Patricio O’Ward, “I realized that F1 participation was an illusion” in the Piastri turmoil[F1-Gate.com]

McLaren IndyCar driver Patricio O’Ward says the story surrounding Oscar Piastri made him realize that the chances of him competing in F1 were a distant fantasy.

Oscar Piastri has rejected an offer to replace Fernando Alonso at the Alpine F1 team in 2023. He is set to move to the McLaren F1 team.

The move will affect Daniel Ricciardo’s 2023 contract with McLaren F1, with McLaren paying a $21 million settlement to terminate Ricciardo’s contract early. may become.

Another effect of this story has spilled over into the drivers McLaren has bought up.

Since the Oscar Piastri/McLaren bombshell came to light, Patricio O’Ward and Colton Herta’s chances of winning an F1 seat have plummeted.

Colton Herta races in IndyCar with Andretti Autosport and Patricio O’Ward with Arrow McLaren SP, but both drivers have signed contracts with the McLaren F1 team to test F1 cars.

Patricio O’Ward, who was effectively shuffled by Oscar Piastri, seems to have decided to forget regarding a possible future drive in F1.

“Having that kind of illusion does nothing for me,” Patricio O’Ward told ESPN.

“I feel mature in realizing that illusion is a very distant illusion.”

“I’m driving at a very high level, but I still can’t convince them.”

“There’s a lot more things and politics out there and a lot of things I can’t control. It’s something I can never control and I have to get out of it. What’s the point of marrying an illusion?” Because there is no

Patricio O’Ward thinks the deal fuss between Oscar Piastri and the McLaren F1 team is laughable and says his focus is now on IndyCar.

“The only thing that made me think regarding it was pure laughter,” added Patricio O’Ward.

“It’s not that I’m not part of it. I’m part of it. But the truth is that so many things have changed and are changing… I’m at the same point. It’s reached, and what good does having that kind of stress do?”

“The truth is that since the beginning of this year I stopped doing it and stopped thinking regarding it because the idea excites you. It’s the illusion that no one wants to give up. is the reason.”

“But I’m a smart guy and I know how things sign up. It doesn’t do me any good to have those illusions.”

“And I love IndyCar. I want to grow, I want to go to Mexico, I want to be global. I want to help everything keep growing. There’s immense potential there. Because there is

Patricio O’Ward is on a three-year deal until 2025 on his IndyCar contract with Arrow McLaren SP.

Category: F1 / mclaren / indycar