Pato O’Ward’s highly anticipated Indianapolis 500 helmet was finally released from customs after being held due to a dispute over fees the driver allegedly owed. The delay caused a significant inconvenience for the Arrow McLaren driver, who had the helmet specially designed and shipped from Germany for the 2025 Indy 500.”
Fortunately, a rain delay at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Tuesday provided O’Ward with additional time to resolve the issue. The driver expressed frustration over the situation, claiming that the helmet was being held “ransom” despite his insistence that he had already paid the required customs fees.
“I’ve been on the phone 48 minutes and they won’t send me a link to pay the customs,” O’Ward complained. He initially believed the delay was due to the package requiring a signature, but he maintained that there were people at his house waiting to receive the helmet.
“I kept telling the driver to ring the bell! There’s people there!” he said. “But then they said it is a customs fee and they won’t deliver it until it’s been paid.”
O’Ward was firm in his belief that it was a mix-up and expressed his willingness to pay the fees a second time to expedite the delivery process. Special helmet designs are a common tradition for the Indianapolis 500, allowing drivers to showcase meaningful and fun designs that represent their culture, personality, or other personal aspects.
When O’Ward finally took to the track on Tuesday, he was wearing his regular helmet, as the special Indy 500 design had not yet arrived.
Fortunately, a woman on the Arrow McLaren team, who is married to a high-ranking UPS official, stepped in to help O’Ward navigate the customs issue. Thanks to her assistance, the Indy 500 helmet has now been delivered to his house.
O’Ward is expected to debut the much-anticipated helmet design on Friday, just in time for the upcoming qualifying sessions and the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 25.
