NASCAR driver Kyle Larson says he is better than Verstappen. What do the fans and experts say?

Marx Verstappen is undoubtedly one of F1′s top drivers. Since he arrived on the scene back in 2017, when he was only 17, the Dutchman has earned the respect of motor fans worldwide.

At this point, Verstappen’s F1 career is synonymous with long-term success; The Dutch had to wait until 2021 to win his first F1 World Championship, and since then, the 26-year-old driver has dominated the circuit. Despite being first in this World Championship with 277 points, Verstappen’s performances in Hungary’s (fifth) and Belgium’s (fourth) Grand Prixes have left fans wondering if the momentum is ending.

Someone who has not hesitated to take advantage of this moment of uncertainty that Verstappen is experiencing has been NASCAR driver Kyle Larson. The 32-year-old American is considered one of the most versatile drivers in the world of motorsports, having competed in events like the Chili Bowl, Kings Royal, Prairie Dirt Classic, and the Knoxville Nationals. When asked about the F1 driver, Larson didn’t hesitate to say he is a better all-round driver!

What did Kyle Larson say about Verstappen?

Since the beginning, Larson’s intentions were evident as he said, “I know in my mind I am better than him as an all-round driver”. The American didn’t stop here and began to light the flame even more with his statements.

“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 win a Formula 1 race at Monaco, but I think I’d have a better shot at him (Verstappen) just because of the car element,” stated the driver.

Larson concluded, “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”.

Reactions about Kyle Larson’s words about Verstappen

As expected, reactions appeared quickly on different social media channels, with motor fans expressing a divided opinion. “Kyle Larson suffers from severe delusion,” “Kyle Larson doesn’t know who he’s up against,” or “Larson would get owned.” are some of the comments defending Verstappen from X users.

However, this coin has two sides, and the response from Larson’s fans has also been present: “(Verstappen) You have no idea how good Kyle Larson is on dirt,” “Max Verstappen needs to attempt other disciplines in auto racing to even be in the conversation,” or “Kyle Larson clears Max Verstappen. Put Max Verstappen in the next Gen car. His arms are too short to box with God,” are some of Larson fans’ comments.

Reactions have transcended to the point that drivers and experts have also given their opinions, as in the case of Tim Coronal, Dakar Rally Driver, who assures, “Kyle, sorry, but then I think you are wrong in life. Then you haven’t understood “what driving a car is at all.” On the other hand, Giovanni Scelzi, a 22-year-old American driver who has competed against Larson, says, “He’s so good in every discipline, he’s probably the greatest driver ever to live.”

Gunther Steiner, a former Haas F1 team boss with experience in the NASCAR Sprint Cup, is more neutral, saying it is impossible to take sides considering the differences between the disciplines. “Every series has its specialty. You cannot say because I’m fast in NASCAR, I will be fast in an F1 car. It’s completely different!”