The NASCAR weekend at Circuit of the Americas will feature two former Formula One drivers in Cup Series cars. This creates dream scenarios for Cup regulars as they get to test themselves against icons from other series.
Trackhouse Racing will once again have 2007 Formula One World Champion Kimi Raikkonen in the No. 91 Chevrolet Camaro as he makes his second-ever Cup Series start. 2009 Formula One World Champion Jenson Button will be in the No. 15 Rick Ware Racing Ford Mustang while Stewart-Haas Racing provides additional support.
Both drivers are embracing the opportunity to test themselves in a wildly different type of vehicle. Meanwhile, many of the Cup Series drivers are simply preparing to see how they stack up against drivers with thousands of laps of experience on road courses.
“Growing up in a town of 3,000 people and one stop light, I would have never thought in a million years I’d race against an F1 guy let alone two of them in one race — even be teammates with an F1 World Champion,” Chase Briscoe said on March 10, transcript courtesy of Ford Performance.
“It’s going to be really cool for me to get to experience that, get to know Jenson, and just see how he prepares. I’ve got to see how these incredible race car drivers prepare whether it’s Kevin [Harvick] or Aric [Almirola], and now a world-class level with Jenson will be a lot of fun. Truthfully, I think on the road course side, he’s going to be able to bring a lot to the table.
Briscoe Has Experience Working Alongside F1 Drivers
GettyChase Briscoe practices at Circuit of the Americas.
Briscoe has one race’s worth of experience in terms of competing against an F1 driver. He was in the lineup at Watkins Glen International as Raikkonen made his Cup Series debut.
Briscoe also worked alongside multiple members of the Stewart-Haas Racing lineup during a unique event in 2022. HAAS F1 drivers Mick Schumacher and Kevin Magnussen joined Briscoe, Cole Custer, and Riley Herbst at the Charlotte Roval. They climbed into a Gen 6 Ford Mustang — first as passengers — and then they completed several laps around the Charlotte road course.
This crossover event was more for entertainment’s sake, but it provided some crucial information. Briscoe, in particular, learned how good these F1 drivers can be on road courses with very little time to prepare.
“Last year, I kind of did that in a driver swap with Mick Schumacher and Kevin Magnussen,” Briscoe continued. “They only ran like five laps a piece at the Roval. They were within a second of what I was running at pretty much 100 percent.
“So, those guys are such unbelievable road racers, that Jenson is going to bring a lot to the table just as far as things to look for and maximize. I’m really excited for that side of it and the opportunity because it’s going to be a lot of fun.”
The Cup Series Drivers Have an ‘Elbows-Out’ Approach
The list of differences between F1 and NASCAR is extensive, to say the least. The F1 cars are much lighter and much faster while the Cup Series cars are built for bumping and banging.
This is something that often comes into play at road courses. The Cup Series drivers use each other up while navigating turns, and they don’t shy away from making contact throughout these races. Kimi Raikkonen learned during his trip to Watkins Glen International as he was sent into the wall after getting run wide at one point.
Raikkonen will now have another opportunity to gain experience in the Cup Series. He will head to a track where he has completed a significant number of laps while also celebrating a win. Raikkonen will also join a packed lineup that features other guest drivers in Corvette Racing’s Jordan Taylor, IndyCar Series regular Conor Daly, and fellow F1 champion Jenson Button.
“It’s cool to see the diversity of different backgrounds of drivers and where they come from,” Kyle Busch said at Phoenix Raceway, transcript courtesy of Toyota Racing. “I’m not excited, but it’s going to be cool to have them out there and be a part of our show.
“They’re not used to the full-contact sport of what NASCAR is. I’m sure Kimi’s eyes were opened quite a bit on how all that went down at Watkins Glen. But he’s more ready and more prepared this time around.”
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The F1 Crossover Creates Dream Scenarios for NASCAR Stars