David Coulthard warns Daniel Ricciardo of potential IndyCar switch by recalling Mario Andretti's old saying

Former Red Bull F1 driver David Coulthard has advised Daniel Ricciardo to weigh the risks of pursuing a potential IndyCar career. The Briton chose a saying by four-time IndyCar champ Mario Andretti to convey his point.

Visa Cash App RB dropped Daniel Ricciardo midway through the 2024 season. The Aussie's results weren't up to the team's expectations and teammate Yuki Tsunoda consistently outperformed him. After the Singapore GP, rookie Liam Lawson replaced Ricciardo for the final six races of 2024 and earned a Red Bull promotion for 2025.

With no other F1 prospects for this season, the 'Honey Badger' left the sport on a low note. His options of competing in other premier racing series like IndyCar or NASCAR in America, where he is a loved figure, remain open. Out of the two, IndyCar would be a much closer destination, considering how it is an open-wheel racing series like F1.

David Coulthard, who retired from F1 three years before Daniel Ricciardo made his debut, recently spoke about the Aussies' IndyCar prospect. He highlighted how the eight-time Grand Prix winner would have to master the ovals, a difficult feat.

"I think what you got to qualify is risk versus return. By the time I finished my grand prix career, there was a chance to go out to America. But I felt that I'd survived a plane crash, survived F1 crashes... you're conscious of what Mario Andretti used to say - 'There's those who've hit the wall and those who will hit the wall'. So you cannot race Indy and race the ovals without hitting the wall at some point," Coulthard said [12:25 onwards via YouTube channel 'Lucas Stewart'].

Coulthard then brought up his ex-teammate Robert Wickens' example, who became a paraplegic after a terrible IndyCar crash at Pocono in 2018.

"Daniel's got a way up, you know. He's a wealthy boy. He's got a big personality, and unless he truly believes he's going to learn to master the ovals, then that could end up being...," he added.

When Daniel Ricciardo admitted to being "scared" of IndyCar's ovals

F1 Grand Prix Of Singapore - Source: Getty

In 2022, Daniel Ricciardo was aware of his non-renewal with McLaren for the 2023 season. During that time, he was asked about a switch to IndyCar. Then, he had admitted to what David Coulthard warned him about recently.

"F**k that. Ovals scare me, Ricciardo said via Motorsport week. "My Formula 1 career slash ambition is not over, so that is really first and foremost. But also, ovals? Nah. 10 years ago, I would have said yes, but I’m ok to admit that I’m not ok with ovals."

Ahead of the Singapore GP in 2024, his last F1 race, he reiterated his stance about IndyCar, saying (via Planet F1):

"IndyCar still scares me. I’ve thought about it because I also thought about it a couple years ago when I knew I wasn’t going to start the 2023 season, but I don’t know," Daniel was quoted.

In September 2024, Daniel Ricciardo surprisingly revealed an interest in competing in NASCAR in an interview with Tourism Western Australia (via Sports Illustrated). He spoke about potentially racing at the Daytona International Speedway. This dream could come true with Trackhouse Racing's Project 91, which brings international talent into NASCAR - something that four-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves used for the upcoming 2025 Daytona 500.