IndyCar driver Pato O’Ward has dismissed rumors about moving to Formula 1 with Cadillac, comparing it to the buzz around Fernando Alonso and pop star Taylor Swift.
O’Ward has been rumored to be making a switch to F1 for a while now, especially since Cadillac, a new U.S. team, has two seats open for the 2026 season.
Cadillac hasn’t announced their plans yet, but they are watching IndyCar closely, where O’Ward has made a name for himself as a top driver.
Arrow McLaren’s Mexican driver says that the rumors about him joining Cadillac are not true. He jokingly compared these rumors to the gossip about Fernando Alonso and Taylor Swift possibly dating, which was all over social media last year.
O’Ward told ESPN MX, “The talk about me going to Cadillac is just like the buzz about Fernando Alonso being with Taylor Swift.”
Cadillac’s leader, Graeme Lowdon, recently listed seven drivers as possible targets during a High Performance podcast. He mentioned names like Mick Schumacher, Valtteri Bottas, and Sergio Pérez among others.
O’Ward, a reserve driver for McLaren F1, expressed his belief that his fellow Mexican driver Pérez will be back on the track. Pérez lost his seat for 2024 when Red Bull replaced him with Liam Lawson, who they later let go in favor of Yuki Tsunoda.
“I don’t think leaving Formula 1 was what he wanted,” O’Ward remarked.
“Whether he decides to come back or not, he will always be a role model. If he comes back, he’ll still be an idol. I believe that won’t change much. However, I’ve already seen him training, and he wouldn’t be doing that if he wasn’t planning to return.”
Currently, O’Ward is in second place in this year’s Indy Car Championship, trailing behind Álex Palou.
