At one point in F1 history, NASCAR star Jeff Gordon was being considered as one of the top drivers in the world. Recently, IndyCar commentator and Formula 1 journalist Will Buxton discussed Gordon’s potential move to open-wheel racing on Kevin Harvick’s podcast, envisioning Gordon and Dario Franchitti racing together in F1. This hypothetical plan could have significantly impacted F1’s popularity in America much earlier than Drive to Survive did. While the deal didn’t materialize, Gordon did impress in a ride swap with Juan Pablo Montoya in an F1 car in 2003.
The proposed opportunity was around 1999, following Gordon’s success in NASCAR, while BAR was an F1 contender from 1999 to 2005. Even though Gordon never raced in F1, his brief time in an F1 car showed promise. The podcast also touched on current NASCAR standout Kyle Larson, who has expressed interest in exploring F1 and impressed in the 2024 Indy 500. Buxton highlighted the restrictive licensing system inhibiting drivers like Larson and Colton Herta from pursuing opportunities in F1.
