The reception that Pato O’Ward ( Pato O’ ) has acquired on the Mexican Grand Prix would possibly make one consider the 25-year-old was lining up on the F1 grid alongside the likes of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. Somewhat, the Arrow McLaren IndyCar driver has resonated so strongly with motorsport followers in his residence nation that he receives a hero’s welcome upon arrival in Mexico Metropolis.
His promotion to McLaren reserve driver, and the announcement that he’ll soar behind the wheel throughout FP1 at this weekend’s race, has solely heightened the fervor across the Monterrey-born athlete. We caught up with O’Ward earlier this month to find a few of his must-do suggestions in Mexico’s capital.
Coyoacan district road scene in Mexico Metropolis
Picture by: Getty Photos
Eat
O’Ward has one rule relating to tacos: road distributors are king. “Any taco stand that you just see on the road can be good,” he mentioned. “It would not matter what the identify is or what [they sell], any road taco stand can be phenomenal.” As for his order? “Tacos al pastor,” O’Ward mentioned, noting that he additionally likes gorditas with beans and cheese.
In case you’re on the lookout for a extra conventional eating expertise, O’Ward shared two of his go-to haunts. “There is a restaurant referred to as Sylvestre, which is fantastic,” he mentioned of the rooftop scorching spot serving up wonderful fare. “There’s additionally a restaurant referred to as La Unica which has very, superb Mexican meals.”
Drink
O’Ward is not an enormous drinker, however there’s one beverage he recommends to anybody visiting Mexico. “In any restaurant that you just go to, after you are achieved with you meal, order a carajillo,” he mentioned. The cocktail is an easy concoction historically constructed from a Spanish liqueur referred to as Licor 43 and a shot of espresso.
“It is fantastic. It is type of like an espresso martini, however Latin type as a result of they’ve them in Brazil and Argentina as properly,” he went on. “I extremely advocate attempting it in just about any restaurant that you just’re at.”
Image of a Mexican typical drink referred to as carajillo
Picture by: Getty Photos
Discover
When O’Ward is not on the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in the course of the Mexican Grand Prix weekend, he spends most of his time in a single space: Polanco. The opulent, inventive neighborhood boasts artwork galleries, luxurious purchasing, and high-end eating places within the metropolis’s northwest.
“You’ll be able to truly stroll round and never really feel like you need to be trying all over the place,” he defined. “I do not go away that space to be trustworthy. I simply go to the observe after which stroll round Polanco and go to the eating places … there’s most likely live shows and events occurring however I like my 9 hours of sleep an excessive amount of so I do not actually exit.”
Though O’Ward prioritizes his relaxation, he revealed he is additionally a fan of the close by Soho Home, which opened final September. “It is a phenomenal facility … I lately bumped into Peso Pluma there,” he mentioned of the 25-year-old singer and rapper. “There’s a number of Mexican celebrities you would possibly run into.”
Journey
For F1 followers with a bit of additional time on their fingers, O’Ward recommends heading west to the pristine sandy seashores of the non-public peninsula, Punta Mita. “It is stunning, and a really peaceable, very good space,” he went on. “It is a bit like Cabo [San Lucas] however much less touristy.”
