NASCAR is casting its net globally, with plans to bring international flair to its roster. The initiative began by welcoming racers from different series, like IndyCar’s Helio Castroneves, to events like the Daytona 500 season opening. The promotion is set to top it off with a landmark international tour to Mexico City in June. With NASCAR going to Mexico and welcoming racers from across the sport, motorsport fans can’t help but daydream about F1 standout Sergio Perez joining in the fun.
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Daniel Suarez would also “love to have” his fellow countryman on the NASCAR circuits when they get to Mexico. However, as he put it, “It’s not that easy.” He had a word of caution for his compatriot about the rigors of American motorsport. In a dialogue with SpeedFreaks, Suarez seemed hesitant to see Perez test his mettle in a Cup Series race this year.
While Suarez praised the Mexican driver for his contributions to his homeland, he issued a cautionary warning about transitioning to NASCAR.
“For him to come to NASCAR, the reality is it’s a big risk because he has never raced these cars before, he doesn’t have experience with these cars, he doesn’t have experience with these drivers, we do!” he said.
Suarez further explained that this lack of familiarity diminishes the likelihood of his countryman finishing in the top five or even top ten in stock car racing, which could be disheartening for Perez. Especially after he sits without an F1 tean for the 2025 season.
Nevertheless, he expressed enthusiasm about the potential inclusion. Whether the same comes to fruition is another matter altogether.
For Pato O’Ward, another Mexican driver big in the open-wheeled scene, Suarez offered a perspective similar to that of Perez. He pointed out that although Checo is more famous in Mexico, having been a fixture in Formula 1 for over a decade, the NASCAR landscape will present a different challenge for both.
O’ward could get his “a** kicked” in NASCAR
Despite their experience, competing in NASCAR, particularly with the Next Gen car among the elite racers, is fraught with risk. Suarez shared insights from a conversation with O’Ward.
He said, “I had this conversation with Pato… and you don’t have time to prepare, and they’re going to just throw you in there. Most chances are that you’re going to get your a*s kicked because these guys, we do it every weekend.”
Amidst NASCAR’s new policy aiming to attract more world-class drivers to the sport, particularly as open drivers in order to grab eyeballs from different countries and communities, there is growing concern among established competitors.
The worry was highlighted when Suarez’s race was compromised by Katherine Legge, an open driver at Phoenix. Both Suarez and Kevin Harvick voiced criticisms of NASCAR’s policy of permitting inexperienced stock car drivers in top-tier events, which can negatively impact those who are performing well.
While the likes of Perez from the world of F1 and O’Ward from IndyCar might not struggle as much as someone like Legge, you never know how a driver might react to or what situation they might get themselves into on the track. But it sure would make for an interesting race.
