Written by Dan Jones
Pato O'Ward has indicated that IndyCar's return to international racing could be as close as 2026, after the Mexican stated that talks of IndyCar returning to his home country are 'more advanced than ever,' with a potential first series visit to Mexico since Champ Car raced in 2007.
It's been 12 years since IndyCar last ventured outside the US and Canada after the series finished it's four year venture on the Streets of São Paulo, despite constant suggestions of IndyCar exploring options to return to international racing.
The demand for a race in Mexico, most likely at F1's current Mexican venue, the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, has substantially increased in recent years due to the ever-growing popularity of O'Ward.
Tensions clashed at Milwaukee last year, when Penske Entertainment CEO, Mark Miles, stated that the delay in bringing IndyCar to Mexico was O'Ward's perceived lack of popularity in the country, according to the Mexican promoter.
O'Ward since started his 'Pato, WHO?' campaign in reference to the incident, which ironically saw Miles sporting O'Ward's merchandise in a recent Instagram post.
Since the dispute in August last year, it has been known that talks have developed between IndyCar and Mexico, which all stemmed from NASCAR's announcement of a race in the Mexican capital, spearheaded by their own home hero, Daniel Suárez.
O'Ward has stated that he will be involved in supporting the efforts of IndyCar and the event: "I will be very involved, and I want to be very involved. I want to make sure it's a success. I want to finish that weekend and be like, wow."
O'Ward got a hero's welcome in Mexico when deputising for Lando Norris in FP1 for last year's Mexico City Grand Prix, and was subject to rapturous support from his home fans.
When O'Ward held sponsor events in a shopping centre pre-weekend, the images were that of thousands of fans lining up to see a sight of the Arrow McLaren star.
"It's the perfect market for INDYCAR to go," O'Ward added, "and just really experience what that aficionado, that fan can bring to the table because it's such a special group of people, such a special community that really embraces not just INDYCAR back in the day but Formula 1."
"Anybody that's there they always make them feel so welcomed and special, and I know they're going to do just that for us."
Champ Car visited Mexico City between 2002 and 2007, after a 21 year hiatus, when the series hosted two races in 1980 and 1981, both won by Rick Mears.
CART also visited Fundidora Park Raceway, in Monterrey, O'Ward's hometown, between 2001 and 2006.
It would be a major venture for IndyCar, and O'Ward is determined to make the event a success: "Ooh, man, people are going to be pumped. I'm going to be pumped. I hope all of you are going to be pumped. It's going to be a great event. It's going to be the best event on the calendar outside of the Indy 500."
O'Ward said that he 'hopes we see it on the calendar in 2026,' which could be the second major addition to the IndyCar calendar next season, after the series announced in October a new race in Arlington, Texas, racing on the streets around the Dallas Cowboys' AT&T Stadium, and the Texas Rangers' Globe Life Field, in a 2.73-mile circuit.
The series is also believed to be exploring options for an event in Denver, Colorado, some 19 years after Indy cars last raced round the 'Mile High City.'
Talks are 'quite more advanced than what it's ever been,' according to O'Ward, further suggesting that IndyCar's return to international racing could be closer than once thought.
Comments