NASCAR Getting Attention From Former F1 Drivers Looking for Work

Former Formula 1 driver Daniil Kvyat may be considering a move to NASCAR.

So says Haas F1 team principal Guenther Steiner, whose own boss Gene Haas co-owns the Stewart-Haas NASCAR team along with Tony Stewart.

“Many drivers want to try it,” Steiner said, when asked about NASCAR. “Some are moving to IndyCar too. “This is a big step for them, as those series are very different—it’s like imagining going from NASCAR to Formula 1. It’s not just about the driving but the entire system.

“Mick (Schumacher) was at the (NASCAR) race in Texas, and Daniil Kvyat will come to the race in Martinsville,” Steiner said, referring to this weekend’s race in Virginia. “Everyone who goes to NASCAR asks me ‘Hey Guenther, can you set me up with someone?’ Daniil will stop by to see if there are any interesting options for him, because at the moment he is not racing in Formula 1.”

Russian Kvyat, 27, lost his place in Red Bull’s Formula 1 program at the end of last year and has since been serving as an Alpine reserve driver. Kvyat had three podium finishes in 110 starts and finished 14th in the F1 Drivers’ Standings in 2020.

Formula 1 drivers have rarely made the move to NASCAR, though 2007 F1 champion Kimi Raikkonen did make starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and the Truck Series in 2011. Other F1 veterans who have driven in NASCAR include Juan Pablo Montoya, Nelso Piquet Jr., Jacques Villeneuve, Jim Clark and Scott Speed.

Seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton got a small taste of NASCAR in a 2011 exhibition run at Watkins Glen as part of a car-swap event with Tony Stewart.


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