Danica Patrick opens up on how F1 commentary gig with Sky Sports helped her during her Indy 500 appearance

Danica Patrick recently touched upon how her appearances as a pundit in F1 helped her commentary gig in IndyCar. Patrick was one of the analysts during the recently concluded IndyCar Series race, the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. She has opened up on how her role in F1 helped her with the IndyCar gig.

Patrick is a renowned name in racing, especially in the United States. As the IndyCar is based in the US, it was a perfect platform for her to get a feel of IndyCar as a pundit. Besides that, she has also become a recognizable face in F1, especially during the American F1 races.

The former IndyCar driver has been a regular face in the expert panel during the North American F1 races. For instance, in Austin, Miami, Las Vegas, and Montreal, Danica Patrick shares her thoughts as an expert on the Sky Sports F1 panel.

Banking on her F1 experience, she appeared confident in this year's Indy 500 commentary gig. Speaking about it, she opened up to explain how F1 helped her in a recent talk show with Haley Dillon in the latter's Believe in the Good with Haley Dillon podcast.

"It's always just such an honor you know," Patrick said. "Again that nostalgia is there and um you know I feel like I can sort of you know because I do a lot of F1 stuff too and um you know I feel like I can speak a little bit more confidently about the cars or the dynamics or whatever's going on."

"Even though whenever I ask engineers or people like that about you know F1 or other things it's like it's all pretty much the same um but uh but it's cool it's just it's a really spectacular race and um it's uh yeah I have a lot of it it's a good feel good feel race for me," she further added. (1:05:31-1:06:09)

Additionally, Danica Patrick has also been a former IndyCar driver. She registered 116 races in over eight years, racking up a win, three poles, and seven podiums. She became the first woman to win in IndyCar when she claimed the 2008 Indy Japan 300 at Motegi.

Besides IndyCar, Patrick also raced in the NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series for seven years. In the Cup Series, Patrick has 191 races under her belt in over seven years with a pole and seven Top 10s. In the Xfinity Series, the American former driver has 61 races to her name with a pole and seven Top 10s as well.

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F1's 2026 Canadian GP to clash with Indy 500

Formula 1 released its 2026 schedule recently, and it was not a welcoming one for the North American motorsport fans. According to the schedule, the 2026 Canadian GP directly clashes with the 2026 Indy 500, unlike every year when the IndyCar 500 starts after the Monaco GP.

Fox host Danica Patrick speaks during the NTT IndyCar Series 109th Running Of The Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway - Source: Getty

Indy 500 is IndyCar's biggest race, while the Canadian GP is also one of F1's major races on the continent. As a result, fans are upset over the timing of F1's Canadian GP schedule. Danica Patrick, who is a known face by now in F1 and IndyCar, will also find it tricky.

Danica Patrick appears as an expert in both F1's American races and IndyCar's Indy 500. Therefore, it will be interesting to see what course of action she takes on May 24, 2026.