DANICA PATRICK F1 Dreams Crushed by Marko’s ‘Not Good Enough’ Verdict

April 29, 2025

by Chris Deeley // from www.gpfans.com

• Red Bull’s Helmut Marko brutally dismissed DANICA PATRICK’s F1 aspirations back in 2013, claiming her IndyCar road course results “weren’t good enough” and emphasizing they select drivers “based on performance, not by quota.” The comment effectively killed any realistic shot Patrick had at becoming F1’s first female driver in over a decade.
• Mercedes’ Niki Lauda piled on with equally dismissive remarks about American drivers lacking the “technical level” for F1, pointing to the decades-long gap since Mario Andretti’s success. These comments from two F1 power brokers reveal the uphill battle any American driver – let alone a woman – faced breaking into the sport’s elite circle.
• Despite being shut out of F1, PATRICK has carved out a respected role as Sky Sports analyst, proving her racing knowledge translates perfectly to television. She continues covering multiple races annually, particularly US-based events like this weekend’s Miami GP, showing that sometimes the best revenge is professional success elsewhere.

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