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Formula 1 star Daniel Ricciardo labeled ‘great fit’ for Nascar with Williams youngster also named as ‘possible’ target
Ricciardo has long been a Nascar fan going back to Dale Earnhardt's days in the series
FORMULA 1 star Daniel Ricciardo has long been linked with a move to Nascar.
The much-loved Australian, 34, is currently a member of the Visa Cash App RB F1 Team alongside Yuki Tsunoda.
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However, the eight-time Grand Prix winner's future remains up in the air, with his contract set to expire after this season.
Should Ricciardo's time in F1 be up, a move to Nascar would be "a great fit" for the former Red Bull driver, as far as Fox Sports' Bob Pockrass is concerned when speaking with The U.S. Sun.
"I've always thought that Daniel Riccardo - obviously he is a big Nascar fan - I was almost surprised that he kept doing the Formula 1 stuff and then maybe tried to come over when it looked like there might be some openings," Pockrass said.
"I thought he would have been great for the Stewart-Haas No. 4 car."
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The Stewart-Haas ride became available following the 2023 season, after the retirement of Kevin Harvick.
However, Ricciardo was never linked with the Nascar ride, which instead went to Josh Berry.
"I thought that that would be a great fit for him," Pockrass continued, adding he felt that of the current F1 field, Ricciardo had the "best chance."
A longtime Dale Earnhardt fan, Ricciardo has previously hinted at a desire to give Nascar a shot.
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"I would love to try it," he told Nascar in 2021.
"I got out to Texas Motor Speedway in 2017 and Dale Jr. and Chase Elliott showed me around and it was a really cool experience.
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"I think I'll probably have to go on a short tack and just keep the speeds down for now and I'll probably get very dizzy, like a Martinsville or a Bristol or something would be I'm sure a lot of fun."
Another current F1 star who could logically have a future in the series, according to Pockrass, is Williams Racing's Logan Sargeant.
Pockrass noted the 23-year-old Floridian's links to Nascar, given that his brother, Dalton, used to race in both the Arca Menards Series as well as the Craftsman Truck Series.
"Could he make the jump? I would say that's possible right now," Pockrass said.
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If either Ricciardo or Sargeant were to make the move to Nascar, they would be far from the first ex-F1 stars to try the series.
Jim Clark, Juan Pablo Montoya, Jacques Villeneuve, Nelson Pique Jr., and, more recently, Jenson Button, Daniil Kyvyat, and Kimi Raikkonen have all driven in Nascar.
Button even drove a modified Nascar at Le Mans in 2023 alongside Jimmie Johnson and Mike Rockenfeller.
I've always thought that Daniel Riccardo - obviously he is a big Nascar fan - I was almost surprised that he kept doing the Formula 1 stuff and then maybe tried to come over when it looked like there might be some openings.
Bob Pockrass
However, in terms of drivers coming in from overseas, he felt it was perhaps more likely that Nascar looked to supercar stars.
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This follows the recent success of New Zealander Shane Van Gisbergen who won his Cup Series debut in Chicago as part of Trackhousr Racing last season.
He currently races full-time in the Xfinity Series, and select races in the Cup Series for Kaulig Racing.
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