O’Ward handed FP1 outing

McLaren has handed IndyCar driver, Pato O’Ward his second Formula 1 free practice run in Abu Dhabi as well as the post-race tyre test that takes place the week after the F1 season finale.

All teams have to get a rookie to take part in two FP1 sessions over the season, but as Oscar Piastri is a rookie he done his on the first race weekend in Bahrain.

Originally the second free practice session was going to Alex Palou – who had been expected to become one of its reserves from this weekend’s race in Singapore.

However, with Palou having gone back on plans to join McLaren in IndyCar, the Woking quad has had to re-evaluate things.

Abu Dhabi will be Pato’s first appearance at an F1 weekend since he had his debut free practice run at last year’s Abu Dhabi event.
McLaren’s team principal, Andrea Stella explained that they believe O’Ward was now eligible for an F1 superlicence after finishing fourth in this year’s IndyCar championship so hopefully the Mexican could join its roster of reserves.

We are actually checking with the FIA, and we think he’s eligible now for the superlicence. So he’s qualified to drive an F1 car and be in a position to be one of the reserve drivers. In terms of the two main [free practice] events that would have involved either Alex or Pato, we had to do one more session of free practice one, where we have to have a so-called young driver, so a driver that hasn’t participated in more than two races. And then we have the post-Abu Dhabi test. Initially, these kind of events would have been split between the two, but obviously now in this situation, we will have Pato at the wheel in FP1 in Abu Dhabi and then I can confirm that he will also be driving the Tuesday after the race in Abu Dhabi.

Andrea Stella, talking at the Singapore GP.