Pato O’Ward believes that the prospect of a McLaren F1 seat was all an “phantasm” after showing to lose out to Oscar Piastri for a 2023 drive.
The Mexican driver, who’s a part of McLaren’s IndyCar programme, had been strongly linked with Formulation 1 seat in 2023 amid rumours of the Woking squad making an attempt to drop Daniel Ricciardo for subsequent season.
O’Ward was considered one of three IndyCar drivers linked to the seat, together with Alex Palou and Colton Herta.
The 2018 Indy Lights Champion had examined for McLaren on the Younger Driver Check in Abu Dhabi on the finish of 2021, and is strongly linked with the opportunity of an FP1 outing throughout 2022.
Nevertheless, with Piastri suspected to have already signed for McLaren for 2023 (pending contractual checks towards Alpine), O’Ward appears to be like set to stay in IndyCar for subsequent season, one thing which the Mexican says he was mentally ready for.
“The reality is that for the reason that starting of the 12 months I put a cease to it and I finished eager about it [a seat in Formula 1], as a result of that concept simply will get you excited, that is why everybody needs to depart what they’ve for that dream,” O’Ward advised ESPN.
“However I am a sensible man, I am not silly and I understand how issues have been going, however I haven’t got a lot to say in that scenario and it does not assist me to have that phantasm.
“I like IndyCar, I would like it to develop, to go to Mexico, to grow to be a World Champion, I need to assist all the pieces to continue to grow as a result of it has an immense potential.”
O’Ward: Rather more to F1 than skill
O’Ward has been a part of the Arrow McLaren SP IndyCar group for the reason that 2020 season, taking 4 wins in that point.
His finest end in an IndyCar season was third in 2021, and he completed runner-up on this season’s Indy 500.
As issues stand within the present marketing campaign, he sits in seventh place within the IndyCar standings and 59 factors off the lead with three rounds to go.
O’Ward believes he’s competing at a stage adequate for Formulation 1, however didn’t count on skill alone to be sufficient to make the swap from IndyCar.
“It does not do me any good to have that phantasm,” added O’Ward.
“To that extent I really feel like I’ve matured within the side that the phantasm, it is a very distant phantasm.
“Even when I am driving at a really, very, very excessive stage, which I’ve been, that is not going to persuade them.
“There are various extra issues and politics, many issues which can be past my management, that I’ll by no means be capable to management, and so I’ve to depart it there, as a result of it is no use persisting with the phantasm”.