McLaren announce new reserve driver for '24 season
F1 News
- Ludo van Denderen
Actually, the role was reserved for Alex Palou (IndyCar champion), but the Spaniard announced at the last minute that he would not fulfil his contractual obligations. Pato O'Ward, a rival of Palou's in the American racing class, now takes the vacant spot: the Mexican is McLaren's new reserve driver in Formula 1.
O'Ward is a former Red Bull Junior, who has competed for McLaren in IndyCar for several seasons now. He is in Abu Dhabi this weekend to take part in FP1. For 2024, the Mexican has been added to the British team's pool of reserve drivers.
O'Ward just in possession of Super Licence
Andrea Stella, team boss of the McLaren Formula One team, commented on O'Ward's arrival with delight: “The McLaren Formula 1 Team are pleased to welcome Pato O’Ward to our pool of reserve drivers for the 2024 season. Pato had an impressive season in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and has performed well in his Driver Development tests, so it felt natural to take this next step now he’s eligible for an FIA Super License. With the expansive calendar, it’s prudent to ensure we have a wide pool of drivers that we can call upon if required. We look forward to seeing him progress in this new role.”
The Mexican himself is looking forward to his new job: “Pumped to take on this new role within the McLaren Racing family. I’ve spent a lot of time with the F1 team having driven previously in free practice and taken part in a few tests. I’ve always said it's never a bad day when you get to jump into an F1 car, so I look forward to joining the reserve driver pool for next year alongside my driving duties with Arrow McLaren. Thank you to Andrea and Zak for this great opportunity.”