Nasr evaluating IndyCar

Former Sauber Formula 1 driver Felipe Nasr is in attendance at Watkins Glen as part of a fact-finding mission on the Verizon IndyCar Series. Out of a ride after the 2016 F1 season concluded, the Brazilian was invited by his friend and countryman Helio Castroneves to come and meet with the various players who have openings for 2018.

"I am looking," the 25-year-old told RACER. "I mainly came because I'm a good friend of Helio to see things a little closer and meet a lot of people. So let's see how things pan out. I will be racing next year, but I'm not sure where. It might be IndyCar, it might be somewhere else. I've always been a fan of IndyCar and always watch the races."

Like Castroneves, Nasr came up the open-wheel ladder at home while driving for his uncle at the Amir Nasr team before heading to Europe. After beating Haas F1 driver Kevin Magnussen to win the 2011 British Formula 3 title, Nasr's stock rose in GP2, where he spent three seasons and finished third in 2014 prior to signing with Sauber in 2015.

He'd go on to impress as a F1 rookie with five finishes in the points, but that would change as a sophomore when the strife-ridden team plummeted to the bottom of the field.

Despite Sauber's numerous issues, Nasr produced the only bright spot of the season by earning its only points at the penultimate round.

"I took a different path from Helio, but he's known me since I was little and he always said he would take me and introduce me to people to talk about coming to IndyCar," Nasr added. "I would love to do it— it's on the list."