Young IndyCar driver Patricio O’Ward needed just 1:10.3 to lap the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in a 1998 McLaren MP4-13 F1 car, eclipsing the pole-setting lap time of this year’s IndyCar race at the circuit.
The 22-year-old currently races in the IndyCar Series with the Arrow McLaren SP team and at the start of this season, struck a deal with McLaren boss Zak Brown that if he won an IndyCar race, he would get the chance to drive an F1 car. O’Ward has won two races this season and in addition to being confirmed a place in F1’s post-season Young Driver Test in Abu Dhabi, he was offered the chance to drive the MP4-13 at Laguna Seca earlier in the week. He made the most of the opportunity.
Pato’s sound effects vs the real thing. 🔊🤣 pic.twitter.com/MpGvIiwDSa
— Arrow McLaren SP (@ArrowMcLarenSP) November 16, 2021
The F1 car driven by O’Ward just so happened to be the championship-winning car driven by Mika Häkkinen. It has a 3.0-liter naturally aspirated Mercedes V10 with around 800 hp and weighs roughly 1,300 lbs (590 kg), meaning it has more power and less weight than the current Dallara DW12 being used in IndyCar.
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Despite being unfamiliar with the car, O’Ward set a best lap time of 1:10.3, seven-tenths quicker than the 1:11 time he set during qualifying for the 2021 IndyCar race at the circuit. His time was also 0.5 seconds quicker than the pole time set by Colton Herta.