BEYOND THE GRID: IndyCar legend Dario Franchitti on why his ‘F1 dream’ never became a reality

Dario Franchitti has enjoyed a sensational racing career in the United States, becoming a four-time IndyCar series champion and a three-time winner of the Indianapolis 500.
But earlier in his journey, the Scot had plenty of interest from Formula 1 and tested for a few different teams. So, why didn’t he end up racing in the pinnacle of motorsport?
Speaking to Beyond The Grid host Tom Clarkson, Franchitti talks about the three big opportunities he had to drive in F1 – sharing fascinating insight into those negotiations and the tests he completed for various teams.
He also discusses his racing idols, how three-time F1 World Champion Sir Jackie Stewart became his mentor and what it takes to become a complete IndyCar driver.
To listen to this week’s episode of Beyond The Grid, simply hit go on the audio player above or click here to listen via your preferred podcasting platform.
You can also check out a huge selection of previous episodes – spanning every decade of F1 – in our dedicated Beyond The Grid library here.

Next Up
Related Articles
Our writers on the best drivers and stories from 2025
11 times F1 drivers took another driver’s car number
End Of Year Reports 2025Alpine’s best and worst moments from 2025
Leclerc calls Ferrari’s focus shift to 2026 a ‘no-brainer’
ExclusiveHow Norris made his school teachers ‘enormously proud’
F1 CEO Domenicali reflects on 'phenomenal' 2025