In motorsports, it’s safe to say that F1 and NASCAR are at the top of their respective styles of racing. Because of their differences, the comparison only goes so far, and anything beyond that is usually a personal preference and not an objective view. But when Kyle Larson made an F1 comparison with Verstappen, NASCAR fans might have agreed, but F1 fans didn’t take that well.

“I know in my mind I am better than Max Verstappen as an all-around driver.” This is what he had said in 2024, for which he was misunderstood and criticized by the F1 fans. It went viral again after Larson’s Indy 500 crash in April 2025. But Larson isn’t done talking his side of the story, and he’s certainly not guilty about it.

Kyle Larson clears the Max Verstappen controversy

In his latest podcast appearance on Dinner with Racers, the Hendrick Motorsports star revisited the controversy that ignited cross-series fireworks over a year ago.

During the podcast, the host asked Larson about fan backlash to his hypothetical matchup with Max Verstappen, pulling no punches on how F1 enthusiasts twisted his words.

What emerged was Larson’s candid reflection on a saga that refuses to fade, blending his versatile racing resume with frustration over misinterpretations.

“There are phenomenal drivers in every form of racing; it’s not just Formula One,” Kyle said without mincing his words. “Like, sure, Max Verstappen is one of the greatest of all time, probably in all different types of forms of racing, but yeah, for fans and whatever to think that the best race car drivers in the world are in Formula 1 is crazy.”

Kyle kept his words straight to the point, clocking everyone out. This wasn’t about dethroning Verstappen but rejecting F1 exceptionalism. Larson has a unique resume, like victories in dirt ovals, stock cars, and endurance events, that boosts his point on versatility, but the noise persists.

Kyle Larson, very subtly and without disrespecting anyone, made it clear what his remark was and how every driver is best in their own way and at their own pace.

The HMS star mentioned that it was right after the Olympics were taking place, and one of the interviewers asked him what he thought about racing being in the Olympics. Larson’s reply was, “I don’t think racing should be in the Olympics because all the Olympic sports are purely athletic talent.”

“I don’t need the Olympics to feel like I could compete with Max Verstappen. Everybody always wants to compare. Like, I’m content to know that I’m a great race car driver, and he is too,” the HMS star explained on the podcast.

This was taken out of context and later twisted to say that he doesn’t want to compete with Max Verstappen. Larson directly pinned the distortion on fans in the podcast, declaring:

“People took that as like, ‘Oh, I won’t compete with Max Verstappen.’ No, I said I’m better than Max Verstappen in a Formula One car, too. I’m like, come on.

“You guys are crazy,” he then added. “Fans are going to spin it however they want to spin it.”

Larson didn’t hesitate a bit to pin the blame on fans. In this case, it is understandable as it can surely get frustrating when a fandom tries to twist your words and portrays you as a villain when clearly you’re not.

“I just think there are great, great, great drivers in all forms of racing… even down to go-karts. Yeah. Like even down to go-karts.”

The twist of Larson’s stance by the fans is a reminder that while being versatile helps on the track, choosing the right words matters equally.

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Kyle Larson vows to follow Jimmie Johnson’s footsteps

Larson’s recent podcast reflections extend beyond the Verstappen saga, revealing a pragmatic shift inspired by back-to-back failures in “The Double,” attempting the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the same day.

His 2024 bid collapsed due to rain delaying Indy, preventing a Charlotte start, while the 2025 effort ended with a lap 91 Indy crash and a 37th-place Charlotte finish after early leads marred by spins and wrecks.

Echoing this flows from his emphasis on racing versatility across series, as he now shelves Indy ambitions during his full-time NASCAR tenure, vowing, “I don’t plan on it while I’m a full-time NASCAR guy, but I would love to do it… someday when I’m done full-time racing” at age 33.

Drawing from Jimmie Johnson’s playbook, who eyed IndyCar in 2019 but recognized timing had passed, Larson prioritizes Cup dominance, uncertain about mid-40s competitiveness like Helio Castroneves.

“I know Helio and guys, there are definitely guys, in their mid-40s that are super competitive, but… I just don’t want to do it right and do it legit, and I don’t know if in your mid-40s you can,” he said.

As the 2025 Cup champion with Hendrick, he commits long-term to stock cars, redirecting from sprint cars and High Limit to family-tied endurance revivals.

Eyeing a 24 Hours of Daytona return, where his 2015 Rolex win in Chip Ganassi’s Ford with Scott Dixon, Tony Kanaan, and Jamie McMurray ranks high, Larson reflected on it:

“It ranks really high on my list of wins for sure. It’s such a unique win too… I’ve never won a race with a teammate, so it’s a really special, unique sort of win.”

Finally, he added enthusiasm for kids’ involvement, saying, “I think at this stage in my career, yeah, I would do it again… to have my kids be a part of it would be cool.”