Pato O'Ward penalized to start 19th at Markham IndyCar race

IndyCar driver Pato O'Ward will start from 19th position in the race at the new Markham street circuit in Ontario, Canada, following a penalty during qualifying. The Mexican driver, currently fifth in the championship, was running in sixth place before a red flag incident. After hitting an escape zone during a restart, regulations required him to lose his best qualifying time, dropping him down the grid.

The event marks a transition for the series in Canada, as the Markham circuit replaces the long-standing Toronto venue. The new 3.52-kilometer track features 12 turns and a 90-lap race format. O'Ward and his Arrow McLaren team have struggled with competitiveness recently, following a difficult weekend in Portland where the car lacked necessary speed.

Qualifying sessions at the new venue have been marked by chaos, including multiple red flags caused by drivers such as Will Power, Josef Newgarden, and Caio Collet. O'Ward expressed frustration, noting that the team has struggled to extract maximum performance from the car during this challenging weekend.