Pato O'Ward shares funny update after suffering illness following Mexico GP FP1 stint

Mexican driver Pato O'Ward shared an update with his fans after being taken ill following his stint with McLaren during the first practice session of the Mexico Grand Prix race weekend.

After stepping into Lando Norris's McLaren MCL39 during FP1, the IndyCar driver was treated for food poisoning in the medical centre. Motorsport.com understands that the 26-year-old was given IV fluids for dehydration and medication for stomach pain while doctors monitored his heart rate.

McLaren later confirmed: "Pato was taken to the medical center for assessment after FP1, having reported feeling unwell. After assessment and a period of observation, he was then discharged back to the team."

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O'Ward took to social media to share a couple of updates with his followers. "I needed a cork today," he joked, before making the most of the situation to endorse his sponsor, Electrolit. "Here we gooo. Your messages and support today are appreciated," he wrote alongside a photo with the rehydration drink.

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While the Mexican driver missed various media duties for the remainder of Friday, he returned to the track for qualifying day to support the McLaren team.

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"Being back on track in Mexico is so special to me," O'Ward explained in McLaren's Friday debrief. "All week, the fans have been passionate and loud, making me feel right at home again. I want to thank the team for putting me in the seat.

"We ran through the programme we had planned for the day successfully, and I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to support Lando and Oscar on their championship runs with time in the car today. I’m excited to see the team finish up the weekend strong.”

Team principal Andrea Stella added: "Thank you to Pato who did a good job in place of Lando in FP1. He provided a valuable contribution to our data collection, which is appreciated by the team."

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