McLaren is making a true sport of attracting as many young talent as possible.
Thanks to this, two serious scandals have erupted in recent weeks regarding IndyCar and Formula 1.
Regarding the previous series, the case of reigning champion Alex Ballou is already in federal court after his current employer, Chip Ganassi Racing, insisted that the Spaniard had breached his contract and that they had an exclusive option for his services in 2023 (early 2024), according to for some reports as well).
However, Palou certainly wants to continue at McLaren, as he has also been offered an F1 opportunity.
In addition, there is the Oscar Piastri portal, on which Alpine can take legal action.
We also can’t forget Colton Herta, who participated in the testing program with the Wokingites’ F1 car last year, and who also promised a future appearance in the World Series.
Arrow McLaren SP captain Pato O’Ward, like his teammates, has also set his sights on Formula 1 since childhood.
However, with the Biastrian case exploding, it has become almost impossible to say that – unless the court decides otherwise – he will take Daniel Ricciardo’s seat next year.
And for the guys in IndyCar – who really thought they had a chance – it was a real slap.
“This illusion is no longer good for me.” – O’Ward told ESPN’s Latin edition regarding F1.
“This is a very distant dream. Although I am competing at a very high level, it is still not enough to convince them. There are many factors beyond my control. At the moment they cannot offer me a seat in Formula One because they do not have a seat yet. Now, that’s where they’re all sold out.”
It is still out of the question that O’Ward will be able to ride in an F1 car during Friday’s free practice for his country’s Grand Prix.
By his own admission, that’s what he cares about, because private auditions no longer excite him.
“Zack has already talked to me about his Formula One contract, but now, in the middle of the season, I don’t want to deal with him. I can’t go because I’m part of the IndyCar team, I signed here. If he wants to put me in an F1 car, he will. I have no say. In this. Since all sessions are already owned, the only thing I have had the opportunity to do is take part in free practice. But I don’t want to invest more energy in that [egy teszten] Hit the track and drive around.”
At the same time, he is also aware that the team will focus on Piastri if necessary, and if the situation leads to a positive outcome for McLaren, the Australian could also get FP1 chances this year.
O’Ward has commented on the controversy surrounding the 2021 F2 champ on social media with popcorn emojis.
This is a true reflection of how you feel about the situation.
“I found the whole thing ridiculous. When I saw it, I couldn’t help but laugh. Brawn has given the same priority (F1 debut) to a number of other drivers. In the end, there’s only one sitting. I can’t help but laugh at this. The truth is that Everything changes and changes, and eventually you get to a point where you realize there’s no point in stressing it out. I haven’t dealt with this since the beginning of the year, because just thinking about it excites me. For this delusion, everyone is willing to leave where they are. I consider myself a smart person, and I know How things work, but at the same time, I don’t have much to say about this situation. I love IndyCar, I want to develop and race them in Mexico and then go internationally. I want to help the series grow because it has potential.”
“Driving a race car like a chainsaw waltz” – Cal Yarborough
