Arrow McLaren driver Pato O’Ward capped off a whirlwind week behind the wheel of two of the fastest open-wheel cars in motorsports at two different venues.

O’Ward’s special week began Tuesday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where he turned laps in his No. 5 Chevrolet around the 2.5-mile oval during an NTT INDYCAR SERIES test alongside three-time defending series champion Alex Palou, 2016 Indianapolis 500 winner Alexander Rossi and two-time “500” winner Takuma Sato.

Afterward, O’Ward flew to his native Mexico to take part in Friday’s FIA Formula One Free Practice 1 session at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez for the Mexico City Grand Prix. O’Ward was 13th overall in the session, the second-quickest of the nine reserve drivers who participated.

O’Ward was greeted by throngs of fans at public events across Mexico City, a reflection of his growing stature as one of Mexico’s prominent racing stars.

“Big week,” O’Ward said. “I get to drive the fastest cars in the world. That’s a big week.”

O’Ward developed this unique opportunity of driving INDYCAR SERIES machinery and F1 cars from a friendly wager with McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown ahead of his second NTT INDYCAR SERIES season in 2021. The deal was if O’Ward earned his first INDYCAR SERIES win, he’d get a chance to test a McLaren F1 car.

The Mexican driver delivered on that promise in April 2021 with a victory at Texas Motor Speedway, earning a postseason F1 test later that year in Abu Dhabi. His testing performance impressed the McLaren organization enough to add him as a Formula One reserve driver, a role he continues to balance alongside his full-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES duties.

As part of those reserve responsibilities, O’Ward recently traveled to England to log simulator time in preparation for Friday’s practice session. With McLaren having already clinched the F1 Constructors’ Championship this season and drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris sitting first and second in the standings, respectively, O’Ward’s job carries added importance in delivering meaningful feedback and data.

But he doesn’t believe jumping between two radically different cars this week complicates his preparation.

“They feel like second nature,” he said. “So, I don’t really do anything different to prepare. I just jump in the car and drive. It’s just a car with four wheels on it. You just have to make sure you know what you’re doing with the switches on the (steering) wheel. Other than that, it’s pretty straightforward.”

While O’Ward continues to enjoy occasional Formula One opportunities, his long-term focus remains firmly on the INDYCAR SERIES, chasing both an Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge victory and the series championship.

In 2025, O’Ward finished a career-best second in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES standings behind champion Palou, who claimed his fourth career title in the last five years. The runner-up result for O’Ward marked the best points finish for a McLaren driver in the INDYCAR SERIES since Johnny Rutherford won the 1976 title.

Across 17 starts in 2025, O’Ward earned two wins, three runner-up finishes and 10 top-fives. Since 2022, he has twice finished second in the Indianapolis 500 and once as championship runner-up.

Taking that final step to the top, he admits, is the toughest challenge yet. But it’s one that continues to drive him.

“It’s been a strong year, my best season to date,” O’Ward said. “Of course, we’re always aiming to win everything, but it’s important to recognize the smaller victories that build toward the big ones, like the Indy 500 or the championship.

“We made real progress as a team, and I’ve grown personally, too, especially in how I approach a season. It wasn’t perfect. I’m just proud of the consistency and how we performed on Sundays. That’s when the points count.”