Max Verstappen’s future in Formula 1 seems uncertain with every passing race weekend. The Red Bull driver has expressed utter dissatisfaction with the 2026 regulations and, on Thursday, received news of his right-hand man and race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase's resignation, effective 2028. At such a junction, his friend from NASCAR, Shane Van Gisbergen, has urged the Dutchman to take a shot at NASCAR.

Besides F1, Verstappen was known for his passion for sim racing and live racing streams with his friends. He turned sim into reality by making his GT3 debut in September last year, and is preparing for his 24 Hours of Nurburgring debut in May.

His interest in racing outside of F1 is growing, and the Red Bull driver has hinted at possibly retiring from F1 after 2026. Moreover, his race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase's planned move to McLaren has only increased those concerns.

On Wednesday's episode of the "Speed" podcast, hosted by Kevin Harvick and Will Buxton, Shane Van Gisbergen commented on the drivers he would like to see in NASCAR, including Max Verstappen. He said:

"Seeing someone like Max would be… he’s obviously the first guy who springs to mind because he has started dabbling in other things."

SVG and Max Verstappen have been friends despite never racing in the same series. In fact, SVG's dominant Cup win in the 2025 Mexico City race came after he took advice from the four-time F1 champion, who has five wins at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez road circuit.

But whether Verstappen will ever join SVG in the Cup Series? That's a tough argument to make, considering his aversion to ovals. 

Why Max Verstappen is unlikely to race in NASCAR or IndyCar

While there have been speculations and open offers to Max Verstappen to race in NASCAR and IndyCar, the Dutchman seems highly unlikely to take up any of those opportunities.

Earlier this year, he told Autosport that IndyCar, NASCAR, and the World Rally Championship (WRC) are not on his radar, but endurance racing definitely is. In the past, he's emphasized that the dangers of racing over 200 miles an hour on an oval are simply too great, making him averse to racing in IndyCar.

"The street tracks and road courses are good, but nah, I would not be a big fan of oval racing myself," he said in 2021. "It’s just the risk of a big crash is big, and of course, I know in Formula 1 there also is risk of an impact, but when you hit a certain wall at 200-plus mph, it’s not enjoyable.”

It is not out of the blue for F1 drivers to move out of the series and try their luck elsewhere. IndyCar has seen Fernando Alonso, Romain Grosjean, and, most recently, Mick Schumacher attempt American open-wheel racing. 

However, it seems unlikely that Max Verstappen will ever join this list.

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Written by

Chionia Libania Colaco

Edited by

Yask Kotak