Danica Patrick has effectively been ruled out of a drive in Formula One for next season.

The IndyCar racing star has long been linked with a potential seat with the new American team, US F1, for 2010.

However, given Patrick's profile in American motorsport, US F1 boss Peter Windsor feels the 27-year-old would not suit the fledgling marque.

"A lot of people are saying to us, 'Are you interested in Danica?' And my reply is, in some respects, Danica is too big for us now," Windsor told Sports Illustrated.

"She'll probably go to NASCAR, probably do very well there and she'll probably make a fortune.

"For her to do Formula One, it's a huge commitment at this stage of her career, and her expectation level would be very high.

"We're not going to be fighting for the world championship in year one.

"Reliability and driveability are going to be very important for us, just getting the car designed and built, and a new group working together as a team."

Windsor, though, is intent on standing by his original claim that American drivers will be in the car, but due to circumstances knows the field is limited.

"We need to make the effort to get Americans in our car. That was always our goal and it is still our goal," added Windsor.

"There are very good American drivers out there.

"To be honest, shame on Formula One and on American motorsport that some of these great young Americans with single-seater talent have not been nurtured more and given more opportunity.

"If they'd all been out there racing Formula Renault, Formula Three, GP2, we'd be in a different ballpark right now."