Pato O'Ward on how the FIA didn't give him a super license

      Mexican driver Pato O'Ward, who drives for McLaren in IndyCar, has revealed how he signed a contract with Red Bull to drive for Toro Rosso in 2019, but the FIA revoked the super license already approved for him. According to Pato, the super license was granted to him by Charlie Whiting, the former FIA race director who passed away in March that year just before the start of the season. "In fact Helmut Marko signed a contract with me. I put my signature on the contract that was going to be the basis for me to compete in Formula 1, getting a seat at Toro Rosso at the end of 2019," O'Ward recalled, taking part in the Creativo podcast. - But Charlie Whiting, who had already approved the granting of my superlicense, died that year. And the FIA didn't want to give me a license because I had to take the place of the French driver. So it was a political decision." Apparently, we're talking about Pierre Gasly, who was transferred back to Toro Rosso from Red Bull Racing in the middle of the 2019 season because he didn't perform well in the first half of the season. O'Ward was then sent to compete in Super Formula to earn enough points to get a superlicense, but since he didn't spend a full season in the Japanese series, it didn't work out.

      Then came a different kind of problem: the FIA decided not to take into account Pato's results in Indy Lights, even though he became champion of this youth series in 2018. "I earned enough points, but they didn't want to take into account the points I scored in Indy Lights because there weren't many cars in the series back then," continued the Mexican. - Since then, O'Ward acts in IndyCar for Arrow McLaren, and his best result was the 3rd place in the championship in 2021, but in each season he has several times climbed on the podium. In 2024, for example, he scored three wins and finished 5th in the individual standings. In addition, Pato periodically takes part in training in Formula 1, replacing any of the drivers of the main staff of McLaren.