F1 cars "crazy and insane times 10" hails Pato O'Ward after McLaren debut

McLaren

F1 cars "crazy and insane times 10" hails O'Ward after McLaren debut

Mexican's drive was a reward for his IndyCar win this year

Ian Parkes

Tuesday 14 December 2021 16:01

Patricio O'Ward has described McLaren's Formula 1 car as "crazy and insane times 10" following his test run as a prize for his maiden IndyCar success this year.

McLaren CEO Zak Brown had promised O'Ward a run out in the end-of-season test at Abu Dhabi's Yas Marina Circuit if he managed to clinch an IndyCar victory in his second season with the Arrow McLaren SP team.

O'Ward duly delivered in the fourth race of the year at Texas Motor Speedway, and again in Detroit en route to finishing third in the championship.

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For the 22-year-old Mexican, however, sampling an F1 car for the first time left him "lost for words" initially before going on to eulogise about his experience in the MCL35M "rocketship".

"The opportunity is rare, once in a lifetime, but man, wow! These cars are ridiculous," said O'Ward. "I was expecting crazy and insane. This is crazy and insane times 10.

"What these cars are capable of...I don't know how. I thought the IndyCar was fast. It was just crazy man. I don't know what else to say.

"Just the first lap, as soon as I went out, I felt the power, the grip, the braking. The thing does whatever you want it to do. What a great experience, and what a car!"

O'Ward was fourth quickest at the end of a day that combined young drivers in this year's cars alongside current F1 drivers testing Pirelli's rubber for 2022 in mule cars, with Formula E champion Nyck de Vries fastest for Mercedes.

Expanding further on his drive with McLaren, O'Ward added: "It just feels so good, the change of direction, the downforce, the stopping power.

"It's unlike anything. Nothing I've driven comes close to this, not even a hint of close. It is unbelievable."

O'Ward revealed to failing to get everything out of the car over one lap as 'he was about to lose his head'.

"My neck is destroyed," added O'Ward. "My last few laps, I was looking down with my eyes up trying to see where I was going at 180mph."

De Vries set the pace with a time of one minute 23.194s ahead of AlphaTauri's Liam Lawson who was 1.3s back, while F2 champion and Alpine reserve Oscar Piastri was third just ahead of O'Ward.

McLaren's Daniel Ricciardo was quickest of those in the mule cars, 1.6s behind De Vries.

Valtteri Bottas tested for the first time with Alfa Romeo after being given permission to do so by Mercedes, with the Finn 12th quickest, while Max Verstappen was also on track two days after his world title success with Red Bull.