F1 withdraws talent from US: ‘They all want to sit on a Ferrari or Red Bull’

The increase in the popularity of Formula 1 in the United States will not only have a positive effect. NASCAR driver Kevin Harwick has a son named Keelan who wants nothing more than to race in Formula 1. The International Racing Series excludes young talent from national competitions such as NASCAR and IndyCar.

“I live on the card track and no kids want to go to IndyCar anymore; they all want to go to F1,” he said in an interview with Harwick. NBC Sports“They all like to sit in a Ferrari or Red Bull.” In the past, the ultimate destination for American talent was the NASCAR, IndyCar or IMSA Championship. Now that interest in F1 is growing in the United States, more and more young talents want to focus on that class.

A shame, says Harwick, because Formula 1 is an incredibly tough class. With Formula 2 and Formula 3, a route is mapped to the primary class, but few drivers actually make it. “There are thousands of drivers worldwide, and there are only 20 F1 cars. So the chances of that dream coming true are almost zero.”

That’s why Harwick is currently lying to get his son excited about the game. However, at one point the American knew it was no longer possible: “He’s unlikely to race in F1. In order to get him motivated to go karting, we try to convince him that it’s like that. It works until he realizes it’s not realistic.

Harwick wants more talent at NASCAR

In his own class, NASCAR, he finds that interest in F1 is waning as his enthusiasm grows. “I’m talked to Jim Frances (NASCAR CEO, ed.) And others in the garage about this.

“Many of these kids are incredibly talented, interested in the Open Wheel Championship and end up in Europe. However, a lot of talent didn’t make it that far and would be a nice addition to NASCAR,” he concludes. Harwick will be very happy to draw these talented people who are losing weight in Europe towards his own class.