Jenson Button describes main challenge NASCAR faces in reaching European audience

As Formula 1 has gained vast popularity in the United States in recent years, it’s fair to wonder if it could be a two-way street where NASCAR gains popularity throughout Europe. Former F1 world champion Jenson Button has some thoughts on the matter.

Button has been doing a handful of NASCAR races this season, racing with Rick Ware Racing in partnership with Stewart-Haas Racing. The biggest change for Europeans to adjust to, he said, would be the level of contact allowed.

In Formula 1, almost any visible contact gets reviewed by stewards and often leads to a penalty. Drivers can also be penalized for unsafe pit releases and a series of other violations. It’s a stark departure from NASCAR.

“There are things I think the European fans will struggle with, the no rules in terms of how aggressive you can be on the track. I think that’s one thing I think that any of us who get into racing in any category, we struggle with that in NASCAR initially, because if you even tap a guy in any other form of racing, you’re probably getting penalized,” Button said.

To wit, at the recent run Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal, McLaren F1 driver Lando Norris was given a time penalty during the race for “unsportsmanlike conduct,” seemingly for backing up the pack under a safety car to build a gap so he could pit behind his teammate.

He and his team — and a number of broadcasters, Button included — were puzzled by the penalty. Still, it is illustrative of the shorter leash afforded to Formula 1 drivers.

As for the cars themselves, Button learned first hand that a car designed for stock car racing can be plenty adaptable to European courses. Button recently drove the Garage 56 car at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, racing a NASCAR machine along with a handful of other drivers in the experimental class.

The machine acquitted itself well to the French countryside roads-turned-raceway, and there’s not much in the way of a NASCAR race coming to some European circuit.

It’ll just take the European fans a while to learn a key lesson anyone familiar with NASCAR is well familiar with at this point: Rubbing is racing.

“In NASCAR, you can hit people, and it’s up to the other guy if he retaliates or moves out of the way. That’s the biggest thing for the European public to get their heads around,” Button said.