Alex Palou and Pato O’Ward to run upcoming F1 practices for McLaren

McLaren Racing will run IndyCar stars Alex Palou and Pato O’Ward in a pair of upcoming Method One observe periods.

McLaren stated Friday that Palou, the 2021 IndyCar champion, will run subsequent Friday’s first observe session at Circuit of the Americas in Texas. The Spaniard will drive Daniel Ricciardo’s automobile for the 60-minute session.

“I’m so excited to be making my F1 weekend debut,” Palou stated. “It’s nice to be driving in america in entrance of followers which will have seen me race in IndyCar.”

O’Ward will drive Lando Norris’ automobile within the first observe session on the season-ending finale in Abu Dhabi. The Mexican participated within the younger drivers take a look at at that observe for McLaren final December.

“I can’t wait to get out on observe in Abu Dhabi. I’ve developed as a driver and had a whole lot of enjoyable testing final yr’s automobile with the group, so will probably be a fantastic expertise,” O’Ward stated.

Palou and O’Ward have each examined the F1 automobile for McLaren twice because the IndyCar season ended final month, in Barcelona and Austria.

“Alex and Pato impressed with their latest assessments,” McLaren group principal Andreas Seidl stated. “It’s a fantastic likelihood for them to showcase their expertise on Method One’s world stage, the place the main focus might be to assist the group put together for the race weekend and never on final lap occasions.”

In asserting the 2 IndyCar drivers for the obligatory use of reserve drivers in not less than two practices this season, McLaren clearly didn’t get entry to Oscar Piastri sooner than hoped.

Piastri is beneath contract to Alpine by the tip of the yr, and can exchange Ricciardo at McLaren subsequent season. McLaren had hoped Piastri could be freed earlier and maybe even take part in some observe periods earlier than the season is over.

The Arrow McLaren SP IndyCar group is increasing in 2023 to a few vehicles, with Indianapolis 500 winner Alexander Rossi set to hitch O’Ward and Felix Rosenqvist. McLaren tried so as to add Palou, who signed with the group however in the end was held to his current Chip Ganassi Racing contract.

Ganassi held the choice on 2023 for Palou, exercised it, after which could not come to phrases on a buyout with McLaren when Palou stated he was leaving Ganassi. He’ll now end his Ganassi contract, is permitted to check the F1 automobile for McLaren, and can formally be a part of McLaren in 2024.

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