How American Jak Crawford’s racing dreams evolved from NASCAR to Formula 1

From Charlotte, North Carolina to Houston, Texas, American racer Jak Crawford seemed destined for a future in a series like NASCAR. It was the kind of racing he knew and loved — the kind that would keep him in the country he grew up in. But it all changed when he learned about Formula 1.

Now, at 19 years old, Crawford is competing in the FIA Formula 2 series with the DAMS Lucas Oil team. He’s taken a win at Barcelona, a second-place in Bahrain to kick off the year — and a few weeks ago, Crawford gave PlanetF1.com exclusive insight into just how he committed to following the Formula 1 path.

Jak Crawford is investing in his Formula 1 future

Born in Charlotte, North Carolina before moving to Houston, Texas, American racer Jak Crawford knew he loved the act of racing when he was just three years old.

“My dad bought me one of those small little go-karts,” Crawford told PlanetF1.com, “and when I was six years old, my dad finally let me race.”

What started as a hobby for the boy quickly evolved into something more serious. By age nine, Crawford was good enough behind the wheel to begin racing at a national level. At the time, though, karting was just one of several sports Crawford was dabbling in.

“It all really came naturally to be honest,” Crawford explained.

“I’d get to the end of the year, and I was like, alright. What do I want to do? What do I want to give up? Do I want to give up racing, or do I want to give up playing soccer this next year?

“I gave up soccer. Then it was, okay, you give up racing, or you give up baseball.”

Crawford whittled down his sporting repertoire until one thing was left: Motorsport.

“At a certain point, you get so many opportunities that you realize you can turn it into something,” he explained.

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For Crawford, that meant getting behind the wheel of formula-style cars, starting with the North and Central American Formula 4 Championship, then USF2000, then the German and Italian F4 Championships.

Formula-style racing, though, wasn’t on Crawford’s initial life plan.

“There was actually a certain point in my career when I was a lot younger where I wanted to be a NASCAR driver,” the 19-year-old admitted.

“I grew up in Charlotte, so I sort of grew up around NASCAR. That was the big thing on TV.

“But obviously I grew up go-karting, which isn’t on ovals. So I thought IndyCar was my way.”

When he made his first motorsport foray in Europe, though, Crawford grew enamored with the F1 world and made it his goal to get as close as he could to racing in the pinnacle of international open-wheel motorsport.

That dream also coincided with his signing to the Red Bull Junior Program, which gave him the confidence that he not only had skill, but that he could make the leap to the European racing scene. And when he succeeded in Formula 4, he earned his shot to bump up to international Formula 3.

“That’s when competition gets a lot higher — and once I realized that I could do well there, and that I could possibly have a chance to make it to Formula 1, that’s when I thought that I needed to make the commitment.”

Crawford packed his bags and headed to Europe, where he’s been living ever since in order to be available for every opportunity.

“It’s intense,” he said of the European racing scene. “It’s a very intense schedule, and it’s a very intense lifestyle.

“It’s flat-out all the time. There aren’t many breaks, so there’s not much time to rest. But I think I’ve embraced that really well.”

He’s had to. While it takes ample commitment for every young driver looking to make it to Formula 1, the stakes can feel more imposing for a driver who grew up in America. By the time he was 12, Crawford was already spending large amounts of time away from his family. By 14, he was living full-time in Europe.

“Formula 1 teams are already looking for talent in karting,” Crawford explained, illustrating why that international move was necessary.

“That was the first challenge.

“Then I was away from my family, learning all the [European] tracks, learning this style of racing. It takes some adapting to.

“But the biggest thing is just the distance. You literally have to commit your life to this when you’re a teenager.”

Anyone would find an international move to be challenging, young or old, and Crawford was one of them.

“When I first moved, I went through some tougher times,” he admitted. “I was a bit, probably, immature for the age I had to be — but I was 15 years old and living on my own.

“It teaches you a lesson, for sure.”

The benefit to such a rigorous racing schedule, though, is that 19-year-old Crawford doesn’t find himself with too much free time to get caught up in any challenging emotions. He’s been busy racing — and setting himself up for a comfortable future.

“In an ideal world, I’d be in Formula 1 in the next two or three years,” Crawford, now an Aston Martin junior, said.

“From my side, it’s just about performing on what I have. So on the Formula 2 side, that’s performing well, finishing in the top three positions, and making the most of any opportunity I get in a Formula 1 car.

“Those are the keys to making my goals happen.”

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