NASCAR wishes F1 drivers would try the Daytona 500
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| Hamilton is dreaming if he thinks he would ever get a top ride in NASCAR. NASCAR will want to prove their drivers are best so any F1 driving trying NASCAR will never get a ride in a car capable of winning. Therefore, why bother? |
Three-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton would like to try his hand at NASCAR one day, saying an entry to the Daytona 500 would be of interest.
The F1 paddock was left stunned on Wednesday when Fernando Alonso announced he would be entering the 101st Indianapolis 500 as part of a joint entry between McLaren, Honda and Andretti Autosport.
Alonso's decision to skip the Monaco Grand Prix and enter the Indy 500 comes in an era when few F1 drivers sample other series, but has got many thinking.
"I think it's great that a driver is able to do that. I think us drivers should be able to do more than one series," Hamilton said on Thursday.
"There was a period of time in the past where there were drivers doing multiple series. I think it's pretty cool that he's doing it."
So what would Hamilton like to try his hand at?
NBC Sports NASCAR analyst and writer Nate Ryan wrote a column following Alonso's announcement that he would like to see Hamilton (among others) try out the Daytona 500 one day – and hit the money, with the Briton admitting he'd like a shot at the race.
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| In the Indy 500 Alonso will be in a top car capable of winning |
"I wouldn't miss any of the races in F1, definitely continue to do all the races," Hamilton said.
"I'd like to do MotoGP. I'd like to ride a MotoGP race. Probably a NASCAR race like the Daytona 500 maybe."
Hamilton is not the only F1 driver to express an interest in NASCAR, with Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo and Haas racer Romain Grosjean also flirting with the idea in the past.
Ricciardo has an open invite from Dale Earnhardt Jr. to race with his team in the Xfinity Series one day, something that the Australian is keen to take him up on.
Grosjean, meanwhile, races for the team ran by Stewart-Haas Racing's co-owner Gene Haas in F1, and tried to secure a run at a road course NASCAR event last year, but could not make it work due to schedule clashes. Luke Smith/NBC Sports