Kyle Larson is an incredibly talented driver and the American won the NASCAR Cup Series in 2021 for Hendrick Motorsports.
He is highly regarded in racing circles and showcased his immense versatility earlier this season when he competed in the 108th running of the Indy 500 in IndyCar.
Showing such versatility in his racing even now convinces Larson that he is ‘better’ than three-time Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen, who has dominated the past couple of years.
Determining who the best driver is across multiple disciplines can be tricky at times. There is very little to compare them with as they race on different tracks and against different drivers.
Kyle Larson is adamant he’s a better all-round driver than Max Verstappen
Larson has been adding to his NASCAR commitments with Hendrick Motorsports by sprint racing on dirt, taking his third Knoxville Nationals title earlier this season.
The American also became the first driver to actively race in the NASCAR Cup Series to attempt racing at the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. However, he couldn’t compete in the NASCAR race that day after the Indy 500 was delayed.
READ MORE: Everything to know about Kyle Larson from NASCAR career stats to net worth
So, Larson feels he is a more complete driver than Verstappen, who has only competed in Formula 1 since making his Grand Prix debut in 2015.
“Not really,” Larson told FloRacing when asked if he had to beat Verstappen to be considered the best driver in the world. “I know in my mind I am better than him as an all-around driver.”
The 32-year-old was also doubtful whether the Dutchman could win a NASCAR race, but Larson believes he would have more of an opportunity to win the Monaco Grand Prix.
“There’s no way Verstappen can get into a Sprint Car and win the Knoxville Nationals,” he added. “There’s no way he can go win the Chili Bowl. There’s no way he can go win a Cup race at Bristol.
“There’s probably no way I can go win a Formula 1 race at Monaco, but I think I’d have a better shot doing what he does than him doing what I do just because of the car element.”
Larson performed admirably during his appearance at the Indy 500, qualifying in sixth place at The Brickyard.
The American said he could be a match for Verstappen in any car outside of single-seaters: “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.”
A duel between Verstappen and Larson is unlikely
One drawback of motorsport is the lack of opportunities to see drivers from different series pitted against each other in equal cars.
The Race of Champions event is one of the few chances to see head-to-head duels between top-class drivers in a competitive environment.
Motorsport may become an Olympic sport in Brisbane in 2032 after being snubbed ahead of the event in 2024 and 2028.
Larson said he would happily battle against Verstappen and other drivers at the Olympics.
He continued: “I’d love the opportunity to go for an Olympic gold medal or, hell, any medal racing against Max Verstappen or guys from different countries and all that.”