O'Ward crestfallen as Newgarden steals Indy 500: 'So fucking close'

A crestfallen Pato O'Ward rued being "so fucking" close to Indy 500 victory, as Josef Newgarden denied him with a stunning overtake on the final lap.

Starting Lap 200, O'Ward moved into P1 at Turn 1, but as he did to Marcus Ericcson 12 months ago, Newgarden got a great run along the back-straight into Turn 3.

He swept around the outside of the Mexican to seal a second straight Indy 500 and deny the Mexican a first victory in the race. 

Reflecting on the late defeat, O'Ward was close to tears.

"It is hard to put it into words, but I am proud of the work we did today," he explained.

"We recovered, we went back, we went forward and some people were driving like maniacs, we had so many near race-enders and were just so fucking close. 

"I put that car through things I never thought it was going to be able to do and sometimes I said: 'Oh that is it', but came out the other side of the corner.

"It is just so painful when you put so much into it - and then end two laps short, or two corners short.

"This places owes me nothing, but yeah, I'd much rather finish the race compared to last year [where he crashed], but it is always a heartbreak when it is so close - especially when it is not the first time and you don't know how many opportunities like that you get."