NASCAR legend AJ Foyt gives a clear explanation behind his dislike for F1: “They can tell you who can win and who can’t”

AJ Foyt is arguably one of the greatest American racing drivers of all time. Having succeeded in so many different racing disciplines, it is no surprise that he was offered a ride in the pinnacle of motorsport, Formula 1. However, in a recent conversation with fellow NASCAR legend Tony Stewart, AJ Foyt opened up about his dislike for F1.

The four-time Indy 500 winner and owner of the AJ Foyt Racing team recently appeared on MAVTV's Original Series, Racers Roundtable, hosted by Tony Stewart, and opened up about his legendary racing career, revealing some never-heard-before stories. MAVTV posted a clip of his conversation with Stewart on X, where he explained why he thought he would never fit into the world of F1 despite his immense success in open-wheel racing in IndyCar.

"I didn't like Formula 1 because, Troy Ruttman had won the Indy 500 and I was offered a ride (in F1), years back, and he said, 'But AJ, when you go over there they can tell who can win and who can't,'" Foyt shared.

"I believed whoever's best that day, because I am gonna be better than you one day and you might be better than me the next day. Why would I want you to outrun me when I can outrun you, or vice versa? So that's how I have looked at it all my life. I knew I would never fit in worth a damn," the 90-year-old further explained.

In a different interview in 2023, AJ Foyt even gave the details of the contract that he was offered in F1.

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AJ Foyt was offered a ride for Ferrari

AJ Foyt is the only driver in the history of motorsport to have won the Indy 500, the Daytona 500, the 24 Hours of Daytona, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which inevitably led to his legendary status. However, according to a 2023 report, he shared in an interview with AutoWeek that he was offered the role of a "number two driver" at Ferrari, which is why he declined the offer.

"I was offered a ride years ago for Ferrari, but when they said you’d be the No. 2 race car driver, even if you could win a race, that’s when I decided to stay with my Sprint Cars and Midgets," he was quoted by F1i.com.

Foyt explained that he doesn't believe in racing by team orders. When further asked about F1's rising fanbase in America and if that is a cause of concern for IndyCar, the 90-year-old said that there's nothing to worry about. He even went on to say that he wouldn't watch an F1 race even if the Grand Prix was being held right across the street.