Daniel Ricciardo has been clear about wanting to stay within the Formula 1 paddock during his sabbatical for 2023, although the capacity of that has still yet to be decided.
While there is speculation that he could return to his old team Red Bull as a reserve driver, the Australian was quick to deny any deal had been agreed.
When asked if he would join fellow former F1 driver Romain Grosjean in making an appearance in IndyCar in the US, Ricciardo gave a comical response.
"Fuck that! Ovals scare me" the Australian scoffs speaking to media, including RacingNews365.com.
“My Formula 1 career-slash-ambition is not over, so that’s really like first and foremost. I don’t want to deviate, I would say primarily for that reason. But also ovals, nah.
“Ten years ago, I would have said yes. I’m OK to admit that I’m not OK with ovals.”
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Racing in America 'more of a fantasy' says Ricciardo
Even though the Indy 500 is seen as the main race of the year for IndyCar, throughout the season they race on a mix of road and street circuits which can also challenge the drivers.
But Ricciardo is firmly focused on ensuring that he has the best chance of returning to F1 for 2024.
Ricciardo added: “They look fun but I think because I’m just not out of F1 yet, I haven’t really entertained it.
“The romanticising part of it, like [racing in] America and all that, would be fun. But it’s more of a fantasy.”