There was a time in the 1990s when IndyCar rivalled Formula 1 for popularity.
The North American-based single-seater series attracted the likes of F1 champions Nigel Mansell, Emerson Fittipaldi, and more.
The formation of the Indy Racing League in the late 1990s in opposition to the established IndyCar (or CART) ultimately hurt the sport in North America and ensured F1 ruled the roost globally.
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While the effects of the split linger and it mightn’t have the clout it once had, the philosophy behind IndyCar has remained the same and continues to draw interest from F1 drivers.
The single supply chassis and limited engine options from Chevrolet and Honda mean the gap between the haves and the have-nots is minimal.
The same cannot be said for F1.
In F1, every team builds its own car with varying levels of spending in the hundreds of millions each year between top and bottom teams. The cars in IndyCar are all identical, notwithstanding engine manufacturer choice.
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Romain Grosjean and Marcus Ericsson were mid-fielders for much of the time they raced in F1. That was due largely to the capability of their cars, not necessarily their own ability.
After their F1 careers concluded, IndyCar was an obvious choice for them where they have been able to show their true potential.
Ericsson is a multiple race winner, has an Indianapolis 500 victory, and leads the 2023 title race three rounds in. Grosjean is a regular front-runner and might have won the season-opener if not for a collision with Scott McLaughlin in the dying stages.
Alexander Rossi (ex-Manor Marussia) won the Indianapolis 500 on debut in 2016 and finished second in the title race two years later. Takuma Sato (ex-Jordan/Honda/Super Aguri) has twice won the Indianapolis 500.
Fernando Alonso, a two-time F1 champion, showed on debut at the 2017 Indianapolis 500 that he was more than capable of contending for victory. He led for a period before his car suffered a terminal failure.
Many more F1 drivers have come and gone, all with some level of success.
“I love it,” Ericsson said of IndyCar.
“I think that was one of the biggest motivations for me coming over to IndyCar – to get the chance to sort of show what I could do on top-level racing.
“The IndyCar championship, the competitiveness of the championship, especially this year, is just incredible. There are so many good drivers and cars out there.
“To know every weekend you can go out and compete and fight for a win, the kind of drive you get from that is something I missed very much in my five years in Formula 1.
“It’s great to be in that position now. To be in a great team in Chip Ganassi Racing, be out there and fight for wins and podiums, it’s a lot of fun.”
The Swedish driver’s sentiment is echoed by Grosjean.
He said it’s hard not to doubt yourself even at the highest level of motorsport knowing that the car isn’t capable of contending for victory.
“You work as hard as the others, if not more sometimes,” said the Frenchman.
“You still have the pre-season testing and you know you don’t have the car to win the races. It’s tough. You start doubting yourself and so on.
“You try to drive the car 120 per cent, then you make a mistake, which is normal when you overdrive the car, you always try to overcompensate. It’s very frustrating.
“I have a lot of friends that are swimmers. They have to be in the pool at six in the morning. They swim for a very long time and they go back in the afternoon. That’s very tough on them. We don’t have that challenge, but when we don’t have the car in Formula 1, there’s nothing you can do. It kind of sucks.”
Grosjean’s latest result, second on the streets of Long Beach, showed he’s still as good as ever.
Even a day out from his 37th birthday, he has moments when he wonders what if?
“I think 2022 was definitely a very hard season. I couldn’t get the car to do what I wanted it to do. I couldn’t find the feel,” said Grosjean.
“I’ve been racing for 25 years. I still doubt myself sometimes. I believe I’m one of the best in the world, but sometimes I still think ‘Do I still have it? Do I still know how to drive?’
“That’s why some people are so important for me. That’s why Texas being in front was important. Like today, finishing second is important. I still know how to do it. I wish I win for my birthday, but P2, I take it.”
The IndyCar Series resumes on May 1 at Barber Motorsports Park.
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