Having already suggested she considers the IRL more of a priority than making a potential step into Formula 1, Patrick reaffirmed its commitment to the North American series last week. Being present at a media event in Texas, the Andretti Green Racing driver argued that testing with US F1 might interfere with her IRL programme, and that's not something she is eager to tackle.
“Is it going to get in the way of my IndyCar season? Is it going to get in the way of my prior obligations? Is it going to make me tired? Is it going to be something that's not going to just really work into the schedule and then also is it something that I really want to do?” were just a few of the rhetorical questions revealed by Patrick during the aforementioned event.
She also suggested she's not very interested in joining a team that would not become a sudden front-runner in Formula 1. Should that be the case, she would then face the world of criticism back in the US. Considering the hard work she'd put up in order to build herself a good image within the North-American public, that would be the last thing she'd want.
“I don't believe that it's very productive to lead people on if it's not something that I'm interested in because you're really opening yourself up then. What if you go and do it and it doesn't go ideally or perfect and you don't set the world on fire? Then all of a sudden all you did was just open yourself up to criticism,” argued Patrick.
US F1 owners Ken Anderson and Peter Windsor are yet to announce their driver lineup for 2010, with the latest rumors leading to a one North-American/one experienced F1 driver for team's debut season in the series.
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