PORTLAND, Ore. – Pato O’Ward’s bid to become the first driver from Mexico to win the NTT IndyCar Series championship can now be seen in his native country.
IndyCar announced on Friday the final three races of the season will be televised by Multimedios and the Monterrey, Mexico-based Canal 6 will provide live nationwide coverage of the final three races of the NTT IndyCar Series season on its flagship channel 6.1.
O’Ward is from Monterey, Mexico, and has worked behind the scenes to get IndyCar races telecast in Mexico. Earlier this year, he talked about contributing $100,000 of his own money to make sure that happens.
“I’m pitching in some, IndyCar is helping me and Multimedios is helping me get it done,” O’Ward said. “It’s from all of us. I wanted to make it happen and I was happy to work out the best deal that I could.
“I’ve been working on this together with IndyCar and Multimedios to try to make this happen. This is happening because all of us and playing our own part. I think it’s very important for me, very important for my country to watch the races. People enjoy having things they don’t have to pay for. I enjoy giving them that.
“I want to give them that because I’m fighting for a championship. It’s very special for me. I want them to come along for the right with me and see what the ending stages look like. I’m really proud of what we’ve pieced together for the final three races of the season. I’m sure it will put a lot of smiles onto my fellow Mexicans.”
O’Ward leads the series championship by 10 points heading into Sunday’s Grand Prix of Portland at Portland Int’l Raceway. O’Ward, winner of two races this season in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet, is attempting to become the first Mexican driver to win the NTT IndyCar Series championship.
“This is really exciting news,” O’Ward said. “The IndyCar Series is fast, action-packed and super thrilling so I’m glad more people in my hometown of Monterrey and across Mexico will be able to tune in through this partnership with Multimedios.”
“The 2021 championship has been a battle from the start. Knowing millions of my countrymen can watch on broadcast television gives me added energy and fight to celebrate a title with them.”
Multimedios joins streaming service Claro TV with coverage in Mexico. The new partnership for over-the-air service has the potential reach of an additional 80 million people. Claro TV continues to stream NTT IndyCar Series races live and also has every race of the season available On Demand.
After the Grand Prix of Portland, the NTT IndyCar Series races on Sunday, Sept. 19 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca before crowning the series champion on Sunday, Sept. 26 on the streets of Long Beach, Calif.
“I’m pumped for that,” O’Ward said of Long Beach. “I’m looking forward to seeing a lot of Mexican flags out there. I actually have a suite and a lot of friends, family and friends coming from Mexico and around the world. Hopefully, I can give them something to celebrate Sunday night.
“To be the first Mexican driver to win an IndyCar championship would be in the books. It would be a massive accomplishment not just for me and my team but for the country. No Mexican driver has ever won the IndyCar championship and doing it this year when the competitiveness has been so strong, is definitely a statement for all of us together.”
O’Ward leads Alex Palou of Chip Ganassi Racing by 10 points and Team Penske driver Josef Newgarden by 22 points with three races remaining.
“We are all so tight, I feel like there are truly three leaders fighting for the championship,” O’Ward said. “That can crumble or get better in the course of a race.
“Man, I’m just trying to enjoy it. There is so much at stake here, but I know everybody will be giving me 200 percent of their ability to make this happen because it would be special for so many people. I’m trying to enjoy the moment because the pressure and what is at stake, you have to go back to why you started doing this and that is the love of racing.
“It’s teamwork. I’m the one driving the car, but I need everybody to be on their A Game to make this happen. We all have to enjoy the moment, but we know we are going up against some of the best teams in IndyCar history, so it’s not going to be easy.
“We’ll see where it ends up after the checkered flag at Long Beach.”
The NTT IndyCar Series has secured a television broadcast deal in Mexico for the final three races of the season. (IndyCar Photo)