Tyler Reddick on "added pressure" of going up against former F1 driver Kamui Kobayashi at COTA

23XI Racing driver Tyler Reddick opened up about former F1 driver Kamui Kobayashi's impressive speed in the next-gen car and how his return to the NASCAR Cup Series adds an extra layer of pressure.

Kobayashi is set to make his second Cup Series appearance this weekend at the Circuit of the Americas. The Japanese driver made his Cup debut at the Indianapolis Road Course last season and was classified 33rd.

Nonetheless, the 24 Hours of Le Mans winner impressed the Toyota camp with his speed. Tyler Reddick, a three-time road course winner, lauded Kobayashi's adaptability and acknowledged the pressure he is feeling.

In a recent conversation with Kevin Harvick, Reddick said on the Happy Hour podcast:

"It’s added pressure. You know, I believe in his [Kamui Kobayashi] ability and what I’ve seen him do in a short time in the Next Gen car. I think back to his test, and just how quickly he’s able to adapt to this car really impressed me. I know for him, Indy didn’t go well, certainly not as well as he wanted it to."

The veteran Endurance Racing driver's maiden NASCAR outing didn't yield the desired result, as he wasn't used to the aggressive racing style and was involved in racing incidents.

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Tyler Reddick's boss praises Kamui Kobayashi ahead of Cup race at COTA

23XI Racing co-owner Denny Hamlin is impressed with Kamui Kobayashi's speed in the simulator. Hamlin disclosed that the Japanese driver was faster than Tyler Reddick on the sim, who is the fastest of the Toyota drivers.

The #11 Joe Gibbs Racing driver explained that Kobayashi had been setting the benchmark in the simulator ahead of the Cup Series race at COTA. Hamlin heaped praise on the Japanese driver in an interview on SiriusXM NASCAR radio, saying:

"In the sim, he's just so fast. He's faster than Tyler...Tyler is faster than me, Tyler's faster than everyone when it comes to driving on a simulator on a road course and he backed it up on the racetrack but Kamui has been faster so far this week."

Heading into the race weekend, there is plenty of hype surrounding Kobayashi's speed. If the former F1 driver translates his speed from the simulator to the track, he will be battling Tyler Reddick at the front of the pack.

Watch the showdown between Kobayashi and Reddick in the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix, scheduled for this Sunday, March 24, at 3:30 PM ET.