“F**king do it!”: Will Buxton detailed Zak Brown’s text that persuaded him for the IndyCar role

F1TV presenter and host Will Buxton was announced as the latest signing by IndyCar on January 14, 2025. The rumors of the presenter journalist started coming in as soon as the first week of January and a week later, the news was confirmed.

Buxton sat down with The Race for an interview and discussed the process of joining IndyCar and contemplating his decision. He highlighted how it was arguably the hardest decision of his life and further discussed Zak Brown's role in influencing his decision.

Will Buxton said:

“There were two people that I spoke to about it. One was Leigh Diffey, who obviously was the outgoing IndyCar commentator, and somebody that I've worked with for many years through the NBC days. We are very, very good friends. I just said to him: ‘a) should I do it? And b) do you think I can do a good job?’”

“Then other one was Zak Brown. I said to Zak: ‘I think IndyCar can be incredible, but do you believe that the growth potential is there? And, from everything you've heard from Fox, are they as serious as they seem about it?’ Zak replied with a text message that was three words, and it just said: ‘F**king do it!’ That was literally all I needed to know”, he added

Buxton has been announced as the play-by-play announcer of the IndyCar races and will replace Leigh Diffey, who decided to stay with NBC after FOX took over the exclusive broadcasting rights for IndyCar.

Buxton will be partnered with James Hinchcliffe and Townsend Bell, who will be serving the role of analysts.

“It's Terrifying”: Will Buxton on getting out of the comfort zone for the 2025 IndyCar role

Will Buxton has been working in the Motorsports journalism industry for well over a decade and yet finds the role of IndyCar's play-by-play announcer daunting. He joined F1TV in 2018 and previously worked with the FOX group in the early 2010s for the Speed channel.

Will Buxton said, via IndyStar:

“It’s daunting. I’m not going to beat around the bush – it’s terrifying. I’m equal parts so excited for this year, but also honestly terrified, but I think you should be, because every once in a while, you’ve got to take a risk and get out of the comfy seat and go out and do something that excites you.”

Buxton was the presenter during the meteoric rise of the F1 and is also the voice for Netflix’s F1 docuseries Drive to Survive. With FOX getting into the picture, he would expect more or less the same meteoric rise from the IndyCar series with hopes of surpassing NASCAR.