The weekend in St. Petersburg will be different from other years for IndyCar, and for Pato O’Ward, the 2025 IndyCar season runner-up, it is necessary to establish a difference between them and NASCAR, with whom they will share this stage, specifically with the truck category.
Although the “doubleheader” format is a hit among fans, the experience from the cockpit is different for O’Ward.
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“I’m already tired of IndyCar being like the support race,” the Monterrey native stated on Friday in St. Petersburg. “I know that every time we race with them, we are always the side show. It’s great for the fans, but not for us,” he added with the honesty that characterizes him.
“I’d love to say that I watch all forms of motorsports, but I don’t. I don’t really follow what’s going on with NASCAR, even on race weekends. I can tell you the last time I watched a NASCAR race was when we raced with them. I usually just look at how my friends are doing and check the results, but I genuinely don’t follow it. Not because I don’t care, but because I’m usually doing other things or traveling.”
However, he added that whether more races of this type exist where both categories join together is not a priority for him. “If they add more races together, great. If they don’t, great too. I don’t really care.”
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The FOMO of missing Daytona for rest
One of the major absences at the start of the year was Pato O’Ward at the 24 Hours of Daytona (Rolex 24). Following a grueling season that included responsibilities with the McLaren Formula 1 team, the Mexican decided to prioritize his mental health and family time, ensuring that he did not suffer from “FOMO” (fear of missing out) while watching the Daytona race from home.
“I really value my off-season time a lot. I don’t finish until mid-December because of the Formula 1 stuff. I feel like Christmas and New Year’s come and then it’s like: ‘My God, finally time for myself,'” he explained.
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However, he left the door open for a return to Daytona, but under his own conditions: “For now, I have it ‘in the freezer.’ But if I go back, I’d like it to be only in LMDH (GTP) to try and win overall.”
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