“Nobody in the US knew what F1 was when I raced” – Scott Speed

Scott Speed shares his unique insight into F1’s growth in America, NASCAR’s dominance, and the realities young drivers now face.

Back when Scott Speed raced in Formula 1, nobody in the United States really knew what F1 was. For Speed, just making it to the pinnacle of motorsport remains his greatest achievement.

Speed competed in Formula 1 with Toro Rosso in 2006 and 2007, and since then he has built a career in NASCAR and Rallycross. Recently, he got the chance to step back into an F1 car, driving a 2011 Red Bull RB7 in Racing Bulls colors during a street demo in Brazil. He was struck by how much the sport has grown in popularity.

“I love that so many people here now know what Formula 1 is,” Speed told Racer. “When I did it, it was almost unknown. When I came back to the US and started racing in NASCAR, no one really knew anything about my time in F1. Honestly, it was kind of nice because I enjoy the anonymity of starting fresh. But yeah, nobody knew who I was.”

Even with F1 gaining ground, NASCAR remains the top path for young American drivers.

“The reality is, if you are a 14 or 15-year-old kid coming out of karting and you want to make a living in motorsport, your best shot is to race stock cars in America,” Speed said. “That’s what we’ve done with kids like Connor Zilisch, and the path is pretty well defined. If you have talent and motivation, you do not need tens of millions of dollars to succeed in NASCAR.”

Still, Speed believes talented American drivers can make it to Formula 1 if they truly want it. NASCAR might be easier and more popular, but determination can open any door.

“I honestly believe if you want something badly enough, you can make it happen. If you want to race in Formula 1, you will find a way. I hate when people say something isn’t possible because I know I made it with basically zero money behind me,” he said. “It is possible. It’s just that stock car racing is still a much bigger deal here than Formula 1. The barrier to entry for F1 is high, and over here it just doesn’t carry the same weight yet.”

Speed also pointed out that today’s young drivers face a lot more public pressure than he ever did.

“I’m so grateful I came up at a time when F1 didn’t have social media,” he said. “I value my privacy a lot. Today’s drivers deal with challenges that people don’t always appreciate. Having so many people able to reach you at any time, the lack of privacy, the judgment you face on social platforms — it’s a whole different world. I’m thankful I didn’t have to deal with that.”

Grateful for the Journey

Speed witnessed firsthand the passion of Brazilian motorsport fans during the demo run in Curitiba, where a crowd of 100,000 people lined the streets to watch.

“Brazilian race fans are unbelievably passionate. I had kind of forgotten what that felt like,” he said. “One hundred thousand people showed up just to see the cars run on the street. It was really special.”

Driving a Formula 1 car again reminded Speed of the precision and thrill of the sport.

“A Formula 1 car is like a scalpel. Stock cars and rallycross cars are more like chainsaws,” he explained. “The feeling inside, the freedom of movement, how tight everything is, it’s just very different.”

Before the event, Speed did a test session to refamiliarize himself with the car’s controls, throttle, and brakes.

“Honestly, if it had been the exact same car I drove back then, it wouldn’t have made much difference. It still had a V8 and the same kind of systems. It just felt very Formula 1,” he said.

Thanks to Netflix’s Drive to Survive, Speed has also noticed a jump in his recognition in the US.

“Since the show came out, way more people know about F1,” he said. “It’s cool because, at the end of the day, making it to Formula 1 will always be the biggest achievement of my racing career. I went to Europe as an American, won championships, and fought my way into a Formula 1 team against the best Red Bull Junior drivers in the world.”

“For me, that will always be the peak of my career. It feels good now that more people in my home country understand what that means and how special Formula 1 really is.”

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“Nobody in the US knew what F1 was when I raced” – Scott Speed “Nobody in the US knew what F1 was when I raced” – Scott Speed