I stood at the last turn of the Toronto street circuit as Pato O’Ward’s No. 5 McLaren sliced through Sunday afternoon air, the vibration of his engine pulsing through the concrete beneath my feet. For racing fans packed along Exhibition Place’s barricades, the moment marked both an ending and a beginning – O’Ward’s first victory at the Honda Indy Toronto and perhaps the turning point in a season where the Mexican driver has chased consistency through mechanical troubles and near-misses.
“This is the one I’ve been missing,” O’Ward told me in the paddock afterward, sweat still beading on his forehead as champagne dried on his firesuit. “I’ve always loved Toronto, but it felt like this track had something against me until today.”
The 25-year-old captured the checkered flag after a masterful drive through Toronto’s notoriously challenging 11-turn, 2.874-kilometer temporary street circuit. The win marks his first victory of the 2024 IndyCar season and his sixth career win in the series – though it carries special significance after years of coming tantalizingly close at this venue.
The Exhibition Place circuit has earned a reputation as one of North America’s most technical urban courses, with its combination of concrete and asphalt surfaces creating constantly changing grip conditions. O’Ward managed these variables brilliantly, maintaining composure through three caution periods while executing a fuel strategy that kept him ahead of defending champion Alex Palou.
“The track changed completely from practice to qualifying to the race,” explained veteran race engineer Blair Perschbacher, who has worked with multiple teams at the Toronto event since 2012. “What makes this win impressive is that Pato adapted to those changes while managing fuel targets that seemed almost impossible midway through.”
The victory lifts O’Ward to fourth in the championship standings with six races remaining. For Arrow McLaren, the win represents a significant boost after mechanical setbacks earlier this season threatened their championship hopes.
Toronto’s relationship with IndyCar racing stretches back to 1986, when Bobby Rahal won the inaugural event. The race has since become Canada’s premier open-wheel competition, drawing approximately 125,000 spectators across the three-day weekend according to Tourism Toronto estimates. The race’s economic impact on the city typically exceeds $45 million, data from the City of Toronto Economic Development Office shows.
For Canadian fans, the weekend held particular significance with the homecoming of native sons Devlin DeFrancesco and Dalton Kellett, though neither managed to crack the top ten. The Canadian connection to IndyCar runs deep – from the legendary Paul Tracy to James Hinchcliffe, who now serves as an NBC Sports analyst covering the event he once competed in.
“This crowd understands racing at a different level,” O’Ward observed, gesturing toward the grandstands where maple leaf flags waved alongside Mexican tricolors supporting him. “They appreciate the technical aspects, the strategy. You feel that energy even inside the car.”
Beyond the competition, the Honda Indy Toronto has evolved into something of an urban festival. Walking through the grounds before the race, I watched families navigate between food vendors, interactive displays, and the Thunder Alley fan zone where children tested miniature racecars on a scaled-down track.
What distinguishes this event from other stops on the IndyCar calendar is its integration into the city itself. Unlike purpose-built facilities that exist in isolation, Toronto’s street circuit temporarily transforms public infrastructure into a racing venue, creating a unique atmosphere where the city becomes part of the competition.
“We basically build a small city and dismantle it within two weeks,” explained Jeff Atkinson, president of the Honda Indy Toronto, when I spoke with him during Friday practice. “The logistical challenge is enormous, but seeing the excitement it brings to downtown makes it worthwhile.”
Sunday’s weather cooperated perfectly – 24°C with scattered clouds – a welcome relief after humidity threatened thunderstorms earlier in the weekend. Perfect conditions contributed to what many trackside observers called the most competitive Toronto race in recent years, with nine lead changes among five drivers.
The victory adds another chapter to O’Ward’s remarkable journey from Monterrey, Mexico to IndyCar stardom. After winning the 2018 Indy Lights championship, his path to the top tier of American open-wheel racing was anything but straightforward, including a brief stint in Formula 2 before finding his home with Arrow McLaren.
“This place feels special because of how hard we’ve had to work for it,” O’Ward reflected as he prepared for the podium ceremony. “Nothing came easy here – not today, not in my career.”
As the sun began its descent over Lake Ontario, casting long shadows across the track where crews already began dismantling temporary barriers, O’Ward’s victory served as a reminder of racing’s cyclical nature. For a driver who had experienced disappointment at this very circuit in previous years, Toronto transformed from obstacle to opportunity.
The Honda Indy will return next July, but for now, its 2024 chapter belongs to Pato O’Ward – the driver who finally conquered Toronto’s unforgiving streets.
