Arrow McLaren SP announced on Friday a multi-year extension with Pato O’Ward through the end of 2025.
The 23-year-old Mexican was part of the early season rumor mill, but shook any potential distractions to win at Barber Motorsports Park earlier in the month and currently sits seventh in the NTT IndyCar Series championship standings.
“I am incredibly happy to have locked in my future with Arrow McLaren SP,” said O’Ward, who starts seventh for Sunday’s 106th Indianapolis 500. “This team has truly felt like home for me over the past three years and I can’t wait to build on our success as we compete for wins and championships. I want to thank the whole team for this opportunity. This is exactly where I want to be.”
O’Ward, the 2018 Indy Lights champion, first joined Arrow McLaren SP in 2020 and has since delivered three wins, four poles and nine podiums in North America’s premier open-wheel championship. Additionally, enjoyed a breakout season in 2021 en route to finishing third in the championship.
“The entire team is excited that Pato is onboard for the long haul,” said Taylor Kiel, President of Arrow McLaren SP. “He is an important part of our plan here at Arrow McLaren SP, his energy and work ethic is infectious. Having watched him develop since he joined the team, I look forward to building on these foundations to increase our performance and achieve our common goals in the years to come.”
There has also been success outside of open-wheel racing, with O’Ward also scoring a pair of class victories at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona in 2017 and 2022.
Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing, added, “Pato is an important part of McLaren’s future in IndyCar and we are happy that he will be a key part of Arrow McLaren SP for years to come. He is an incredibly talented driver who has already shown what he is capable of in IndyCar and I look forward to watching him take the next step in his promising career.”
