Though united by the love for speed, NASCAR and Formula 1 are worlds apart in many ways. An incident that showcased that massive divider unfolded during the 2024 Hungarian GP. McLaren Racing driver Oscar Piastri had been in control of the race from the lead when his team put him at a disadvantage by pitting teammate Lando Norris ahead of him. The move gave Norris a five-second lead.
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McLaren subsequently ordered Norris to give up the position so that Piastri could go ahead and win the race. Norris had no option but to oblige. These sorts of situations aren’t rare in F1. Teams are free to work within themselves and favor the driver who is best-suited to carry the team flag to the victory lane. Now, a similar move in NASCAR would burn hell down.
Imagine Coach Gibbs getting on the radio to ask Denny Hamlin to give up his spot to Christopher Bell since he thought Bell had the faster car. Apart from the personal ego that this would hurt, it would also be considered race manipulation by the sanctioning body. A tip of the hat is owed to Michael Waltrip Racing at this juncture. The team had to shut its doors for good after forcing a driver to the pit road in Richmond (2013) so that his teammate could score points.
NASCAR might strip drivers of points if it came to light that they purposefully ceded positions to give an advantage to their teammates. This was reinforced by the 100% rule that was implemented in the aftermath of the Michael Waltrip Racing incident. The rule states that drivers must race at 100% of their ability at all times with the goal of achieving the best possible position they can.
Could teams gaining more star power make NASCAR more like F1?
Fans would go bonkers too if such an incident played out again. Following is far more intense for drivers than it is for teams in stock car racing. This would cause disruptive conversations and opinions among the fanbase and end up being detrimental to the objectives of the teams. Perhaps, this is why icons like Jeff Gordon believe that teams need to be entities with more star power.
Gordon said at the Racers Forum in 2023 that teams in NASCAR do not have strong connections with the fans like other sports do. He wanted this situation to change so that the retirement of a particular driver does not cause a fan to stop watching stock car racing altogether. A balance in fan following, at the end of the day, might be beneficial for the sport.
But team orders amongst drivers might not necessarily be so for it induces a level of competitiveness across the field. This cutting-edge nature is what makes stock car racing an interesting affair albeit different from F1.
