NASCAR’s high-powered stock car racing is what most American motorsport fans love. Racing around tight-knit oval circuits in V8, 750-hp-upward engine cars, while tempers flare, defines this sport. But even some NASCAR veterans tip their hats when it comes to IndyCar. There’s a reason why the Indianapolis 500 is hailed as the ‘Greatest Spectacle in Racing,’ although an F1 star does not agree with it.

Lewis Hamilton is a grand fixture in Formula One with seven World Championships to his name, has voiced his disappointment with IndyCar—a critique that carries significant weight. But a NASCAR veteran is determined to prove him wrong.

NASCAR insider shuts down F1 driver’s opinion

To a layman’s eyes, the single-seater cars used in both F1 and IndyCar appear quite similar, with low-slung, futuristic designs, front and rear wings, and chunky tires. However, peeling back the layers reveals significant differences, which Lewis Hamilton highlighted in 2017. After Fernando Alonso qualified impressively on his first attempt at the Indy 500, Hamilton couldn’t fathom it, commenting, “Fernando, in his first qualifying, came fifth. Does that say something about (the level) of IndyCar?”

While IndyCar drivers quickly defended their sport, a NASCAR veteran has now also taken a stand against Hamilton’s comment. Former Xfinity star Kenny Wallace did not fancy the 22-second win that Max Verstappen claimed earlier this year. He recently spoke out against Hamilton’s comment saying, “Hamilton said it…’Indy 500 is lesser than Formula One…I don’t think so!” Wallace added details to support his argument. “The last lap of that Indianapolis 500, it can’t get any better…I do like Formula One but I don’t know if they’re better, they run road courses. There is a big difference between road racing and oval racing. Oval racing – there’s an art to it, a lot of aerodynamics involved.”

Wallace drew an example with a former F1 racer, Romain Grosjean. Grosjean’s oval debut at World Wide Technology Raceway in 2021 was impressive—completing 166 laps and securing the fastest lap at 177.445 mph, finishing eighth. However, his 2024 attempt didn’t go as well, with Wallace recounting, “Going into turn 3…he loses it, backs it into the wall. I’m venturing to say they’re running 200 miles an hour…He backs that baby into the wall, but he’s a Formula 1 driver. He refused infield care center attention.” 

Wallace is correct about the speeds. IndyCar’s dizzying velocities have awed top NASCAR drivers like Kyle Larson. For instance, Scott Dixon took pole for the 2022 Indy 500 with a 234 mph run, while the usual top speed for an F1 car hovers around 200 mph. Although F1 cars can theoretically achieve higher speeds, their engineering focus doesn’t allow them to sustain such pressure for long.

Despite Lewis Hamilton’s backhanded comment about IndyCar, he did express a slight wish last year to race in the “spectacular” sport.

Hamilton ate humble pie

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The 105-time Grand Prix winner seems to have softened his stance eventually. After all, IndyCar is arguably one of the greatest motorsports. Last year, during negotiations with Mercedes to extend his tenure in F1, Hamilton expressed a desire that would have heart-warmed Kenny Wallace. He initially mentioned his brush with NASCAR: “I did a car swap with Tony Stewart years ago, which was fun. I’d love to try it at some stage.”

Hamilton then expanded on his interest in other motorsports: “It’s not a dream for me to go and race in another series, but I am an admirer and a fan of racing and other sports, so I always like to try. It’s an amazing opportunity and I got to swap with Valentino Rossi and try a MotoGP bike.” He further added, “I sometimes watch IndyCar. I’d love to try one of those cars at some stage.” He clarified that the present IndyCar aero screen does not fancy him a lot. “I’m not a big fan of the big screen that they have, but like the old-school cars they have, the cars sound and look good.”

Clearly, Lewis Hamilton isn’t as opposed to IndyCar as Kenny Wallace might believe. Hopefully, we’ll see the seven-time F1 champion try his hand at IndyCar soon and experience the sport firsthand.