Pato O’Ward seeks redemption at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. (Photo: Logan Skidan | The Podium Finish)
LEXINGTON, Ohio – At some point, Pato O’Ward’s consistency will pay dividends in the 2023 NTT INDYCAR Series season.
In the season’s first eight races, the 24-year-old Monterey, Mexico native has four podiums and five top five results, good enough to rank fourth in the championship standings.
However, the driver of the No. 5 Arrow McLaren INDYCAR Team Dallara Chevrolet has a 98 point deficit to points leader Alex Palou. Simply put, a good season is not enough against a great year thus far compiled by the 2021 INDYCAR champion.
Prior to qualifying on Saturday afternoon, O’Ward showcased pace in the weekend’s two practice sessions. Respectively producing the first and fourth quickest times at the 2.258-mile, 13-turn Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, it looked like the five-time pole sitter was going to be in the hunt for another P1 award.
Misfortune struck O’Ward as he spun during his qualifying effort and was unable to re-fire his car. As a result, O’Ward starts deep in the field from the 25th starting position.
Suffice to say, O’Ward owned up to the rare mistake in Saturday’s qualifying session while keeping his head up.
O’Ward has a long ways to go if he wants to contend for the win on Sunday afternoon at Mid-Ohio. (Photo: Wayne Riegle | The Podium Finish)
“I feel bad for the team,” O’Ward said. “We have a really strong car but that doesn’t mean we can’t go forward (on Sunday). So yeah, it was all on me there.
“I lost the rear and got off on an angle that I couldn’t save it. I stalled it as soon as I got into the grass. It sucks. You are taking these cars to the limit and sometimes things happen. It’s probably not the last time it’s going to happen. You just have to look forward.”
Like the rain showers forecasted to clear by race time on Sunday afternoon, O’Ward is ready to shake off Saturday’s qualifying mistake and charge his way to the front of the field.
“At least it’s not the race,” he said. “It is just qualifying. The race is super, super long so we can make a lot of spots up when you have a comfortable car underneath you.
“We will go forward tomorrow. I have no about it. (Sunday) will be a good race for us and we’ll just we’ll just keep on pushing through cars.”
There is no doubt that O’Ward wants to avenge for last year’s frustrating result. (Photo: Wayne Riegle | The Podium Finish)
In four prior starts, O’Ward has qualified 15h, 21st, 20th and first before respectively placing 11th, ninth, eighth and 24th. Despite those mixed results, he remains resolute and ready to give it his best for the 80-lap race.
Moreover, he has his sleeves rolled up and gloves on to avenge a frustrating setback that derailed a potential, race winning afternoon in 2022.
“Mid-Ohio is the exact halfway point of the season,” O’Ward said. “As a team, I feel like we have some unfinished business there because of what happened last year with our cars. I can’t wait to get back and keeping building our momentum.”
