McLaren executive director Zak Brown believes that IndyCar drivers Josef Newgarden and Scott Dixon would both succeed if they were to drive in Formula One.
There has been a lot of recent discussion about IndyCar drivers, particularly American drivers, racing in Formula One and whether or not they would succeed if they were given the chance to do so.
This discussion was sparked by Haas team principal Gunther Steiner stating that he does not believe there are any American drivers who are currently ready or have what it takes to compete in Formula One.
American drivers, mostly IndyCar drivers, as expected, reacted to Steiner’s remarks and basically insinuated that he had absolutely no idea what he was talking about given the fact that there are so many talented American drivers who are competing in the U.S. today.
McLaren Technology Group executive director Zak Brown discussed two IndyCar drivers who he feels would be very successful in Formula One. One of those drivers is a four-time IndyCar champion, and the other, an American, is the reigning champion of the sport.
Here is what Brown had to say about the matter, according to Motorsport.com.
"“Specifically, I think Josef Newgarden is an outstanding talent, and Scott Dixon is an outstanding talent. I think what happens to drivers is that they eventually lose motivation, that’s what catches up with them. So if you look at someone like Michael Schumacher, he was very competitive into his 40s.“Had he not taken those few years off, those last couple of tenths [of a second] he was maybe off [on his return in 2010], I don’t think he would have been, and he was in his 40s. Fernando [Alonso] has that same type of dedication. I think Fernando is driving as well as he’s ever driven and just because he’s going to turn 37 later this year, I don’t think the stopwatch is going to get any slower.“Someone like Scott Dixon reminds me of Fernando, where he’s extremely fit, very dedicated, as fast as ever, and I think he would be competitive in a Formula 1 car.”"
Dixon, 37, has been driving in IndyCar since the 2001 season, which was the season after he won the Indy Lights championship in 2000. He has completed all 17 seasons since then as a full-time driver. He has racked up 41 victories and four championships.
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Dixon’s total of 41 career wins sits just one win away from the top 3 on the all-time wins list, and his total of four career championships sits behind only the championships total of seven that was posted by the great A.J. Foyt. Dixon also won the 2008 Indianapolis 500. It would definitely make sense to see him have success in Formula One if given the chance to do so, so Brown has as a point.
Newgarden, 27, has been driving in IndyCar since the 2012 season, which was the season after he won the Indy Lights championship in 2011. He has completed all six seasons since then as a full-time driver. He has racked up seven victories, of which four came in the 2017 season.
Newgarden won his first career IndyCar championship in the 2017 season. He is widely considered the future superstar of the sport. Like it would with Dixon, it would also definitely make sense to see Newgarden have success in Formula One if given the chance to dp so. Again, Brown has a point.
Next: Top 10 IndyCar drivers of all-time
Would IndyCar champions Josef Newgarden and Scott Dixon succeed in Formula One if given the chance like Zak Brown believes they would? Would any other IndyCar drivers succeed in Formula One if given the chance? Will any of them get a chance in the near future? That remains to be seen.