get to dictate my schedule at all. In the last four or five years, I haven’t been able to do really any of that, so I want to be able to train more, I want to be able to eat better, and just prepare for 2027 which is going to come fast.”
Earlier in the year, O’Ward did not mince words about contemporary racing regulations, declaring to FOX Deportes: “You don’t want to be flipping a switch to say, ‘Oh, I’m going to press it to pass him artificially.’ It’s not Mario Kart; we’re racing here. Honestly, I have zero desire to be part of that.” He has continued to express that sentiment, indicating that he believes his racing path should stay firmly rooted in IndyCar.
The 26-year-old racer will remain part of the McLaren family, with confirmation that he will race for the team in IndyCar during the 2027 season alongside Scott Dixon and Felix Rosenqvist. The announcement underscores McLaren’s commitment to a robust IndyCar program while signaling a long-term strategic plan for O’Ward’s career in American open-wheel racing. O’Ward’s decision highlights a broader trend of drivers evaluating their futures across series, weighing personal goals, training needs, and the evolving structures of Formula 1 and IndyCar. As the IndyCar landscape continues to develop, O’Ward’s candid stance and his continued ties to McLaren will likely keep him at the center of ongoing discussions about the intersection of talent, opportunity, and scheduling in modern motorsport.