F1 dealt big miss after Red Bull star cashes in on rival series

Credit for photo: Red Bull Content Pool — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 News & Gossip

F1 dealt big miss after Red Bull star cashes in on rival series

A Red Bull star is making it big in the USA after being overlooked for F1

Dan Ripley Global Editor

Professional F1 journalist and analyst

Thursday 28 August 2025 11:53

Formula 1 doesn't usually get it wrong, but it appears right now they may have allowed a generational talent to slip through their fingers.

And it is NASCAR reaping the rewards as Connor Zilisch has been one of the stories of the 2025 season to date. Still just 19 years old he has racked up seven Xfinity Series victories in a glorious year so far.

Bigger things are set to come too with the terrific teenager due to compete fulltime in the Cup Series with Trackhouse in 2026 - a prospect which should have NASCAR fans gleaming with excitement..

Article continues under video

But NASCAR’s gain is absolutely F1’s loss according to Cup Series great Kevin Harvick, who won it all back in 2014. Zilisch, it should be noted, is a Red Bull athlete after all.

F1 loses, NASCAR wins

Speaking on his ‘Happy Hour’ podcast, Harvick gushed about the potential Zilisch has inside a car, and his personality off the track.

“Connor’s a great kid. He’s the type of person that everybody wants to root for. He’s personable. He’s got a great demeanour in the way that he carries himself, and people are gonna love him.

“I think as you go through time, they are gonna love him for who he is, let alone the fact he can drive the snot out of that car.

“Connor Zilisch could have went to F1 and been the American F1 racer. He was the most recent miss by Formula 1.”

Harvick and the 'Godzilisch' story

Harvick himself played a very important part in the ‘Godzilisch’ story so far - notably through one very important conversation a few years ago, which Connor himself referenced earlier this week.

At that stage Zilisch figured he was heading to college and not a career in pro racing, until Harvick told his dad it was time for a rethink.

Harvick added: “That conversation that he’s talking about with his dad, it happened outside the airport. I’m like ‘Man, you gotta figure it out. You can’t send this kid to college, you at least gotta give him a shot’.”

F1 HEADLINES: Verstappen in FIA summons as Hamilton 'complains' over issue