There was as soon as a time in F1 historical past the place NASCAR famous person was in consideration for a seat among the many “greatest drivers on this planet.” And this week, lead commentator for on FOX and skilled Components 1 journalist Will Buxton spoke with NASCAR legend on his podcast, about Gordon’s potential forays into open-wheel racing, in each IndyCar and Components 1.
“Jeff was going to return over to Staff Cool Inexperienced in IndyCar and a run a season or two in IndyCar, and Dario [Franchitti, three-time Indy 500 winner] was going to go over to BAR [British American Racing] in Components 1,” defined Buxton. “And the long-term plan was that the lineup for BAR in Components 1 was going to be Jeff and Dario. And he was going to do a pair seasons in IndyCar to coach himself up.
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“Now that will have been field workplace, and that will have damaged F1 in America 20, 30 years earlier than it lastly broke by way of with Drive to Survive. You get Jeff Gordon racing in Components 1 alongside Dario Franchitti — these two nice all-time champions out of American open-wheel and inventory automobile racing. And so they’re racing as teammates in Components 1? Increase. Job executed. It might have been enormous.”
Gavin Ward, Competitors Director, Arrow McLaren, Kyle Larson and Jeff Gordon, Vice Chairman of Hendrick Motorsports
Gavin Ward, Competitors Director, Arrow McLaren, Kyle Larson and Jeff Gordon, Vice Chairman of Hendrick MotorsportsMichael L. Levitt / Motorsport Photos
Michael L. Levitt / Motorsport Photos
This deal supposedly was going to happen round 1999, proper after Gordon had gained three of the final 4 Cup Collection titles. BAR competed in F1 from 1999 by way of 2005, by no means successful a Grand Prix however amassing 15 podiums with drivers that included Jenson Button and Takuma Sato.
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Gordon by no means had the chance to truly race in F1, however he did participate in a trip swap with Juan Pablo Montoya (who later left F1 for NASCAR), driving a Williams FW25 in 2003 on the Indianapolis Street Course, impressing the engineers together with his tempo.
Larson’s potential
On the present, additionally they touched on present NASCAR famous person , who as soon as known as himself a “higher all-around driver” than four-time F1 World Champion as a result of numerous completely different disciplines he competes in. Larson additionally ran robust as a rookie within the 2024 Indianapolis 500 earlier than a late-race dashing penalty derailed his day.
“I might like to see the very best that NASCAR have try to make the soar to Components 1,” commented Buxton. “I might like to see somebody like a Kyle Larson not simply attend the Indy 500, however go and try the Monaco Grand Prix or no matter. I might like to see children from IndyCar transition over to Components 1 or from endurance racing or from Components E — no matter it could be. I hate the truth that now we have such a restrictive licensing system in place. It stops the opportunity of transitioning.”
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He added that there isn’t any excuse that an F3 title is price extra on the tremendous license scale than being a NASCAR Cup Collection champion or being top-three within the IndyCar standings. The system prevented American IndyCar star from a .
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