NASCAR superstar Kyle Larson has raised eyebrows by claiming himself to be a better all-around driver than Max Verstappen. The American races in the stock car series and is considered one of the brightest talents in the country.
Larson is a former NASCAR champion as well and was awarded the best auto racer by ESPN in 2021. Max Verstappen won it in the next two seasons. Lawson, who picked up his third Knoxville Nationals title recently, was questioned about whether he thought he was the better driver than the Dutchman.
The American was quite blunt in his assertion as he replied in the affirmative. He said that while he doesn’t expect Verstappen to come and dominate in his racing series, he would expect to have a comparatively easier go in Formula 1 because the cars play a big role. Answering the question put forth by Flo Racing, Kyle Larson said:
“I know in my mind I am better than him as an all-around driver. There’s no way (Verstappen) can get into a Sprint Car and win the Knoxville Nationals. There’s no way he can go win the Chili Bowl. There’s no way he can go win a Cup race at Bristol.”
He added:
“There’s probably no way I can go win a Formula 1 race at Monaco, but I think I’d have a better shot at him (doing what he does than him doing what I do) just because of the car element.”That’s what gives me ease and confidence that, like, I know I’m better than him. Maybe not in an open-wheel IndyCar or Formula 1 car, but that’s one discipline. I think I would beat him in everything else. You can quote that.”
Kyle Larson has been a prominent presence in NASCAR and made an appearance in the Indy500 this season with McLaren. Max Verstappen, meanwhile, is the consensus best driver in F1. While the two worlds don’t collide on track, it makes for an interesting discussion.
Former F1 driver Alexander Rossi compares Kyle Larson and Max Verstappen
Former F1 driver and IndyCar racer Alexander Rossi was one of the first to draw comparisons between Kyle Larson and Max Verstappen.
During the Indy500 pre-race press conference, Rossi said that Larson is right at the top, alongside Verstappen, in terms of driving ability. As quoted by Flo Racing, he said:
“I would say they’re on the same level, which is, like, ‘yeah, that’s a pretty big deal.’”
American and European motorsports tend to run in parallel worlds, and it’s not often that you see their drivers crossing paths. It’s rare to see a Formula 1 driver go across the pond and vice versa.
Max Verstappen and Kyle Larson have been the benchmarks in their respective series. Competing on the same turf is highly unlikely for them, but it makes for an interesting talking point.