2018 Indy Lights champion Patricio O'Ward admits he was begging his team over the radio to let him make an early pit stop in his first stint during the Grand Prix of Sonoma.
O'Ward made his IndyCar series debut with the Harding team in the #8 entry and after doing a small amount of testing had not been able to get enough time to gain experience on the softer red alternate tyres.
In the early phase of the race the Mexican was able to hold onto fifth place after qualifying in the Fast Six, however, he quickly began to find the tyres falling away. His strategist informed him we would need to stay out longer to make the strategy work.
As the race went on O'Ward continued to learn how to make the tyres last which eventually saw him finish the race ninth-place.
"I was begging," said O'Ward. "I was on my knees, man. I could not handle the rear of the car. Once Rahal got by me, I sunk.
"I said, I have to pit. I'm going to lose, like, 20 seconds if I don't pit now. It's just really hard when you first go on those reds, they're so soft, you really have to know how to manage them.
"For the second reds that I got, I did a way better job. Like I say, it's just things that you have to learn in the moment. I learned a lot of things today.
"I know a lot more than what I came into the weekend with. I think if I get another chance you could see a way stronger O'Ward."
The 19-year old believes he learnt a lot during his first weekend in IndyCar and expects himself to be much stronger should he get another opportunity to return to the field in the future.
When asked about his feelings on his first race, he added: "Just a lot of learning experience, a lot of things I didn't know.
"I think the speed has always been there, but I just had to finalize some details within myself to race better. I think next time I get a chance in an IndyCar race, I should expect from myself to be way, way stronger.
"I think we lost a lot of time when I was struggling with the people passing me. But if I cannot let that happen, just focus forward, I think the results are going to come by themselves."
