HOMETOWN Monterrey / Mexico
D.O.B. MAY 6, 1999
HEIGHT 5'8
Pato O’Ward, the Monterrey, Mexico, native has established himself as a perennial championship contender, most recently producing a fourth-place finish in the 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship after earning three wins. As the only Mexican driver currently competing full-time in the series, Pato has built one of the sport’s most passionate followings, with a loyal and rapidly growing fan base at the racetrack and across social media. Since joining Arrow McLaren in 2020, Pato has become one of the series’ most consistent front-runners. He has amassed 12 race wins, seven poles and 35 podium finishes through seven full seasons of IndyCar competition. He has finished inside the top four of the championship in five of his seven seasons and has twice come agonizingly close to capturing victory at the Indianapolis 500, earning runner-up finishes in both 2022 and 2024. Previously, Pato served as a Reserve Driver for the McLaren Mastercard Formula 1 Team through its Driver Development Program, participating in Free Practice 1 sessions at his home Mexico City Grand Prix in 2024 and 2025, along with appearances at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in 2022, 2024 and 2025. Born in 1999, Pato’s racing journey began at six years old when he first climbed into a kart. He spent much of his childhood between Mexico and Texas before moving to France in 2013 to compete in the French F4 Championship. A year later, he returned to the United States and entered the Road to Indy ladder system, setting the foundation for a rapid rise through the ranks. Success followed quickly. Before reaching IndyCar, Pato claimed victory at the prestigious Rolex 24 at Daytona in 2017 and captured the Indy Lights championship in 2018. He later added a second Rolex 24 victory in 2021. Away from the racetrack, Pato enjoys fitness training, cooking and chasing his next adrenaline rush.
