Arrow McLaren SP driver Patricio O'Ward has reiterated his "heart's with IndyCar" after earning himself an F1 test with victory in the Texas XPEL 375.
O'Ward had made a bet with McLaren CEO Zak Brown that he would be given a test in F1 machinery at the conclusion of the current season if he could give the associated IndyCar team a maiden race victory.
The Mexican took just four races of the American open-wheel season to earn his winnings after an aggressive drive at the Texas Motor Speedway saw him out-fight series champions Scott Dixon and Josef Newgarden.
After taking his first IndyCar win, O'Ward told NBCSN: “My heart’s with IndyCar.
“It’s just great racing and it’s so, so competitive. I think for a driver there is nothing harder in the world. I think many drivers can agree with me that have come from Formula 1 to IndyCar, back to Formula 1.
“Formula 1 is the peak of technology. Everybody wants to go there. If the opportunity ever came by Zak and he said, ‘There’s a seat open, I want you in my team,’ I’d be pretty dumb not to take it because it would just be a crazy opportunity.
"They don’t come often. Right now I’m focused on the job that I have right now in IndyCar. I want to make the best of it.”
Confirming O'Ward's reward, Brown tweeted post-race: "A deal's a deal - what a win! See you in Abu Dhabi later this year!"
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