“He Had Nothing to Show”: Tony Stewart Reminisces Witnessing Lewis Hamilton’s Greatness Regardless of Outshining Him in His Forte

Again in 2011, Tony Stewart and F1 driver Lewis Hamilton swapped automobiles on the Watkins Glen Worldwide circuit. This happened attributable to each SHR and McLaren (Hamilton’s former group) having a partnership with Mobil1, and as a promotion occasion, the 2 drivers had been known as to swap automobiles. The interplay between the 2 was effortlessly hilarious, as each drivers took the sarcastic-witty path to humor followers. Though it has been over 13 years because the collaboration, the media by no means forgets.

On the occasion, Lewis Hamilton drove Stewart’s No. 14 Mobil 1/Workplace Depot Chevrolet Impala, whereas Stewart took the wheel of Hamilton’s McLaren MP4-23. Regardless of the wet and difficult observe situations, each drivers loved the expertise. This made headlines again in 2011, as such crossovers had been a lot rarer again in these days. Ever since then, each drivers have grown rather a lot whereas reaching success of their sports activities.

In a current interview with Motor Sport journal, Tony Stewart was known as down and requested about his journey as a racing automobile driver. When the interviewer bought to speaking concerning the automobile swap with Hamilton, what Stewart revealed was surprising.

Tony Stewart’s take from the day on observe with Lewis Hamilton

Followers will deeply miss Tony Stewart within the Cup Collection from 2025 onward. What a persona! From controversies to on-track brawls and even having probably the most promising drivers, he undoubtedly led an period. Throughout the interview, the questions began about current occasions in his life, the Cup Collection swap to drivers like Briscoe, and Berry getting some good spots, and it slowly went into the previous that made him the driving force he’s as we speak.

One of many predominant milestones in his life should have been driving an F1 automobile in the course of the swap with the previous McLaren driver. When Motor Sport journal requested Tony Stewart concerning the time he had the automobile swap, the SHR group proprietor answered, “They requested me if I’d have an interest. I stated, Am I ? Get me in there, I’ve been ready for this name.”

Whereas the occasion was held with cameras on each drivers, the primary conversations occurred off the lens. Explaining his time with the 2024 Silverstone Grand Prix winner, Lewis Hamilton, Stewart stated, “To do that with Lewis Hamilton was wonderful. He’s completely an incredible individual. His racing document speaks for itself, however to speak to him with out media, with out cameras, was such an awesome alternative.” This may be Tony Stewart’s method of celebrating the G.OA.T.’s current victory, which got here to him after 900+ days, and letting the world know his reference to the F1 legend. Certainly, what a race for Lewis Hamilton!

After giving a breakdown of how McLaren made the single-seater simply to his liking, he spoke concerning the rain that got here as a problem within the new automobile and the way each of them fared within the swapped automobiles, saying, “Lewis went 5 seconds quicker than me in my automobile, and I went eight seconds quicker than him in his automobile… on moist tires.” 

Concluding his reply, Tony Stewart spoke concerning the 7x world champion in Components 1, saying, “However, hey, he had nothing to show, and we laughed about it later. The situations clearly performed an element. It was such a cool day—among the coolest laps I ever had in my life.” 

The occasion was a once-in-a-lifetime expertise the place drivers bought to drive a race machine from a unique sport. Nonetheless, this was not the one time that F1 and NASCAR drivers collaborated. Let’s check out the opposite occasion the place the 2 worlds collided.

Jeff Gordon and Juan Pablo Montoya additionally swapped their automobiles as soon as

In 2003, an thrilling occasion passed off on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway when NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon and Components 1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya swapped their racing machines. To indicate the merging of two totally different worlds, Gordon drove a Williams FW24 Components 1 automobile, and Montoya drove a NASCAR inventory automobile.

The NASCAR inventory automobile weighed 3400 kilos, featured an 8-cylinder engine with a naturally aspirated carburetor, and boasted round 850 horsepower at over 9000 RPM. In distinction, the Williams FW24, geared up with a 3.0-liter V10 engine, produced 900 horsepower at 19000 RPM, showcasing its superior engineering and lighter carbon fiber suspension.

Throughout the swap, each drivers needed to adapt shortly to the brand new and difficult environments. Montoya needed to modify to the NASCAR inventory automobile’s braking zones, which required braking a lot sooner than he was accustomed to in an F1 automobile. Regardless of his pleasure, he discovered the automobile tough to regulate and even overshot the primary nook.

Each drivers accomplished three warm-up laps and three sizzling laps, experiencing firsthand the variations in dealing with and efficiency. Whereas these incidents sound loopy, would you wish to see some extra collaborations between the 2 sports activities? Tell us your ideas within the feedback under.