Kyle Larson claims NASCAR stars are hugely disrespected

Cup Series champion Kyle Larson has declared that NASCAR drivers and American athletes do not get the respect that they deserve from European fans.

Larson caused a controversial debate back in 2024 when he claimed that he was a better all-around driver than the then-reigning F1 champion Max Verstappen.

"I know in my mind I am better than him as an all-around driver,” Larson told FloRacing at the time. “There’s no way [Verstappen] can get into a Sprint Car and win the Knoxville Nationals. There’s no way he can go win the Chili Bowl. There’s no way he can go win a Cup race at Bristol."

In fairness to Larson, he also conceded that he couldn't go and win an F1 race at Monaco, either. Still, he ultimately asserted that he believed he was the better driver across multiple disciplines.

“That’s what gives me ease and confidence that I know I’m better than him," he continued. "Maybe not in an open-wheel IndyCar or Formula 1 car, but that’s one discipline. I think I would beat him in everything else. You can quote that.”

European racing fans naturally defended Verstappen and the F1 world, but Larson believes that, in general, they disrespect NASCAR drivers and their ability behind the wheel.

NASCAR TODAY: Denny Hamlin in brutal shutdown as Ryan Blaney talks Team Penske improvement

Larson claims NASCAR disrespected by Europeans

“I think Americans in general don't get the respect that they deserve from Europeans in any form of sports,” Larson said on SPEED with Harvick and Buxton. “Racing especially, too.

“I mean, Formula 1 is huge, right? I mean, it's by far the biggest, most-watched motorsport that there is, so it's understandable that their fans are so focused on that that they're not paying attention to what we're doing over here in America, and that's fine, whatever.

“But yeah, I think that makes it where they don't think that there can ever be another driver as good as the worst Formula 1 driver."

Larson continued: “Hopefully we'll get to the point where NASCAR and American auto racing gets that respect that it deserves.

"There's so much different, diverse racing in America, I think, compared to Europe, that in my mind, it would have to develop a driver that's just as good, or potentially better than any other part of the world."

NASCAR v F1 - How do we figure out who's best?

Despite claiming NASCAR drivers should get more respect, Larson is done debating who is better, stating that he isn’t sure how fans or the racing community would ever actually determine which drivers have more ability, and that he's not sure we really need to know, anyway.

“I don't know how you ever figure out who the best is,” Larson explained. “And I don't know if you need to.

“I think the debate's fun, you know, it's fun to have the banter between American fans or European fans or open-wheel fans, or whatever.”