![\"article-image\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2024-07-18T085743Z_1449493522_UP1EK7I0OW5B9_RTRMADP_3_MOTOR-F1-HUNGARY.jpg\")
<\/p>\nFor years, a perceived chasm separated the sleek, technologically advanced machines of Formula 1 from the raw, American stock-car spectacle of NASCAR. Legends like James Hunt and Niki Lauda battled fiercely in the 70s, embodying F1\u2019s greatest rivalries. Meanwhile, NASCAR\u2019s own storied feuds, Dale Earnhardt vs. Jeff Bodine, shaped its hard-charging identity. Though these rivalries originated on opposite corners of motorsports, fans and drivers alike have increasingly recognized that each discipline\u2019s intensity and skill share a common heartbeat. This growing camaraderie has also shattered the long-held \u201cmyth\u201d of disrespect that fans perceived the two sports to have.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, in recent seasons, the bridge between the two motorsports has been stronger than ever. Shane van Gisbergen transitioned to a full-time Cup Series seat with Trackhouse Racing in 2025 and delivered breakout success, winning three consecutive road course races, tying all-time rookie records, and captivating international fans in the process. On the other hand, in early 2025, Liam Lawson posted competitive lap times in stock car simulators at the Ford Performance Center, betting with NASCAR pro Noah Gragson, and openly saying, \u201cDude, I would love to race in America. Yeah, it\u2019s 100 percent.\u201d<\/p>\n
Among these voices, Carlos Sainz stands out not just for interest but for heartfelt respect towards NASCAR. In a recent interview with fellow drivers Isack Hadjar, Esteban Ocon, Liam Lawson, Oliver Bearman, and Alex Albon on WIRED, the team was asked, \u201cWhy is F1 better than NASCAR?\u201d\u00a0Lawson answered, \u201cWe can\u2019t take as many curbs as NASCAR. Like the last chicane in Canada, imagine if we\u2019re in NASCAR.\u201d\u00a0But what caught people\u2019s attention was what Sainz said next. \u201cMy only reason why I would say F1 is better than NASCAR is because it is way faster, and faster, for me, the better,\u201d said Sainz. \u201cBut I respect NASCAR drivers and what they do, and I think it\u2019s a great motorsport to watch also,\u201d challenging common narratives of disdain and instead underscoring mutual admiration. Sainz\u2019s comment truly hit the right place in the fans\u2019 hearts and became the reason that sparked the discussion.<\/p>\n
ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n
Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
via Reuters<\/p>\n
Formula One F1 \u2013 Hungarian Grand Prix \u2013 Hungaroring, Budapest, Hungary \u2013 July 18, 2024 Ferrari\u2019s Carlos Sainz Jr. arrives before the Hungarian Grand Prix REUTERS\/Bernadett Szabo<\/p>\n
Dynamism and an increasing recognition of each other\u2019s strengths marks the current landscape of both F1 and NASCAR. F1 continues its American surge, with Netflix\u2019s Drive to Survive fueling growing markets and raised fan interest just as the motorsport preps for transformative 2026 regulations and the arrival of new teams like Cadillac and Ford in technical partnerships. Daniel Su\u00e1rez<\/a> has also been seen watching F1 in his vlogs, and F1 drivers like Max Verstappen admitted,\u00a0 \u201cI was literally screaming in front of my TV, or my monitor, for him to win that\u2026 I know he\u2019s a great driver, I know what he\u2019s capable of, and I know how good he is in different kinds of disciplines,\u201d to watching SVG get his first Cup win.<\/p>\n For fans of NASCAR and F1, the crossover moments have fostered something rare: the chance to celebrate two motorsport worlds without picking sides. From social media forums to grandstands<\/a>, more fans than ever are tearing down the myth of animosity, embracing instead a shared love of racing\u2019s diverse forms. And as drivers and fans continue to cross paths, what emerges is not rivalry but a united appreciation of speed, strategy, and authenticity.<\/p>\n Racing fans weigh in love for NASCAR with surprising unity<\/p>\n Some fans appreciated Liam Lawson\u2019s straightforward and honest answer to the question asked in the video, as one fan wrote, \u201cMy favorite was Liam Lawson right before this when the question was asked just blurts out \u201cOh man I love nascar!\u201d\u201d\u00a0Answering the question in the candid moment, Lawson blurted, \u201cI like NASCAR a lot,\u201d with echoes of similar answers from Hadjar and Ocon, saying, \u201cMe too.\u201d\u00a0This added to the heartfelt connection that the F1<\/a> drivers feel for NASCAR.<\/p>\n \u201cThe outside motorsport world not respecting NASCAR is a dumb myth made up in NASCAR fans\u2019 heads. I don\u2019t think I\u2019ve ever heard someone involved in European \/ Global motorsport sh\u2013 on NASCAR,\u201d another fan wrote, being absolutely on point. Jenson Button, a former F1 champion, once drove in NASCAR\u2019s COTA<\/a> race and acknowledged the aggressive style while stating that he genuinely respects the NASCAR drivers\u2019 toughness. Likewise, Sebastian Vettel visited a NASCAR round in 2009 and was impressed by the spectacle and fan engagement, suggesting Formula 1 could learn from NASCAR\u2019s showmanship and packed crowds, not as a lesser sport, but simply different.<\/p>\n ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Another fan added, \u201cDenny is a big F1 fan. I think when he complains it\u2019s because he actually enjoys watching the product.\u201d\u00a0In interviews and on his\u00a0Actions Detrimental\u00a0podcast in 2023, Denny Hamlin<\/a> offered a frank comparison after watching the Monaco Grand Prix, giving major props to Sky\u2019s F1 broadcasters, saying, \u201cThey make you think, \u2018Oh my God, this is unbelievable what Max Verstappen did in the final sector in qualifying\u2026 Cannot believe what just happened,\u201d\u00a0hinting at his fascination for watching the event.<\/p>\n But some fans cannot forget the past very easily, as one fan wrote, \u201cWe\u2019ve come a long way from the Carl Edwards\/Michael Schumacher race.\u201d\u00a0Back in December 2008, at Wembley Stadium\u2019s Race of Champions, NASCAR star Carl Edwards faced off against 7-time F1 champion Michael Schumacher in identical Abarth 500 cars. In a stunning finish, Edwards beat Schumacher by nearly two seconds, a margin that shocked fans and commentators alike. Dale Earnhardt Jr.<\/a> later described that win as \u201cthe greatest thing ever,\u201d capturing how deeply that result resonated across racing disciplines.<\/p>\n But in recent years, several Formula One world champions have taken a genuine swing at NASCAR, showing that the rivalry is a mere myth. One fan wrote, \u201cI wouldn\u2019t be suprised in the coming years you don\u2019t see F1 drivers give a try at Nascar. JPM, Button, Raikkonen, Kobayashi all enjoyed when they gave it a try. Riccardo, Hamilton and others have shown interest as well in the past and it\u2019d be really cool to see them give it a try.\u201d\u00a0The most famous names, like that of Lewis Hamilton once swapped cars with Tony Stewart<\/a> in 2011, and Daniel Ricciardo, also drove his lifelong idol Dale Earnhardt\u2019s 1948 NASCAR Chevrolet Monte Carlo, making their journeys exhilarating and adding to their broader passion for racing.<\/p>\n ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n As the walls between global motorsports continue to blur, what once felt like distant racing worlds now collide with curiosity and admiration. The future may not just hold more crossover appearances, but it could redefine what it means to be a driver without borders.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"For years, a perceived chasm separated the sleek, technologically advanced machines of Formula 1 from the raw, American…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":78711,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[46],"tags":[54312,1406,62,67,132,68],"class_list":{"0":"post-78710","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nascar","8":"tag-20240825-150250","9":"tag-nascar","10":"tag-sports","11":"tag-united-states","12":"tag-unitedstates","13":"tag-us"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/114887110354442357","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78710","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=78710"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78710\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/78711"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=78710"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=78710"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=78710"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}