On May 29, 2022, Marcus Ericsson was on top of the Indycar world as he had just driven 500 miles faster than anyone else on the planet.

As 31 years old, Ericsson won his first Indy 500 victory. Not long before he had had trouble finding his foothold in Formula One.

Ericsson joined F1 in 2014 and lasted for five seasons, but he never won a race. In fact, his best finish was an eighth place in 2015, and he had only 11 top-10s in his five-year-old stint there.

But today he is in Indycar Lore.

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“The problem in F1 is that it’s about being in the right car and the right team to win. In F1, the same guys win. In F1, all the guys build their own car. So if you’re a big team with a lot of resources, it’s easy to build a very good car. If you’re a small team with less resources, it’s more difficult,” Ericsson told Pakinomist Digital in a recent interview. “So over five years I was on a smaller team and never got a chance to show what I could do. So Indycar came up as an option, everyone has the same opportunity and you can set it to you as a driver. Wake up on race day knows I had a chance to win was something I really missed in formula one.”

No matter what circuit Ericsson is running, it is winning. There is no milk, beer and champagne showers in Victory Lane for no reason. For both Ericsson and Racers it is a mental game, knowing that you lose much more often than you win.

“It’s very hard and it’s one of the biggest challenges with racing. I would say it’s the mental side of things and always kind of believing in yourself, pushing yourself forward and staying hard and kind of stay confident,” Ericsson said. “It’s a constant challenge that we all go through. Racing, golf, even if you win a lot, you rarely win. It’s a special thing, it takes a lot of mental toughness to perform at a high level every weekend and go through that season after season.”

Marcus Ericsson poses with Borg-Warner Trophy on May 29, 2022 after winning Indianapolis 500. (Grace Hollars/Indystar/USA Today Network)

“In the past, I was very result oriented, I want so many wins and this many podiums in a year,” he added. “But I’ve learned in my career that it’s not a good way to focus. Sometimes there are things outside your control that happen. In racing there are so many things that can go wrong. So I try to focus on my own performance. I want so many weekends where I felt like I’ve done the best. And because of other circumstances, your best is only a fifth place, Through my career.

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One way Ericsson gets the most out of himself is by taking Allegra, a brand that he will represent at this year’s Indy 500. It is a partnership that is perfect timing considering the allergy season, but it also makes a world of a difference on the field.

“Zero percent brain interference, remains sharp, non-dryness, it’s the keys to not only in the racing car but one day in life. And to represent them on the Indy 500 is really cool,” Ericcson said. “It’s perfect timing. Everyone on my crew uses it to stay sharp because every split second in racing matters.”

Ericsson knows better than anyone else – he also led the last lap of the Indy 500 in 2023, but crossed the finish line in second place.

Marcus Ericsson has collaborated with Allegra to keep him sharp and focused while winning after another Indy 500 victory. (Scott Heins, thanks to Allegra)

“When we drive 200 plus miles per hour, you have to be mentally there all the time. It’s so important for someone like me to be able to do it and not drift away. The mental side is always something I’ve focused on because the higher you are in every sport, but especially racing, the mental strength can make a difference between winning and losing,” he added. “People are unaware of how hard it is to drive our cars. He hit up to five GS and the focus of staying laser sharply for two or three hours is definitely challenging. You are drained, body drained, the mind drained, it’s really tough.”

The Racing Show is now less than two weeks away, and Ericsson knows exactly what to do to bring the victory back home.

Marcus Ericsson kisses Borg-Warner Trophy on May 29, 2022 to celebrate the winning of Indianapolis 500. (Grace Hollars/Indystar/USA Today Network)

“The month of May is about winning. This is our Super Bowl – Winner Takes EVERYTHING. I have to have a car that is under me, take the step by step, patience is the name of the game,” he said.

“It’s a long month before we come to race day. And hopefully the Allegra car will be in Victory Lane.”