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F1 expert Tim Coronel has dismissed Kyle Larson’s claims that he is a better driver than Max Verstappen. The American NASCAR driver took the motorsport world by storm when he claimed he was a better driver than the reigning F1 champion.
Kyle Larson is a dominant force in NASCAR and in American motorsports. He won ESPN’s Best Racing Driver Award in 2021 and continues to impress. This season he made a surprise appearance at the Indy500 with McLaren. After recently winning his third title at the Knoxville Nationals, Kyle Larson was asked about his world status. The American confidently said he is convinced he is a better driver in all fields than Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen.
In an interview with Racingnews365, F1 expert Tim Coronel rejected Larson’s claims. Coronel said the NASCAR driver lives in his own little bubble in America. This is what he said:
“If you say that, then I don’t think you know what’s going on in the world outside of this bubble in America. If you think you are better than Max Verstappen, I would really like to have a match between them, because you will lose. Max in these GT cars also starts screaming, in the simulator, with everything.”
Coronel said Verstappen could pass Larson in just two practice sessions and leave the American crying in the corner. He said:
“Kyle, I’m sorry, but I think you’re wrong about life. So you have no idea what driving a car is. Two practice sessions for Max and then Kyle will be crying in a corner somewhere.”
What Kyle Larson said about Max Verstappen
In an interview with Flo Racing, Kyle Larson said he felt he was a better driver than Max Verstappen. The American acknowledges Verstappen’s dominance in single-seaters, but has confidently asserted his superiority in other forms of motorsport. He said:
“I know in my mind that I’m better than him as an all-around driver. There’s no way he (Verstappen) is going to get in a Sprint car and win the Knoxville Nationals. There’s no way that He wins the Chili Bowl. There’s no way he’s going to win a Cup race in Bristol.
He added: “I probably have no chance of winning a Formula 1 race in Monaco, but I think I would have a better chance of beating him (doing what he does than what I do) just because of the machine element. That’s what gives me ease and confidence, because I know I’m better than him. Maybe not in an IndyCar or an open-wheel Formula 1, but it’s a discipline. I think I can beat him to anything else. You can quote him. It’s certainly an interesting debate, sparking an internet conversation about who would beat who in which category. However, it’s safe to say that Max Verstappen and Kyle Larson continue to be aces in their respective series.