"It was suffering for sure" - When Mario Andretti highlighted Danica Patrick's half-hearted involvement with his son Michael's IndyCar team

Danica Patrick experienced the majority of her IndyCar success with Andretti Global. However, in her final two seasons with the Michael Andretti-owned team (2010 and 2011), she diverted her attention to a new passion - the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

After Patrick's Cup Series debut at the Daytona 500 in 2013, where she took pole position, Michael's father, Mario Andretti, spoke highly of her talent but also drew attention to her IndyCar goodbye. The 4-time IndyCar champion described how Patrick's IndyCar involvement had become half-hearted.

"Her mind was in NASCAR at that point," he said via the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. "She was just trying to finish off her time in IndyCars. It was a transition time. She certainly didn’t have her mind fully engaged in the IndyCar scene, so it was suffering for sure."

Mario Andretti looks on at the 105th Indianapolis 500 Fast Friday - Source: Getty

Mario Andretti elaborated on why he agreed with Michael's stance on Danica Patrick not giving her 100% to the team.

"But you have to look at what her goals were at the time and she had to make the transition somehow, and that is the way it was. I do agree with Michael... she was short-changing the team and herself in the IndyCars for sure," the 1978 F1 champ added.

Patrick's final two seasons in IndyCar were also her worst. After five consecutive seasons of improving her position in the standings to finish fifth in 2009, the Wisconsin native dropped to 10th in 2010 and replicated it in 2011, her final full-time year in IndyCar.

When Michael Andretti spoke about the 'unhealthy' things Danica Patrick brought to IndyCar

Michael Andretti with Danica Patrick at the 93rd Indianapolis 500 Carb Day - Source: Getty

After Danica Patrick's IndyCar exit, Michael Andretti spoke about how her loss wasn't a negative development for the premier American open-wheel series. He explained his stance, saying, via ESPN:

"I think we're strong in our own way. Yeah, we lost Danica, but I'm not sure that's going to be negative. I think she brought a lot of good stuff, but she brought a lot of other things that really took away from the rest of our series. And I don't think that's healthy. And I think NASCAR's going to find that."

The 1991 CART champ elaborated by shining a light on the sheer amount of media attention she received, which, according to him, took eyeballs away from IndyCar's racing product.

Danica Patrick was voted IndyCar's Most Popular Driver for six straight years, from 2005 to 2010. She also rewrote the sport's history, recording multiple firsts for a woman, including leading the Indy 500 and winning an IndyCar race.