Star driver open to leaving NASCAR for rival racing series

Rising NASCAR star Connor Zilisch has opened up on his future plans in motorsport, revealing that a future move to Formula 1 is possible.

The teenage star has cemented his status as one of the most exciting young drivers in the world this year, with four Xfinity Series wins on the year including three in the last five races, inflating already high hopes for his future.

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Since missing a race with a back injury suffered in a big wreck at Talladega, Zilisch has been on an incredible tear. In the eight races since his return, his worst finish has been fifth (at Mexico City, in a race he was unlucky not to win) with three wins and three further second place finishes.

The Charlotte native, who turned 19 this week, is expected to make the step up to running in the Cup Series full time next year alongside Ross Chastain and Shane van Gisbergen, taking over the No. 99 car left vacant by Daniel Suarez.

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Zilisch: My dream was to race in F1

His long-term future is more of an open question though, admitting on the Stacking Pennies podcast this week that an eventual move to F1 wouldn't just be possible, but welcome – once he's cemented himself as a Cup Series attraction.

“It’s always in the back of my mind," he said. "Growing up it was my dream, I wanted to race F1. I went to Europe when I was a kid racing go-karts, it’s what I wanted to do. It’s just when I was younger, I didn’t really have the chance.

“Now with an American team [Cadillac] being brought to F1, having connections with Red Bull and being kinda tied in there, I’d say the chances aren’t zero.”

The road from NASCAR to F1 isn't the most straightforward as, while it's theoretically possible to earn enough super licence points through Cup Series racing alone, it would require the type of dominance rarely seen in the modern era.

“If it were to happen, I’d have to go over there for at least a year, two years probably to even get enough Super Licence points to qualify. I’d run F3… I’d just run a bunch of BS series to get Super Licence points. Middle East F3, random things that you can do to get the points," Zilisch continued.

“That’s why it would be such a big commitment. I’d want to get settled in here first and know that if I go over there for two years I could come back and still have a job.”

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