F1 teams courted Jeff Gordon
For a PR stunt at the US grand prix in 2003, the 37-year-old famously swapped cockpits with then Williams racer Juan Pablo Montoya, and some of the F1 observers were impressed with the American's performance.
Gordon has now told the weekly Long Island Press that, shortly afterwards, he travelled to Barcelona to watch the Spanish grand prix.
"I was getting hit up by some of the lower-tier F1 teams to sit down and talk to them," he revealed. "It was a flattering experience, but at the same time, it wasn't Ferrari or McLaren."
Gordon said he would have considered his options had either of the 'big two' teams shown the same interest.
"I think I would have had to seriously sit down with (NASCAR team owner) Rick (Hendrick) if Ferrari or McLaren was talking," he admitted. "Even if it was a total failure I don't see how I could've said no to some testing."