Max Verstappen makes his feelings clear about racing in Indy500

Max Verstappen has made his feelings clear about potentially racing in the Indy500 someday and feels that maybe that's something he's not really interested in. Indy500 is the crown jewel of the IndyCar season and one of the races that comprise the triple crown (the other two being LeMans 24 hours and F1 Monaco GP).

The Indy500 held at Indianapolis is a race that often sees F1 drivers take a step back because of the kinds of speeds reached by the cars. It's entirely focused on the kind of performance you can generate from the tools in hand and do in a low downforce setup where there are no turns.

The ability to slipstream and find the right part of the track for racing is a very important characteristic and we have seen former F1 drivers like Marcus Ericsson take part and win in these series.

Max Verstappen had a chance to do a few laps in the Acura's ARX-06 on the eve of the F1 Las Vegas GP. In a sit down with the American publication Road and Track, the driver was questioned if he had any intention of taking part in the Indy500 to which the driver replied in the negative. He said:

"I'll watch, maybe I'll walk up one day to watch it there live because I think it's a great experience there in Indianapolis, but for me I have no desire to do the Indy 500."

He did add, however, that while he had no desire to race in the Indy500, he's watched the race and the IndyCar series as well. The reigning IndyCar champion Alex Palou is someone who Max Verstappen raced with during his karting days. The Red Bull racing driver said:

"I have no desire to drive the Indy 500, but I respect a lot what they're doing. There are a lot of great drivers in the series, that's why I try to watch it when I'm home. Some of these guys that are driving there, like Alex [Palou], I grew up with Alex in go-karting on the same team."

He added:

"I'm obviously proud to see what he's achieved there. Meeting Scott [Dixon] who has has achieved a lot in IndyCar and sports cars, and these guys explaining stuff to you here before you jump in the car, it's nice to meet up with other drivers from all over the world and share the same passion at the end of the day."

---

Max Verstappen talks about the significance of IndyCar and other racing series

Max Verstappen specifically talked about the importance of IndyCar and other racing series as they help give drivers an opportunity to race beyond F1. The driver was appreciative of the American series and the Super Formula series as well in Japan.

"It's hard to do different things at the moment. Between F1, IndyCar, they're all popular in their own right, in their own areas of the world. It's nice to see also in IndyCar, for example, there are more European drivers taking that route. I think that's great, because there are so many competitive series all over the world, like in Japan with Super Formula. It's great to see that drivers always find a way," Max Verstappen said.

The driver still has a contract with Red Bull in F1 until 2028. It will be interesting to see what his future holds, as for now, he's made it abundantly clear that he'd love to keep his options open.