P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Pato O’Ward describes his FP1 outing at the Mexico City Grand Prix as “a dream come true” after completing a clean and competitive session on Friday. McLaren ran O’Ward as part of its rookie practi…
Pato O’Ward described his experience at the Mexico City Grand Prix FP1 session as a “dream come true” after driving Lando Norris’ car for McLaren’s rookie practice requirements. Despite the chaotic session and a lengthy red flag, O’Ward managed to complete 21 laps, just over 0.3s behind teammate Oscar Piastri. While O’Ward wished for more time on the hard tires to prepare for the soft ones, he was pleased with the information he gathered for the team’s title fight. He felt a sense of pride seeing Mexican flags and “floating Pato faces,” marking the special occasion. Adhering to strict instructions from McLaren, O’Ward prioritized gathering crucial data and maintaining consistency over showcasing his raw pace potential during the session. Despite the challenges of learning a new car and track, O’Ward was content with the job he did and looks forward to driving the car again before the year ends.
