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NASCAR: Kyle Larson doing himself no favors after Max Verstappen claim

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NASCAR: Kyle Larson doing himself no favors after Max Verstappen claim

As a long-time enthusiast of motorsports and someone who has followed both Max Verstappen and Kyle Larson’s careers closely, I must say that I find myself deeply impressed by both drivers. However, if we’re talking about raw dominance against teammates, especially in equal machinery, Max Verstappen takes the cake. His consistency and ability to perform under pressure are truly remarkable.

In NASCAR’s realm, it’s commonly acknowledged that Kyle Larson stands out as the driver with exceptional talent. Meanwhile, in Formula 1, Max Verstappen is widely regarded as the driver with the greatest raw ability on the track. Both drivers have an impressive number of victories under their belts and boast at least one championship title each.

Without a doubt, these two individuals, admired by some and criticized by others, are undeniably exceptional in their respective fields. Time and again, they’ve demonstrated an unparalleled mastery of their crafts, showcasing a remarkable versatility that sets them apart as truly global talents in the world of driving. Their prowess has been consistently impressive for quite some time now.

On multiple occasions, they’ve demonstrated an extraordinarily uncommon talent for driving cars beyond their expected capabilities, often achieving superior outcomes relative to their mechanical potential.

From 2014 to 2020, I was the one who racked up six victories and numerous runner-up finishes for the Chip Ganassi Racing team, a group that wasn’t exactly dominating the scene. On the other hand, Verstappen managed two top five finishes as a rookie with Toro Rosso back in 2015, a team now known as RB. Later, from 2016 to 2020, he scored several wins when Red Bull wasn’t the undisputed leader in the racing world.

Because NASCAR and Formula 1 are the two most well-known types of racing across North America, it’s common for their drivers to be regarded as the top two drivers within that realm.

Nevertheless, due to the significant disparities in factors like vehicles, circuits, driving techniques, regulations, and behavior, a direct comparison has yet to be made effectively.

That was until this past week, when Larson dropped this bombshell.

I know in my mind I am better than him as an all-around driver. There’s no way he 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… 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.

Kyle Larson

Verstappen has since responded, simply saying, “That’s fine. Everyone thinks their own way, right?”

If someone truly understands Max Verstappen, they’d recognize that his response is simply a polite dismissal of such claims, hinting at his superiority as a driver in the grand scheme of things.

Despite the reason behind Larson’s public remarks being uncertain, this hasn’t hindered the automotive enthusiast world from delving deeper into the topic and examining it closely.

While comparing the two drivers is nearly impossible, Larson has not made a great case for himself recently.

It’s important to clarify that Larson hasn’t been subpar; quite the contrary. This season, he has taken the lead in the NASCAR Cup Series with an impressive four victories under his belt. He’s also locked in a fierce competition at the top of the regular season standings. Given his success so far, he remains one of the prime contenders, if not the front-runner, for winning the Bill France Cup.

Indeed, it’s important to note that while Larson has had his fair share of errors in 2024, labeling him as faultless would be an oversimplification. The driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet has committed numerous mistakes, some of which have significantly impacted race outcomes and affected his position in the standings.

During the Chicago Street Race, Larson found himself battling for the victory under slippery conditions. However, he over-pushed while navigating turn six, resulting in a crash against the tire barricade.

Throughout the entire race at Iowa Speedway, Larson consistently proved to be the quickest driver. However, a strategic maneuver placed him among a group of cars, and in a moment of poor judgment, he attempted a risky three-car move exiting turn four, ultimately leading to his unfortunate crash.

Over the past weekend, Larson once more demonstrated a swift ride at Michigan International Speedway, but unfortunately lost control due to slippage in the turbulent air beyond turn four, causing him to spin ahead of the pack and retire with significant damage.

Such errors are the reason he has relinquished a potentially strong hold on the regular season title.

Regrettably, Larson has made significant errors quite frequently during his professional tenure, and these recurrent blunders seem to be a crucial weakness that hindered him in retaining the 2021 Cup Series title.

Previously at Texas Motor Speedway, Larson was in a tight race for victory with Bubba Wallace. However, while driving under the No. 23 Toyota, he lost control entering turn one, resulting in his unfortunate exit from the competition.

Towards the end of the year, at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Larson attempted to push excessively upon entering the pits for his last stop during the race, resulting in a collision with the safety barriers, thus bringing an early conclusion to his race once more.

In essence, it seems that such types of errors may have potentially denied Larson numerous triumphs over the past year alone.

In simpler terms, when did Max Verstappen last commit an error that potentially denied him a win? The incident you might point to is his collision with Lando Norris towards the end of the Austrian Grand Prix this year; however, determining who was responsible for that incident could be open to interpretation.

Since 2021, and possibly even as early as 2020, Max Verstappen has rarely committed a race-deciding error in situations where he was directly contending for victory.

Verstappen’s greatest accolade is how he stacks up against his teammates in equal machinery.

People who follow NASCAR frequently argue that Verstappen tends to win more races than Larson, primarily because his vehicle is so exceptional that he rarely faces significant competition.

It’s undeniable that Max Verstappen’s remarkable track record stands out significantly when compared to his teammates.

Ever since Max Verstappen’s third year and full season with Red Bull Racing in 2017, no teammate has managed to outperform him in a single season. The most any teammate has come close was in 2018, ending the season 79 points behind – that’s more than three full race victories! (As a fan, I can’t help but cheer for his dominance!)

As a gamer, let me put it this way: Since my triumphant 2021 season, my teammate Chase Elliott has outperformed me in points and victories for the 2022 campaign. The trend continued into 2023 with William Byron surpassing me in the same categories. As we stand in the heat of the 2024 season, I find myself trailing behind Chase once again, with four DNFs under my belt, making me the weakest link among Hendrick Motorsports’ formidable lineup.

It’s important to clarify that Larson’s performance isn’t subpar, and he is indeed an exceptional driver at Hendrick Motorsports. If you were to put Larson, Elliott, Byron, or Alex Bowman in any race track with any car, including a Cup car, Larson’s raw talent would likely lead him to excel more frequently.

Again, his mistakes have cost him.

The statistics clearly demonstrate that Verstappen has significantly outperformed Larson when both are using similar equipment, and he’s made very few mistakes along the way.

Another point worth considering is the caliber of Verstappen’s teammates versus those Larson faces weekly, which are top-tier competitors. However, such discussions may end up being repetitive and inconclusive.

The harsh truth is that the debate of whether Larson is better than Verstappen can never truly be settled.

The situation can only be resolved if Max Verstappen temporarily steps aside from his current racing activities and competes for an entire season in the NASCAR Cup Series, while Larson does the same by competing in Formula 1 for a full season. Whoever adapts faster and achieves more success will be declared as the superior racer.

It’s not going to happen, as Verstappen has expressed his discomfort about racing on ovals multiple times and has no desire to do so, and Larson wouldn’t race in Formula 1 because he would need to compete in several developmental series to accumulate the necessary FIA Super License points.

Regardless of organizing a mini racing competition where they drive various cars on diverse tracks, reminiscent of the Race of Champions, it wouldn’t settle anything since the optimal vehicle and course for each participant would still favor one over the other due to their contrasting backgrounds and abilities.

In sports such as hockey and baseball, players at similar positions, like goalies and first basemen, have comparable experiences due to the uniformity of the game conditions. However, race car drivers don’t share this luxury since they compete under varying track conditions, which makes direct comparisons challenging, much like comparing apples to oranges.

As a devoted fan, I believe it’s crucial to admire and acknowledge the extraordinary abilities of both Verstappen and Larson. Each brings something unique to their respective disciplines, and their approaches deserve respect rather than resorting to comparisons that might inadvertently diminish one for the sake of elevating the other. Both are generational talents, exceptional in their own right, and it’s a privilege to witness their brilliance.

Regardless of personal views about who’s the greatest globally, if Larson persists with his major weakness, spectators may increasingly favor Verstappen, regardless of the justice involved in that preference.

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2024-08-24 13:02

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