NASCAR ace Kyle Larson recently stirred up a buzz by claiming he could outpace Formula 1’s reigning champion, Max Verstappen, though he acknowledged the hurdles of competing in an F1 vehicle. After clinching his third Knoxville Nationals title, Larson expressed in an interview with FloRacing his belief that his versatility across various racing formats gives him the edge.
“In my mind, I’m a better all-around driver than him,” Larson stated confidently. “Winning at Monaco in a Formula 1 car might be a stretch, but in most other disciplines, I could take him down.”
Sean Gardner/Getty Images
However, Dutch racer and motorsport analyst Tim Coronel wasn’t shy about voicing his disagreement with Larson’s remarks. He argued that Larson might be stuck in a reality tunnel, saying, “If you truly think you’re better than Verstappen, then I’d love to see you two face off. It won’t end well for you.” He went on to suggest that Larson would benefit from some serious training under Verstappen’s guidance, adding that a couple of practice sessions would leave Larson “crying in a corner.”
Both drivers come with impressive credentials: Larson excels in NASCAR, endurance racing, and dirt events, while Verstappen is a dominant force in F1, with skills in GT sim racing. Yet, Verstappen’s experience on dirt or oval tracks remains largely unknown—unless he’s secretly honing those skills on his simulator.
On a related note, when asked about motorsports potentially becoming an Olympic sport, Larson echoed Verstappen’s skepticism. “Racing isn’t purely about athleticism. There’s always a mechanical element involved, and even identical cars won’t behave identically,” he explained. “I’d love the chance to compete for an Olympic medal, especially against top-tier drivers like Max. That would be amazing. But for now, I just don’t see racing fitting into the Olympics.”