WHAT F1 DRIVER YOU SHOULD ROOT FOR BASED ON YOUR FAVORITE NASCAR DRIVER

WHAT F1 Driver you should root for based on your Favorite NASCAR DRIVER

List compiled by Brian Cotnoir

My Name is Brian Cotnoir, I was a lifelong NASCAR fan and recently decided to dump NASCAR in favor of following Formula 1 racing.  I started following Formula 1 closely back in 2016, and every year my enthusiasm for F1 has grown.   Like many American’s I had a hard time getting excited about F1 at first for a number of reasons (mostly because it wasn’t shown on TV much in America).  The only drivers I knew in F1 before I started watching were Michael Schumacher, Juan Pablo Montoya, Jules Bianchi, and Lewis Hamilton, and that’s because they were talked about on ESPN fairly regularly whenever they talked about F1.

I’ve been trying to convert my family and friends who follow NASCAR to Formula 1 and I keep hearing the same things “Isn’t it the same as IndyCar?”, “I don’t like that there’s no American Drivers”, “It’s on too early in the morning”, etc.  So I have done my best to compile this list to compare modern F1 drivers and NASCAR drivers, and I’m using the term “comparison” very loosely, I could be  using a number of different factors to compare; it could be anything, Wins, Championships, Driving Style, Personality, etc.  So I hope you like my list and that you will seriously consider dumping NASCAR and making the switch next year to Formula 1

JEFF GORDON*= LEWIS HAMILTON

I will admit I’m cheating hear, since Jeff Gordon is now retired, but really I couldn’t find a better driver to compare 5-Time Formula 1 Champion Lewis Hamilton too.  Both drivers have won multiple championships in their careers, are ranked as some of the winningest drivers in their respective forms of motor racing, and are well-known, liked, and respected outside of Motor Racing.

LEWIS HAMILTON

JIMMIE JOHNSON & KEVIN HARVICK= SEBASTIAN VETTEL

I’d say Sebastian Vettel is a lot like Jimmie Johnson; both dominated their respected sports for years winning multiple races and consecutive championships, both have seen declines in their careers as of lately and while not considered Championship Favorites, they definitely still are still threats to steal wins.   I can also see some similarities in driving styles between Kevin Harvick and Sebastian Vettel, both are strong contenders for wins in the late stages of races.

SEBASTIAN VETTEL

KYLE BUSCH & KYLE LARSON= MAX VERSTAPPEN

Like NASCAR drivers Kyle Busch and Kyle Larson, Dutch Formula 1 Driver Max Verstappen is consistently competing for Race wins and is willing to put everything on the line to get the positions and make daring moves in a race car.

MAX VERSTAPPEN

CLINT BOWYER, BRAD KESELOWSKI, CHASE ELLIOT= DANIEL RICCIARDO

Australian Driver Daniel Ricciardo is a the closest thing you will find to an American style driver in Formula 1.  Ricciardo is nicknamed “The Honey Badger” his car is #3 because his childhood hero was Dale Earnhardt Sr.  If you’re fan of popular American Drivers Clint Bowyer, Brad Keselowski, and Chase Elliot, then you are just going to love rooting for Daniel Ricciardo.

DANIEL RICCARDIO DRINKING CELEBRATING VICTORY WITH
]A "SHOEY" (CHAMPAGNE IN A RACING SHOE)

RYAN NEWMAN & DENNY HAMLIN= VALTTERI BOTTAS OR KIMI RAIKKONEN

Both Ryan Newman and Finnish drivers Valtteri Bottas & Kimi Raikkonen have drove for some big teams with brief brilliant moments of success.

VALTTERI BOTTAS (L) KIMI RAIKKONEN (R)

DANIEL SUAREZ= SERGIO PEREZ

Both Daniel Suarez and Sergio Perez are Mexican drivers with you Central American followings, and they both usually run mid-pack during races.

SERGIO PEREZ

AUSTIN DILLON & TY DILLON= LANCE STROLL

Lance Stroll is the son of a Canadian Oil Billionaire, and his father recently purchased an F1 team, so it’s easy to make the nepotism comparison to NASCAR’s Austin & Ty Dillon.  While Stroll, doesn’t presently drive for his father’s F1 team (like how Ty Dillon drives for Germain Racing instead of his grandfather’s team, Richard Childress Racing), but he has shown a couple moments of brilliant driving like Austin Dillon.

LANCE STROLL

KURT BUSCH= ROMAIN GROSJEAN

To date, French Romain Grosjean has not one a race in F1, but his driving style and bad attitude are somewhat reminiscent of former NASCAR champion,  Kurt Busch.  Both drivers also run cars for owner Gene Haas.  Kurt Busch won the 2017 Daytona 500 driving for Stewart-Haas Racing in NASCAR and Romain Grosjean drives for Haas F1.

ROMAIN GROSJEAN

BUBBA WALLACE & RICKY STENHOUSE JR.= GEORGE RUSSELL

George Russell will be a F1 rookie in 2019 for the Williams team.  Williams is one of the most successful racing teams in Formula 1 history, but in recent years they have struggled to recapture their former glory like driver Bubba Wallace at Richard Petty Motorsports or Ricky Stenhouse Jr. at Roush Fenway Racing.  George Russel is also a Champion in a lower-tier series of Formula 1 GP3.

GEORGE RUSSELL (Baby face driver)

ALEX BOWMAN & JOEY LOGANO = PIERRE GASLY

French Driver Pierre Gasly is my personal favorite driver.  Like NASCAR drivers Alex Bowman and Joey Logano his career & performance in lower-tier series helped propel him to one of the top rides in the sport probably much earlier than he had ever anticipated.

PIERRE GASLY

DAVID RAGAN= NICO HULKENBERG

Both drivers are popular with fans, but they still run mid-pack every win and arent’ real threats to wins.

NICO HULKENBERG

WILLIAM BYRON & ERIK JONES= CHARLES LECLERC

Charles Leclerc, William Byron, and Erik Jones are all champions in lower tier series and now drive for some of the biggest and most successful teams in Motorsports history.

CHARLES LECLERC (Future F1 Champion Some Day)

REGAN SMITH & MATT DIBENEDETTO= DANIIL KVYAT

Russian driver Daniel Kvyat’s been a bit of a journeyman in F1.  He ran for some mid-pack teams, briefly had a ride with a top team, but hasn’t run consistently over the years.

DANIIL KVYAT

RYAN BLANEY= LANDO NORRIS

Blaney is an up & coming super star in NASCAR with the legendary Penske Racing team and Lando Norris is a highly anticipated Rookie who will be looking to drive for equally as Legendary McLaren F1 racing team.

LANDO NORRIS

PAUL MENARD= CARLOS SAINZ JR.

Both Paul Menard and Spanish driver Carlos Sainz Jr. haven’t really made ripples in their respected racing careers, but both still manage to get rides with some of the best teams in the sport.

CARLOS SAINZ JR.

Well I hope this article was of great help to you.  So who are you going to root for in Formula 1 in 2019?