Kyle Larson Lets Slip F1 Abu Dhabi Desires After Max Verstappen-Best Driver Debate

NASCAR’s best racer may have to act on his words soon, but he is looking forward to it. A few weeks before Kyle Larson swept the Bristol playoff race in a dominating victory, he made a bold claim. The double driver, sprint car ace, and NASCAR Cup Series star said he is a better racer than Formula One’s asset, Max Verstappen. Now Larson is even more pumped to turn his words into reality.

After trying his hand in IndyCar, dirt racing, and stock cars, Larson is ready to take on European open-wheel racing. The versatile racer might just be the perfect choice for this experiment, as McLaren’s top official agrees. And the man himself is getting excited about stamping his name internationally.

Larson Vs. Verstappen – The biggest battle is on

Giddy after winning the Knoxville Nationals, Kyle Larson got carried away by his talents. “I know in my mind I am better than him as an all-around driver,” Larson said of three-time Formula One world champion Max Verstappen. Larson was confident that the F1 ace could not possibly win the biggest sprint car race, the Chili Bowl Nationals, or a NASCAR Cup race. And definitely, Verstappen could not dominate 462 laps in a Cup race at Bristol, something not seen since Cale Yarborough led 495 of the 500 laps in 1977.

But Kyle Larson’s bold claims are not just limited to words. He is eager to prove his all-around racing prowess, even in an F1 car. In a recent episode of Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour, the Hendrick Motorsports star shared his F1 aspirations. “I think it was an option this year, I’ve just got so much going on. It’s like something that I needed to plan probably a year in advance or more. I would like to, but I would rather do it on one of those open test-style deals like after Abu Dhabi, you know, when other drivers are on the track too.”

Formula One being uncharted territory, Kyle Larson was unsure about his Abu Dhabi wish. “I mean, I don’t even know if I’m allowed to ’cause I don’t know if you have to have like a super license or whatnot.” So he focused on the next-best possibility: “I think the driver swaps are really cool but you don’t really have a bar…a gauge of where you stack up to others who do it. It’d be fun to do that with Oscar, Lando, or whoever.” Yet he circled back to his former wish. “I would love to strap in with 19 other cars out there and really see where you’re at on the speed charts.”

And the 28-time Cup race winner’s dream is just a nod away. McLaren’s top executive is already trying to make it happen and is also talking about a reverse deal.

Could Larson and F1 Collide?

Kyle Larson is the hot topic in American motorsports at present. So the leading driver of the Cup Series season may achieve his wish, as McLaren CEO Zac Brown assured recently. McLaren and HMS have allied already for their Double effort which they will repeat in 2025. Now Brown said, “I’d love to see Kyle in an F1 car.” Seven-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson sampled a 2013 MP4-28 car in Bahrain in 2018. So Brown also believes Larson’s F1 dream and aspiration to topple Max Verstappen can also be real. Similarly, a prominent F1 racer could also be headed in NASCAR’s way.

Just as Kyle Larson expressed interest in F1, two-time Grand Prix winner Oscar Piastri also looks forward to a NASCAR adventure. “Oscar knocked on my door a little bit about his excitement around NASCAR, so I think if we were to do something with Kyle and one of our Formula 1 drivers, it would probably most likely be Oscar,” said Brown. The McLaren chief also hinted that his organization may field a car in the iconic Daytona 500 race. Brown admitted his bubbling enthusiasm: “That would be kind of cool.”

Evidently, our golden boy should be headed to European ground soon. A Formula One and NASCAR crossover might be the most thrilling phenomenon for global motorsport fans!