Former Driver Backs Max Verstappen for IndyCar Debut
Former IndyCar driver Arie Luyendyk has revealed that he would love to see Max Verstappen in IndyCar someday. Verstappen's Red Bull contract runs until the end of 2028, but his comments from 2021 offer a clearer picture of a move to another discipline after his Formula One career.
Luyendyk, famously known as 'The Flying Dutchman', won the iconic Indianapolis 500 twice, in 1990 and 1997. He was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2014.
Verstappen has spoken about his future after F1 on several occasions in the past. His most likely destination the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Luyendyk's statements suggest he has been following the four-time world champion closely and expressed his wish to see Verstappen competing in IndyCar. He said on The RACER Channel:
Pole position qualifier Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing in the Drivers Press Conference during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain at Silverstone Circuit on July 05,...
Pole position qualifier Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing in the Drivers Press Conference during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain at Silverstone Circuit on July 05, 2025 in Northampton, England. More"I would love to see him in an IndyCar. Yeah, he's an amazing talent. And on top of that, he's a nice guy. To me, he is."
Luyendyk then praised Verstappen, comparing his radio communication with Red Bull to Lando Norris' messages with McLaren. He added:
"I was watching the Brazilian race on Netflix, and there's the radio communication. And then you hear Lando on the radio, and then you hear Max, and it's like you're listening to a 12-year-old Lando and you're listening to a 30-year-old veteran Max.
"So calm, so calculated. Like, 'Yeah, I can last another five minutes in this weather,' you know, and Lando was saying, 'Oh, we're all going to die,' or something like that.
"He can do so much at the same time. He's a multitasking kind of guy. And I think it stems from all the racing he did as a kid in go-karting. But then the sim racing, that helps him a lot too in that – like he was following Lando somewhere, and he said he didn't slow down enough when there was a yellow out, and Lando got a penalty for that. He just sees it – the whole picture – he's got it in one nanosecond."
Despite Luyendyk's inclination to see Verstappen in IndyCar, the Red Bull driver revealed in 2021 that he only preferred to watch the series, given his dislike for ovals. He said:
''I love to watch. It's of course a little bit different to F1, but I think that's also nice and makes it very interesting to watch. And from my side, I'm of course happy to be in Formula One, because I'm not personally a big fan of ovals. The street tracks and road courses are good, but nah, I would not be a big fan of oval racing myself.
"It's just the risk of a big crash is big, and of course I know in Formula One there also is risk of an impact, but when you hit a certain wall with 200-plus mph, it's not enjoyable. And that risk is higher in IndyCar, and especially if you would hit someone else and you go into the fence, there are plenty of examples where it doesn't end well or you end up being really hurt. So for me, I love to watch it. I have a lot of respect for the drivers who do it, but I'm happy where I am."
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