IndyCar is not a new destination for F1 drivers. Many have switched to the American open-wheel racing in history. And once, Roger Penske had the chance to bag an absolute F1 legend in his IndyCar team back in the early 1990s.

This was a time when Formula 1 was undergoing a major technological upgrade in all aspects. The cars had more buttons, were equipped with quickshifters, and what was once a raw car felt more like a rocketship at this point. Although this planted the seed for modern Formula 1 racing, one particular driver wasn’t too impressed. It was around this time that he tested for Penske in IndyCar.

When an F1 legend grew tired and tested his hands in IndyCar

F1 would have been incomplete without Ayrton Senna. He set the performance benchmark for the new and upcoming drivers, dominating the grid by pure strength and skills. However, three World Championships and 41 race wins later, he was starting to grow tired of the sport. Moreover, the political turmoil also made him think of other racing series.

It was around this time that his old-time friend, Emerson Fittipaldi, got him an IndyCar test with Roger Penske’s team. This was well after the 1992 F1 season, and Senna had kept his options open for the next year. His test at the Phoenix Circuit in Arizona was a success. In fact, he rather enjoyed the raw pace and feel of the IndyCar.

“I got really excited about that. I really had fun. After so many years driving in Formula 1, it suddenly made me feel young again,” he said.

It wasn’t just the car, however. There was quite a lot of political turmoil in Formula 1 in the 1992 season. It was a mix of his career choice with McLaren (although he wanted to move to Williams Racing) and the rapid technological development.

At the time, these aspects were pushing him away from F1, as he said, “Some of the things that took place during 1992, the political side of F1 away from the circuit, did not have a very good impact on me.”

While IndyCar did seem to be perfect for him, unfortunately, the deal couldn’t be completed. This was despite his very strong test with Roger Penske. It was simply because most of the 1993 season was already locked-in. Penske did not have the space for a new driver, and all three of their drivers were committed in the long term.

Yet, Senna enjoyed the little time he spent in Indy.

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What was the “human side” of IndyCar that Senna valued?

As mentioned earlier, Ayrton Senna wasn’t very impressed with the technological developments in Formula 1. He felt that too many advancements in cars would see teams dominating with a wide margin, and hurt the racing aspect of F1 (which does seem to happen now). 

However, IndyCar wasn’t as advanced at the time. For Senna, the cars still felt very raw, and he genuinely enjoyed driving them. In fact, as he put in some mileage in Roger Penske’s car during the test in December 1992, Senna stated that Indy reminded him of the older F1 days.

“You get spoiled by pushing buttons and changing gear automatically without even lifting your foot off the throttle. But the Penske reminded me of the old days in Formula One where the human side was the most important consideration.”

Senna had raced at a time when F1 had completely manual transmissions. Understandably, he wasn’t too happy with the technological developments.

However, IndyCar has developed to be just as technical as Formula 1 in 2025. Although F1 still takes the edge, the technological difference in the cars seems to be reducing. Keeping that in mind, would Senna have had the same opinion for IndyCar if he were alive today?