Public relations agency: 1, News reporters: 0. For any other race driver, even Danica Patrick, an F-1 test ride is roughly equivalent to getting a ride on a Blue Angel F-18 or Thunderbird F-16. Except you're solo, and get to twiddle the controls. In other words, it's nice, it's fun, it obviously generates good publicity, and that's about it.

I'm only now getting back into Indycar now that they've merged with CART, but the few road races I've seen with oval-trained IRL drivers in the majority are... amusing. And not in a good way (well, maybe a little). The skill set required to be fast on a speedway will help a little on a road course, but not much. It's possible she'll be quick, just like it's possible for me to jump into an F-22 and fly a successful combat mission. Both have the same likelihood.

Still, it is quite a bit of fun to watch a driver used to actual race cars try to wrestle one of these starfighters around a track. The look on the crew cheif's face when they pitch a multi-million dollar example into the weeds is worth the price of admission alone.

But it's not something to bet half of a race team's season on. Even if you are as slow as Honda.

Via Instapundit.