Marcus Ericsson gives his take on the key differences between F1 and IndyCar

Marcus Ericsson gave a comprehensive description of the key differences between F1 and IndyCar. The Swedish driver raced for 5 years in F1 before jumping ship to IndyCar in 2019.

In the American series, he found great success and won the prestigious Indy 500 in 2022. The Track Limits podcast recently uploaded an interview with Ericsson recorded at the Honda Indy Toronto weekend in July 2024.

When host Swish Goswami asked the Andretti Global driver about the biggest change he experienced between F1 and IndyCar when he transitioned to the latter, he replied:

"Formula 1 is more intense in many ways because one, the season goes on for so long, so it's a very tough lifestyle. You don't get a lot of time outside the racing bubble. I feel like IndyCar is a little bit more... you go to race weekend, you go back home after, and you get a bit more normal life." [4:30 onwards]

Ericsson also expounded on the differences between the F1 and IndyCar championships. He explained how IndyCar provides drivers with better opportunities for victories than F1, where drivers need a good car to succeed.

"On the racing side, the cool thing with IndyCar is obviously we all have the same opportunity, we all have the same car to work with, whereas Formula 1 is more a constructors' championship in a way than a drivers' championship. Obviously, the drivers still make a difference, but if you don't have a good car in F1, you're not going to win races," he added.

The 34-year-old backed this difference with a personal anecdote. In his 5-year F1 career, Ericsson never finished a race in the Top 5, let alone stand on a podium. One of the main reasons was he raced for Caterham and Sauber/Alfa Romeo, which were backmarker teams whose cars couldn't compete for wins.

In IndyCar, when Marcus Ericsson competed against rivals in the same spec cars, he fared well, earning four wins in six seasons. The 2022 Indy 500 victory was the highlight of his open-wheel racing career.

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Marcus Ericsson gets Cadillac F1 simulator call-up ahead of the team's 2026 F1 entry

Marcus Ericsson, AUTO: AUG 26 INDYCAR Bommarito Automotive Group 500 - Source: Getty

The General Motors-backed Cadillac F1 team is only one season away from entering F1 as its 11th and newest team. IndyCar legend Mario Andretti is the director of the team.

Marcus Ericsson, who drives for IndyCar's Andretti Global, was summoned by the owners for simulator testing, including Cadillac F1's 2026 car. The Swede said on Viaplay's F1 podcast, as quoted by PlanetF1:

"My employer, Andretti, has asked me to fly to England to test different simulators. I will provide feedback so they can choose the right model for the whole organisation, including Formula 1, IndyCar, and sports cars."

Marcus Ericsson's racing career has come full circle. It might not be a surprise if Cadillac signs him to lead their early F1 development from 2026 onwards. He brings race-winning experience from IndyCar and could guide the team well, considering his previous F1 experience. His Andretti Global teammate, Colton Herta, is reportedly being considered for a seat with the team.