Dale Earnhardt Jr. is a passionate NASCAR fan. But his appreciation of motorsports isn’t confined to NASCAR ovals; he is genuinely intrigued by Formula 1 racing. Last year, he opened up about the fond memories when he would watch F1 races, before they were big in the US: “I think that there are years where Formula 1 for me is incredibly entertaining, and back when Schumacher and those guys were going at Mika [Hakkinen]. There were some years where you get really plugged in.”
For a driver who has experienced NASCAR racing from multiple lenses of a driver, broadcaster and a fan, Dale Jr. never experienced that feeling with F1 racing until last weekend. For the first time, the JR Motorsports co-owner visited the Miami Grand Prix, and truth be told, he was stunned. Not only did he enjoy the extravagant fan experience, but he also bumped into Max Verstappen, which led to rumors and speculations. Now that is the story for another, but this first impression attending a F1 race was a lasting one on Dale Jr., leaving him wanting more.
Dale Jr. is eyeing a visit to Europe to soak in real F1 experience
After the race, Dale Earnhardt Jr. sat down with TJ Majors on the Dale Jr. Download podcast and shared his thoughts on his first live Formula 1 race. When asked about the comparisons between F1 and NASCAR, Dale made it clear that it wasn’t about choosing one over the other. “I was curious as to how we would talk about that. Because people want to know, ‘Well, did you like it better? Did you like it more?’ But I don’t think that’s a fair question,” he said. “It’s not about liking it better or more — it’s just a different kind of motorsport. Whatever love that I have for NASCAR, whatever that pie is, didn’t change. I think that’s fair.”
Comprehending that fans would want to know about his future with the F1, Dale Jr. also addressed those questions. “Is it a great experience? Would I go again? Absolutely. Especially in another country,” he confirmed. “I got an American version of the global sport that F1 is. If I were to go to Monaco or another country and see it, it would be even completely different. It would be even more epic, right?” Putting it in a layman’s analogy, “I just got a little taste, right, of F1. I got the… It’s kind of like: ‘Hey man, you love sushi? Well, that’s not really sushi, what they’re making here in the States. You’ve got to go to Japan to really get the real sh–.”‘
Imagine Dale Jr. making an appearance at the Spa, Monaco, or Monza. The electric energy of the Tifosi in the grandstands and the prestige of the Monaco race are indeed special. Although it may not be as grand as the Daytona 500 or the Brickyard 400 NASCAR race, it has a different appeal and celebration, one that encapsulates F1 racing. So, don’t be surprised if you see Dale Jr. add a European trip to his holiday schedule and turn up at one of the Formula 1 races.
Well, did Dale Jr. confirm a collaboration? Not yet. But this is surely the start of something interesting. Plus, the idea of F1 drivers racing in NASCAR has always been on the cards. Dale himself has been open to flipping the script. In his interview with Hard Rock Bet, he stated, “If F1 raced on ovals, I could’ve won an F1 race—absolutely.”
His comments didn’t come off as rivalry but out of sheer love for racing. “F1 drivers could absolutely come into NASCAR and be competitive, but mainly on the road courses… I think they would have a hard time learning the discipline of racing on our ovals with the kind of cars we have,” he added. And this is where NASCAR fans started connecting the dots, especially after Jr. met with Verstappen.
NASCAR fans hoping for an F1 X NASCAR crossover starring Max Verstappen
“Max to the #8 car confirmed,” these were the sort of reactions that floated on social media after Dale Jr posted on Instagram. Jr. is a fan of the four-time F1 champ, and his comments for the Red Bull star in 2023 further stoked the fire. “I’m a big fan of Max. I like to see Max succeed, I love to see him dominate.” Now, the real question is, can Verstappen take a leap and compete in a stock car?
It is important to note that the F1 season just kicks off after NASCAR in March. In February, the Cup Series has its mega event, the Daytona 500, and if there’s one race where Verstappen would like to make his NASCAR debut, this would be it. Another element working in his favor is the Open Exemption Provisional, a rule that promotes superstar drivers from other racing disciplines to compete at the top level.
Verstappen fits right into the idea behind OEP, and a return of the JRM Cup car after their Daytona 500 debut this year could be huge. Again, this is a far-fetched idea, and it would all depend on Red Bull Racing’s decision to allow their star driver to race in different series.
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