Kyle Larson makes F1 claim ahead of Indy 500 Double Duty

Kyle Larson says he would "never turn down the opportunity" to test an F1 car as he gears up to complete the toughest challenge in motorsport.

The 2021 NASCAR Cup champion is once again attempting to complete what is known as 'Double Duty' on Sunday as he first races in the Indianapolis 500 with a McLaren-backed entry, before flying to Charlotte to compete in NASCAR's Coca-Cola 600. 

In total, that is 1,100 miles of racing in a single-seater and then a stock car on the same day, with less than a couple of hours to recover from Indy, get to Charlotte and then get shaking and baking. 

It is the second time Larson has attempted it, with the Hendrick Motorsports driver causing something of a stir in 2024 when he claimed he was an all-around better driver than Max Verstappen, the F1 champion who had won 19 of 22 races in '23.

Larson has never driven F1 machinery, but has explained that if he were given the opportunity to do so, he would jump at the chance to sample one. 

The article continues below. 

Kyle Larson on F1 chances?

"I've never been asked to drive in F1," Larson explained on The Pat McAfee Show. 

"I think it's tough coming from my background of dirt tracks and ovals, but I went to Abu Dhabi in 2021. It was sick. Like, the event was awesome. I mean, it was incredible.

"The racing is not what we are accustomed to in America, it's crazy how big it is because like, it's not super exciting, but I think it's the stuff outside of it - the celebrities that are there, the engineering, the money - just everything about that [make it special]. 

"I feel like NASCAR and IndyCar here in America - like you can't find much more exciting racing than what we have here. So I'm fortunate to get to run both of them. 

"But I would definitely never turn down the opportunity to go and try it."

Larson has been in contact with McLaren CEO Zak Brown, with some preliminary talks about an F1 drive but nothing such as a private test or even an FP1 outing has been arranged.

If Larson was to ever race in F1, he would have to leave NASCAR and either win the IndyCar title or drop down into FIA F2. The reason for this is that although the NASCAR Cup Series is eligible for super-licence points, these only count if the road course races are on FIA-homologated circuits.

The Charlotte Roval - a combination of the road course and oval- is not, therefore, NASCAR Cup points don't count for the super-licence required 40 over a three-year period. 

Larson will be firing off from 19th for the 2025 Indy 500, a year after he finished 18th following a pit-lane speeding penalty ruining his race. 

His chances of completing Double Duty were ruined 12 months ago after a lengthy rain delay to the 500. By the time he made it around 200 laps and got himself on a plane to North Carolina, the Cup race had already started.

By the time he arrived, 249 laps had already been completed, meaning Double Duty was officially over.

But as he prepared to relieve his relief driver Justin Allgaier, the same rain that had delayed Indy hit Charlotte, bringing an early end to the race.

The best-ever result for a driver doing Double Duty was Tony Stewart in 2001. 'Smoke' finished sixth in the 500, before taking third place in the NASCAR event.