Seven-time Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton remains a keen admirer of NASCAR racing and sees himself competing in the sport someday.
His interest in NASCAR goes back to 2011 when he and Tony Stewart swapped cars at Watkins Glen International track. Hamilton said of the experience that he felt “like a kid”.
The ‘top candidate’ Stewart-Haas Racing has identified to replace Kevin Harvick in 2024
More than a decade later, Hamilton reaffirmed his desire to compete in NASCAR.
“I did a car swap with Tony Stewart years ago, which was fun,” Hamilton said ahead of this weekend’s Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix around the home stadium of the Miami Dolphins.
“I’d love to try it at some stage. It’s not a dream for me to go race another series, but I am an admirer. I’m a fan of racing and other sports. So I would like to try it.”
There has been a number of F1 drivers trying their hands on NASCAR racing in recent years. More recently, former F1 champions Kimi Raikkonen and Jenson Button competed in the Cup race at the Circuit of the Americas this season. The race marked Raikkonen’s second start in the Cup Series while Button will run three more races this season.
However, NASCAR is not the only racing discipline that the seven-time champion wants to try.
“I’d love to swap with Valentino Rossi and try Moto GP,” Hamilton said. “I sometimes watch IndyCar and would love to try one of those at some stage. But right now my focus is solely on Formula One, and I don’t plan on leaving anytime soon.”
To have a driver of Hamilton’s talent and achievement would certainly be a great feat for NASCAR.