Reigning World Champion Max Verstappen isn’t set to make a switch to IndyCar anytime soon, with the Red Bull driver having admitted that he has “absolutely” no interest in competing in the prestigious Indy 500.
The Indianapolis 500 historically takes place on the same weekend as the Monaco Grand Prix, with both races being part of the iconic ‘triple crown’.
The hypothetical ‘triple-crown’ is awarded to a driver once they’ve won the Monaco GP, the Indy 500 and the Le Mans 24 Hours, something Fernando Alonso is desperate to achieve.
Verstappen, though, has no interest in completing the historic set of victories, with the Indy 500 not being a race he fancies competing in.
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“I like watching IndyCar, I think there are a lot of great drivers in there and also people I raced against. I have a good relationship with them and I like to see them do well,” Verstappen told media, including RacingNews365.com.
“But me driving the Indy 500? Absolutely not. I might go there and watch, but not race.”
Several ex-F1 drivers have competed in the historic race, with former Sauber driver Marcus Ericsson having won the legendary race last season.
Alonso is the last current F1 driver to participate in the race, something he first did in 2017 after Jenson Button replaced him for that season’s Monaco GP.
He actually led part of his Indy 500 debut but ended up finishing 24th, following an issue with his engine.
Alonso tried again to win the race in 2019 but was bumped out in qualifying, something which caused substantial shock.
His most recent attempt came in 2020, where he finished 21st.
Qualifying for this season’s Indy 500 actually took place last weekend, with McLaren reserve driver Alex Palou having claimed pole position.
Alonso has kept it no secret that he has his eyes set on the ‘triple-crown’, with him having won at the Circuit de Monaco in 2006 and in 2007, whilst he claimed victory at Le Mans in 2018 and 2019.
The likelihood is that the two-time World Champion will try to win the Indy 500 again in the future, unlike Verstappen, who does, though, want to compete in some other championships potentially after his current deal expires in 2028.
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“I’m still very young, but I always said that I also want to do other kind of competitions, a bit like what Fernando did,” Verstappen said.
“But also when you’re winning a lot, or at least driving at the front, it needs to be also worth it to come back.
“Because if you then come back and you don’t really have a chance of winning, then it’s probably even harder to motivate yourself.”