IndyCar’s O’Ward is done with ‘artificial’ Formula 1

A dream has a shelf life, and for Pato O’Ward, the expiration date has arrived. Once the primary objective for the Mexican IndyCar star, the allure of a Formula 1 seat has been replaced by a sharp disillusionment with the direction of the global series.

At 26, the Arrow McLaren standout is no longer looking across the Atlantic with longing. Instead, he is looking at the current state of Grand Prix racing with a critical eye, suggesting that the pinnacle of motorsport has traded its soul for an “artificial show.”

Speaking with FOX Deportes ahead of this weekend’s Long Beach Grand Prix, O’Ward was asked point-blank: Is Formula 1 still on his radar as a McLaren-affiliated driver?

His response was loud and clear.

"Every year it has changed more... honestly, the new Formula 1 cars – what the series has done has been a mistake," O’Ward stated. "The truth is, when you look at them, they are artificial."

For O’Ward, the fascination with F1 was always technical and visceral rather than a pursuit of the lifestyle that surrounds the paddock.

He notes that the raw sensation of manhandling a world-class machine – the very thing that drew him to the sport – has been compromised.

"The hunger I had to get to Formula 1 wasn't for fame or money... it was because the cars were something impressive; driving those cars was something impressive," he explained, lamenting a lost era of purity.

Racing vs. ‘Mario Kart’

The crux of O’Ward’s frustration lies in the modern reliance on energy management and electronic overtaking aids.

In an era where drivers must balance battery deployment and lift-and-coast tactics, the IndyCar star feels the competitive "bite" of the sport has been blunted by automation.

"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," O’Ward remarked.

He expressed a preference for the mechanical grit found in the American open-wheel scene, where the driver remains the primary variable in the cockpit.

To O’Ward, a race should be decided by bravery in the braking zones and commitment through high-speed sweeps, "not for the car to decelerate at the end of the straight" due to pre-programmed energy harvesting.

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As he cements his legacy as one of IndyCar’s premier talents, O’Ward appears content to leave the glitz of the F1 circus to others, choosing the authenticity of the track over the manufactured drama of the "show."

"I feel that right now, today, this is the best series for a driver who wants to race – here, in IndyCar," O’Ward concluded. "Formula 1 right now is an artificial show, and honestly, I have zero desire for it; it doesn't grab my attention."

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