When Formula 1 drivers wrap up their time in the pinnacle of open-wheel racing, many wrestle with determining what should be the next step in their future: More racing somewhere else, or a full transition to non-racing endeavors. For Daniel Ricciardo, though, he’s already ruled out some other racing options.
Speaking to media ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix, Ricciardo denied that he was actively looking at a role in IndyCar or NASCAR — in large part because he can’t guarantee he’ll be competitive.
Daniel Ricciardo: “IndyCar still scares me”
At the moment, Daniel Ricciardo’s future in Formula 1 looks very much in doubt. While there’s still a possibility that VCARB could retain the driver into 2025, rumors have abounded that Ricciardo will be shown the door and replaced with Liam Lawson.
It’s been one of the big topics of conversation heading into Singapore, promoting journalists to ask Ricciardo if his future plans might involve something like IndyCar or NASCAR.
“IndyCar still scares me,” Ricciardo admitted – repeating a sentiment that he first stated back in 2022, when his F1 future was in doubt.
“I’ve thought about it because I also thought about it a couple years ago when I knew I wasn’t going to start the 2023 season, but, I don’t know,” he said.
“I know I’m still a competitor. Like, I know I still have a lot of fire in me, but maybe that itch is scratched doing something else.”
Ricciardo wouldn’t be the first F1 driver to admit that IndyCar is a frightening prospect, particularly oval racing. Nico Rosberg and Jenson Button have both discounted potential participation in the American open-wheel series due to that fear, while Oscar Piastri has also expressed hesitation about competing at events like the Indianapolis 500.
The fear largely comes down to a fear of oval racing. The high speeds and high forces occasioned by that style of competition mean that crashes can be more dangerous than those on road courses — but series like IndyCar and NASCAR have been proactive about improving safety standards of both their cars and tracks.
But for Ricciardo, fear isn’t the only thing holding him back from a swap to an American racing discipline.
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In his conversation with media, Ricciardo got philosophical about what he’d want from this next phase of his life — and if racing competitively needs to be at the center of his focus going forward.
“It’s hard,” Ricciardo said. “It’s even talking about just being in the sport and maybe fighting for a 10th place every now and then.
“It’s maybe the same with doing another series — and no disrespect to other series, but because I’ve been there and experienced the highest of the highs, will I get true fulfillment doing something else? [There’s] no guarantee I’ll be good as something else.
“So is that gonna actually scratch the itch and give me what I want?
“I don’t know. I’ll probably say ‘no’ more than ‘yes,’ but these are things I’ll think about if I’m not in this position.”
These are challenging questions to wrestle with for any driver, but it’s particularly difficult for someone like Ricciardo, who has already faced an F1 exit and had to answer these questions, to face them again just two years later.
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