“We may see him drive in NASCAR soon”: Former Red Bull driver considering racing for the American promotion according to Gunther Steiner

Haas F1 team principal Gunther Steiner recently said that former Red Bull driver Daniil Kvyat might consider moving to NASCAR. 

Kvyat was a part of the Red Bull driver’s program before being dropped by the team ahead of the 2021 season. The Russian driver raced for the Milton-Keynes team and sister teams, Alpha Tauri and Toro Rosso, during his time in F1. He bagged three podium finishes in 110 starts in his career in Formula 1.

Daniil Kvyat failed to land an F1 seat for the 2021 season. Instead, the Ufa born driver spent the year as a reserve driver for Alpine. A return to the sport seems unlikely for the 27-year-old in the near future, and he may be looking elsewhere to continue his racing career.

According to Steiner, Kvyat is already planning to race in America very soon. Gene Haas, the owner of the Haas F1 team, co-owns the ‘Stewart-Haas’ NASCAR tea along with Tony Stewart.

Daniil Kvyat will attend next week’s NASCAR race in Martinsville, says Gunther Steiner

Steiner spoke about how former F1 stars looking for a drive have turned their attention to the US. IndyCar and NASCAR provide fantastic racing opportunities for out of work drivers.

“Many drivers want to try it,” the Italian said. “Some are moving to IndyCar too. “This is a big step for them, as those series are very different. It’s like imagining going from NASCAR to Formula 1. It’s not just about the driving but the entire system.”

“Mick was at the NASCAR race in Texas, and Daniil will come to the race in Martinsville,” Steiner said, talking about this weekend’s race in Virginia.

“Everyone who goes to NASCAR asks me ‘Hey Guenther, can you set me up with someone?’ Daniil will stop by to see if there are any interesting options for him, because at the moment he is not racing in Formula 1.”

There haven’t been many Formula 1 stars who have tried their luck NASCAR in the past. However, Kimi Raikkonen got a taste of the promotion when he made starts in its Xfinity and the Truck Series. Other drivers like Pablo Montoya, Jacques Villeneuve and Nelson Piquet Jr have also done the same.

The latest F1 driver to experience life in a NASCAR car was Daniel Ricciardo, ahead of the US GP in Texas last weekend. The Australian driver took part in a test drive on his hero Dave Earnhardt Sr’s cup car.

Also read: American motorsport icon backs Lewis Hamilton to take the 2021 F1 Championship battle down to the wire