Formula One: Could Danica Patrick go across the pond?

With Danica Patrick leaving Stewart-Haas Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series, is a Formula One ride with the Haas team a possibility for her in 2018?

Danica Patrick, 35, announced on Tuesday that she was stepping away from her driving duties of the #10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford in the 2018 NASCAR Cup Series season, a responsibility she has had full-time since the beginning of the 2013 season.

With her future in the NASCAR Cup Series in doubt, there have been many racing-related possibilities thrown out there for her if she does, indeed, continue racing in 2018, whether that be in NASCAR or elsewhere. One of such possibilities, albeit a small one, is her driving in Formula One.

As referenced in the first paragraph, Patrick currently drives for Stewart-Haas Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series. Stewart-Haas Racing is co-owned by three-time Cup Series champion Tony Stewart and Gene Haas. Haas is the lone American team owner in Formula One. Could he possibly put her in one of his cars in the team’s third season and replace either Romain Grosjean or Kevin Magnussen?

A few years ago, Patrick said she had no desire to drive in Formula One.

"“I’m getting too old to change careers again and again, and I don’t really have a desire to do anything different than what I’m doing right now. I’m around my friends and family, and I’m racing internationally — and F1 I don’t think would really provide that.”“I lived in England for a few years and F1 was all I thought about doing, but to be honest when I came back home to the States, I thought this is where I want to be. You can never say never about anything — but at this point in time, I’m happy where I’m at.”"

However, the “where I’m at” she was referring to at the time was Stewart-Haas Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series, where she won’t be driving next season. So is Formula One a legitimate possibility for her in 2018?

Patrick is one of the few NASCAR Cup Series drivers with lots of experience driving on road and street courses. So while she hasn’t performed well in her NASCAR Cup Series career, as she has no top 5 finishes in 180 races and just one top 10 finish in her last 90 races with a career-high finish in the championship standings of just 24th place, she is honestly probably a better option as far as a Formula One ride goes than many of the other Cup Series drivers, as Formula One races are only held on road and street courses.

That said, when she drove in IndyCar from 2005 to 2011, much of her success came on ovals as opposed to road and street courses. In the 116 races she drove in IndyCar, 72 were on ovals and 44 were on road or street courses.