Teenage NASCAR sensation Connor Zilisch will step up to the Cup Series in 2026 with Trackhouse Racing, and expectations have been set high after recording 10 Xfinity victories this season. The 19-year-old’s brilliance on the racing track has seen him be compared to some of motorsport’s best drivers across many disciplines, including four-time Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen, who broke onto the scene as a 17-year-old.
Despite their comparisons, Zilisch, who suffered a horrific broken collarbone during a celebratory fall following a win at Watkins Glen, says the pair’s journeys aren’t comparable. Zilisch says his journey in NASCAR is more challenging to accomplish.
He believes NASCAR requires more driver talent than competent and competitive machinery. “Obviously, (four-time F1 champ) Max Verstappen is a once-in-a-generation talent, and yeah, it’s hard to say I’m going to be like him and have as successful a jump to the highest level as he did,” Zilisch told CBS Sports. “I know the jump to the Cup Series is nothing easy, and it’s going to be tough no matter what and no matter who you are.”
“I feel that just the way he was brought up, it might be a little bit easier for him, and especially in F1, with how car-dependent it is. I feel it’s easier to rise to the occasion,” Zilisch continued. In NASCAR, their cars are almost identical, placing a significant burden on the driver to make an impact on the track, whereas in F1, upgrades can hugely effect, positively or negatively, performance.
Verstappen may be slightly different, though. Last season, the Dutchman won the F1 crown, a consecutive fourth, despite rivals McLaren having the better car and winning the constructors’ championship. Verstappen has managed to keep up and compete for wins this season, albeit behind Lando Norris and 2025 leader Oscar Piastri in the drivers’ championship.
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“So I think it is going to be a bit of a harder jump than maybe a guy like Max Verstappen going to F1,” Zilish said. “But, you know, it’s definitely possible. And I get confidence from a guy like him who was able to do it at my age.”
Comparisons between NASCAR and F1 have been a common theme. Last year, Verstappen and Kyle Larson were discussed. Larson stated that he’s a more complete driver than the F1 champion.
“I know in my mind I am better than him as an all-around driver,” Larson said of Verstappen, according to FloSports.
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“There’s no way he can get into a sprint car and win the Knoxville Nationals. There’s no way he can go win the Chili Bowl. There’s no way he can go win a Cup race at Bristol.
“… That’s what gives me ease and confidence that, like, I know I’m better than him. Maybe not in an open-wheel IndyCar or Formula One car, but that’s one discipline. I think I would beat him in everything else. You can quote that.”