"It was like Fernando Alonso hanging out with Taylor Swift": IndyCar's Pato O'Ward scoffs at Cadillac F1 rumors

America will be getting its second team on the F1 grid in the form of Cadillac, and Pato O'Ward was poised by many to be one of the leading candidates for the seat. However, the Mexican, while talking about his rumours to Cadillac, made a hilarious analogy with Fernando Alonso's speculations of dating singer Taylor Swift, showcasing how such rumours were just paddock gossip.

O'Ward is one of the highly regarded drivers in the IndyCar paddock. He has emerged as one of the four drivers to win in the 2025 season, and the sole Chevrolet driver to do so till now. On the other hand, with Cadillac joining the F1 grid next year and Andretti having a close hold of the operation, the 26-year-old was understood to be on the list of potential drivers.

Moreover, earlier in the year, Mario Andretti had even expressed his interest in getting the Arrow McLaren driver onboard the F1 project. But, such paddock chatter may have led to nothing in terms of real ground conclusivity.

Pato O'Ward broke the bubble of his potential move to Cadillac while deeming that such a transfer was never on the cards by explaining through the genuineness of the rumours of Alonso and Swift's relationship in 2023:

"That was pure smoke and mirrors. It came from social media. I think that Cadillac rumor, about me joining the team, was like Fernando Alonso hanging out with Taylor Swift."

Despite a Cadillac transfer no longer being on the cards, O'Ward remains the reserve driver for the McLaren F1 team.

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Pato O'Ward reveals his love for America amid links to the F1 world

Pato O'Ward at the 2025 NTT INDYCAR Series Sukup 275 - Source: Getty

Drivers are known to move to Europe once they get into the F1 sphere. With Pato O'Ward being one of the closely allied members of both IndyCar and F1 grids, many fans reckoned that if an opportunity arises, the Mexican would ditch his fanbase in the United States and shift to Europe.

However, O'Ward thinks otherwise as he opened up about his love for racing in America to motorsport photographer, Kym Illman, as he said:

"Formula 1 is a bit of a different beast in regards to politics, in regards to money, who you know, right time-right place." (4:29 onwards) "I'm fully focused obviously where I'm at now and I love it here, I love America, I love it here. This will always be home to me even if I do get a chance in Formula 1, I always see myself coming back to America. I don't see myself leaving to Europe and settling there for the rest of my life. I don't see that I really love being here and this is what's become home to me."

The Arrow McLaren driver sits second in the interim standings, with a 129-point deficit to Alex Palou.

Edited by pranavsethii