Tony Stewart tries to settle “huge” Max Verstappen versus Kyle Larson debate
Kyle Larson had earlier stated that he is a better overall driver than Max Verstappen.
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Max Verstappen, Kyle Larson and Tony Stewart (images via IMAGO)
Fans from Formula 1 and NASCAR have often battled with each other regarding the capabilities of the respective drivers. With Kyle Larson having bestowed the experience of driving multiple different racecars, the HM driver asserted that he was a better driver than three-time F1 world champion Max Verstappen. With the debate between the two spheres of racing, former Cup Series champion Tony Stewart tapped in on the highly contentious debacle and gave his views on it.
Max Verstappen is regarded as a generational talent in F1. The Dutchman made his racing debut at 17 in the series and has created massive accolades in the past few years. On the other hand, Kyle Larson is a highly regarded driver in NASCAR and was the 2021 Cup Series champion. With him being one of the favorites for the 2024 championship and decided to take on the challenge of racing in a different discipline like IndyCar.
With his stature increasing in the NASCAR world, Larson recently stated that he thought of himself as a better all-round driver than F1 rival Max Verstappen. This matter subsequently reached Tony Stewart, who gave his perspective on the matter.
It’s like, here’s a guy that had never seen anything like that. Could you take Max Verstappen, could you bring him and set him in a Cup car and him be competitive? I think you could. I don’t know how long it would take him, but you could… But there’s drivers that you could take from the Cup Series, from Formula 1, from IndyCar, from NHRA, and put them in cars and they’re gonna figure it out because they’re pure race car drivers. That is what Kyle Larson is… he’s a guy that’s a once-in-a-lifetime type guy. It seems like every generation has that one guy that stands out above the rest and Kyle’s that guy.
Tony Stewart said on the Happy Hour podcast
Though Stewart backed Larson, his opinion may be influenced by his proximity to the NASCAR world. However, one thing is clear, both drivers are generational talents that their respective sports have seen and are legends of their own arenas.
Kyle Larson reflected on his Las Vegas race
On the NASCAR side of things, the 32-year-old lost out on winning the regular season championship this year. Despite this, Larson has remained focused on the big prize and is adamant about becoming a two-time Cup Series champion with HM this year.
Moreover, his last race in Las Vegas was one to forget as he finished 11th after a tiring race.
It’s tough and now when you look at it in reverse, it’s kind of like, ‘Wow, how did we not get that right?’ I understand where there was some confusion in the moment. The guys now are smarter because we have that experience and know how to handle that moving forward.
Kyle Larson said in a post-race interview
Despite the ups and downs, the No.5 driver retained a calm composure. He expressed faith in his team and would be repping up for the next race in Miami to get his carriage back on track.
On the other hand, Joey Logano has made his way into the final four after winning the race in Las Vegas. Thus, only three spots remain for the rest of the drivers to get their charters into the championship contention by Phoenix.
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Geetansh Pasricha
(772 Articles Published)