The Red Flags Podcast Pato O'Ward Reacts to His Iconic INDYCAR Moments
Mar 12, 2026
Pato O'Ward, a Mexican-born Arrow McLaren IndyCar driver with multiple wins and Indy 500 near-misses, walks through career-defining moments. He recounts his first IndyCar victory in Texas and the heartbreak of the Indy 500. He previews the new Arlington race, discusses team progress at McLaren, and shares stories about his rivalry with Alex Palou and life in racing.
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Arrive Early And Learn New Tracks Rapidly
- Do treat new street circuits like blank slates and expect to learn on the fly by exploring setups and strategies.
- Pato plans to arrive early, adapt setup between qualifying and race, and expects trimming for long straights and variable rubber/bump effects.
New Venues Tend To Produce Chaos
- Pato expects a higher chaos factor at new venues because teams must experiment with lines, setup, and pit strategies.
- He references Nashville's unpredictable pit-stop-heavy race as a precedent and predicts wall hits and creative approaches.
Pato Loved IndyCar's Big Commercial Shoots
- Pato enjoyed starring in IndyCar's high-production commercials and particularly loved driving a 'garbage truck' character, though he wasn't trusted to drive it.
- He says he appeared in three of the four ads and found the shoots fun and cinematic.