McLaren announced earlier today that Alex Palou and Pato O’ward will take to the wheel of the MCL36 in an FP1 session each this year.
McLaren along with Alpine were still to announce who would drive in their two mandatory FP1 sessions this year. Due to the new rule introduced this season that a rookie driver must complete two of the FP1 sessions throughout the season, there is no doubt that we were all at the edge of our seats waiting for the announcements from the teams.
Alex Palou and Pato O’Ward have both driven private tests with last year’s McLaren car, however due to the FP1 rule there was no doubt that these two amazing drivers were favourites for the sessions. The drivers that allowed for this rule are those who have competed in two Grand Prix’s or fewer, making both drivers eligible for McLaren to fulfil these new obligations.
Alex Palou is set to take to the wheel at the United States Grand Prix taking over from Daniel Ricciardo. Majority of F1 fans are excited to see him in the driving seat due to his impressive motorsport career.
The 25-year-old Spaniard drives in the IndyCar series where he was the 2021 series champion. Alex Palou and McLaren were caught up in another contract debacle, this time involving Ganassi, however with that now resolved, the former Indycar champion is free to test with Mclaren.
Pato O’ward definitely another favourite for the FP1 session and it is confirmed he will drive and replace Lando Norris at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix for the FP1 session.
The 23-year-old, Mexican driver has an extensive motorsport career also, making this announcement just as exciting. He currently drives in the IndyCar series with Arrow McLaren and is a 4-time IndyCar race winner and also won 2020 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the year.
Both drivers will be a great addition to the FP1 sessions, and we can’t wait to see them in action. Pato O’Ward and Alex Palou spoke out about this recent announcement.
“I can’t wait to get out on track in Abu Dhabi. I’ve developed as a driver and had a lot of fun testing last year’s car with the team, so it will be a great experience to drive the MCL36. Thank you McLaren F1 for the opportunity.”
Pato O’Ward, Mclaren Racing
“I’m so excited to be making my F1 weekend debut. It’s great to be driving in the United States in front of fans that may have seen me race in INDYCAR. Having driven the 2021 McLaren MCL35M in a few tests now, I can’t wait to put the MCL36 through its paces. I look forward to helping the team in their preparation for the 2022 United States Grand Prix.”
Alex Palou, McLaren Racing
McLarens Team Principal Andreas Seidl also commented on the McLaren’s Team recent announcement.
“We’re pleased to give Alex and Pato the opportunity to take part in free practice sessions with McLaren. With Alex’s great successes in INDYCAR, it will be useful for the team to get his feedback on the car and for us to continue to evaluate him as a driver.
“Alex and Pato impressed with their recent tests in Barcelona and Austria, and we’re excited to offer them the experience in the MCL36. It’s a great chance for them to showcase their skills on Formula 1’s global stage, where the focus will be to help the team prepare for the race weekend and not on ultimate lap times.”