Max Verstappen responds to Kyle Larson after his note about being a better all-round driver, as Fernando Alonso gives his bite.
The summer break saw NASCAR Cup champion Larson claim himself to be better than F1 champion Verstappen, in terms of being able to compete in the Dutchman’s competition as opposed to the Red Bull driver being able to compete and excel in the American’s.
He accepts that he may not win a F1 race in Monaco or he may not readily get F1 and or IndyCar, but outside that, he thinks he can beat him in everything else. “Not really, I know in my mind I am better than him as an all-around driver,” said Larson to FloRacing, when he was asked if he needs to beat Verstappen to be regarded as the best in the world.
“There’s no way Verstappen can get into a Sprint Car and win the Knoxville Nationals. There’s no way he can go win the Chili Bowl. There’s no way he can go win a Cup race at Bristol. There’s probably no way I can go win a Formula 1 race at Monaco, but I think I’d have a better shot doing what he does than him doing what I do just because of the car element.
“That’s what gives me ease and confidence that, like, I know I’m better than him. Maybe not in an open-wheel IndyCar or Formula 1 car, but that’s one discipline. I think I would beat him in everything else. You can quote that,” summed up Larson, who was backed up by some of his NASCAR colleagues.
Upon returning from the summer break, when asked about the comments made by the American, Red Bull’s Verstappen did not have much to say, other than: “That’s fine. I mean, everyone thinks their own way, right?”
He brushed it under the carpet, while fellow competitor Aston Martin’s Alonso – who has compete in Indy500, Dakar Rally and WEC – brushed down the topic by light banter. He feels to be same in F1 with Verstappen, but in other championships, not as much.
“I don’t know, Max is quite good in GTs as well and I bet he is good in everything, but still not as good as me, but in F1, I accept that he is the same,” said Alonso to media. “You need to adapt very quickly to different disciplines, and oval racing is one thing, it is a completely different technique and skills. In Dakar Rally, it is pressing the throttle and brake at the same time for six hours, it is just dominating the car, that is not easy to adapt to.”
Here’s latest from Sergio Perez plus other three Red Bull drivers
Here’s Max Verstappen doesn’t think Red Bull has lost ability to fight
Here’s Max Verstappen, Alexander Albon on sim racing
Here’s Max Verstappen on radio antics, Daniel Ricciardo and Frederic Vasseur add
Here’s Fernando Alonso on customer teams
Here’s Fernando Alonso on motivation and no frustration
Here’s Dan Fallows on Aston Martin being an exciting project still
Here’s link to a F1 Discord channel, join in to interact