Four-time Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen is the one man whom every race car driver dreams of overcoming on the track. NASCAR’s best and biggest are no exception. This is why, when news of him being a confirmed entry to this year’s Cup Series race in Mexico City began circulating on social media, none could keep their cool.
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The post that began the rumor mill stated that Verstappen was set to drive for Trackhouse Racing under the Project 91 program. Project 91 has successfully brought multiple foreign drivers into the boundaries of NASCAR. So, there was a possibility that team owner Justin Marks might have weaved his magic to bring the F1 champion to stock car racing.
Moreover, the post tagged Trackhouse Racing and its star driver, Shane van Gisbergen. However, it all turned out to be untrue. The Australian Supercars champion stated ahead of the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona that he missed Verstappen on an otherwise star-stacked field.
He told the press that he had been chatting with Verstappen during his preparation for the endurance race and added, “I think he’d be good here.” It is notable that several F1 drivers, including Kevin Magnussen and Felipe Massa, were on the entry list. The sentiment wasn’t limited to Van Gisbergen. Fans must have been left disappointed after an untrue news such as this whet their appetites.
NEWS: Guess who!@Max33Verstappen will compete in the #CupSeries race at Mexico City in the No. 91 for @TeamTrackhouse and @THProject91. pic.twitter.com/ByztZx9whF
— Elijah Mance (@MovementYT_) January 25, 2025
Ben Keating, Magnussen, and others expressed their interest in seeing Verstappen try out endurance racing as well. His involvement in SIM Racing and comments he has made previously hint that he would be open to trying out other racing disciplines in the future. It just won’t be in 2025 with Trackhouse Racing.
What are Project 91’s plans for 2025?
IndyCar Series icon Helio Castroneves will be driving under the project in the upcoming Daytona 500. Beyond that, the #91 Chevrolet Camaro will rest in its garage for the rest of the season. Marks told NBC Sports in an interview earlier this month that he would not have the resources to run more races under the program this season.
Gisbergen has been promoted to the Cup Series, making Trackhouse Racing a three-car operation. This ambitious journey will require every last bit of effort and resource that is available. It is a sensible decision to not divert energy towards Project 91 at this juncture.
Marks said, “When it comes to kind of the future of PROJECT 91 and how we view the program, it really has to fit around competitive and effective workflow for our three full-time cars.” This further underlines why Verstappen flying across the pond to race in the Cup Series this year is nothing more than a pipedream.
