F1, although often considered to be the pinnacle of motorsports, has recently drawn criticism for not having the best racing. This argument doesn’t involve speed but revolves around the design of cars and tracks, which makes it difficult for cars to overtake, making the series less competitive than other premier classes, for instance, IndyCar.
That’s why Will Buxton hopped the pond. On social media, a fan asked Buxton what made him leave F1—which he joined as a journalist in 2018—and return to IndyCar.
His answer was simple: “Because IndyCar has the greatest racing on earth”. Buxton previously worked in Indy between 2013 and 2017 and described that experience with immense admiration.
“A decade ago, I reported on my first Indycar races, including my first visit to IMS (International Motor Speedway). I fell in love with the place immediately,” the Briton wrote on Instagram, as he bid farewell to F1, the sport that turned him into a household name in the motorsports community.
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“I have always loved IndyCar, always been enthralled by the excitement of its racing and stunned by the skills of its incredible drivers”, he added.
Several drivers have jumped ship between IndyCar and F1 over the years, including older greats like Mario Andretti and Emerson Fittipaldi, and also newer talents like Kevin Magnussen and Marcus Ericsson, who recently spoke about the differences between the two.
Ericsson’s take on F1 vs IndyCar
F1 and IndyCar fans have their own reasons to defend their respective favorite ventures but for someone like Ericsson, who has won four races in IndyCar, the differences in driving style stand out starkly. “I think both F1 and IndyCar are really tough physically to drive, but in different ways,” he said on the Track Limits podcast recently.
“The power steering that you have in F1 makes it a lot lighter for your arms, but you have a lot more G-force in an F1 car. Whereas in IndyCar, it’s slower cornering speed, but you have all that force through the wheels.”
Ericsson, however, did not give a clear answer as to which one was better. Fittipaldi—a two-time winner of the Indianapolis 500—on the other hand, chose Indy when it came to choosing a life outside the cockpit.
In the United States, IndyCar is more popular in general which explains why Fittipaldi, among other legends, would pick it above F1. But when it comes to worldwide fame, F1 is miles ahead, something that could change with better marketing.
