3 F1 drivers who failed to make an impression when they moved to IndyCar

Multiple F1 drivers made a move to IndyCar after retiring from the pinnacle of Motorsports. Some even tried their hand at the Indy 500, or a partial IndyCar season as they took a sabbatical from F1. Mario Andretti and Emerson Fittipaldi are some of the drivers who won championships in both open-wheel racing series. On the other end of the spectrum are F1 drivers who failed to make a mark in IndyCar.

However, there have also been many drivers who moved to IndyCar after a failed or a very short stint in F1. Let's have a look at those F1 drivers who made a name for themselves in the pinnacle of motor racing, but failed to leave an impression when they moved to IndyCar or participated in the Indy 500.

#3 Rubens Barrichello

Rubens Barrichello retired from F1 at the end of the 2011 season and joined IndyCar for the 2012 season, driving for KV Racing Technology. The Brazilian raced in F1 for 19 years, started 322 races, won 11 races, and finished on the podium 68 times. The six-year-long Ferrari stint was arguably the highlight of his career along with the sole year at Brawn GP.

F1 Grand Prix of Brazil - Sprint - Source: Getty

However, he failed to get up to speed with IndyCar and did not score a single podium during his only season. However, Barrichello did finish inside the Top 5 twice and seven times in the Top 10, which is above average. Sponsorship troubles led to Barrichello leaving the sport after the 2012 season, as never got enough time to show his true potential in IndyCar.

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#2 Nelson Piquet

Nelson Piquet won three F1 championships in the 80s and retired at the end of the 1991 F1 season. For the next couple of years in 1992 & 1993, Piquet participated in the Indy 500. The Brazilian entered the two Indy 500s with Team Menard but failed to make any sort of impression.

F1 Grand Prix of Brazil - Sprint & Qualifying - Source: Getty

Nelson Piquet crashed during the practice sessions at the 1992 Indy 500 and suffered a serious leg injury. As a result, he did not qualify or start the race. For the 1993 race, he qualified P13 but retired on Lap 38 after suffering an engine failure.

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#1 Esteban Gutierrez

Esteban Gutierrez failed to make a mark in the cutthroat world of F1 but did race with Sauber as a full-time driver for three seasons during the 2010s. After retiring from F1 at the end of 2016, the Mexican driver took to IndyCar for the 2017 season.

F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2024 - Source: Getty

Dale Coyne Racing signed Esteban Gutierrez as a part-time driver and the former F1 driver raced in 7 races for the IndyCar team. The Mexican failed to finish a single race in the Top 10 and a P13 finish at the Iowa Corn 300 was his best result of the season. After the failed IndyCar stint, Gutierrez left the world of open-wheel racing and turned towards the world of endurance racing.