pretty much the only thing f1 and indycar have in common is speed.
us racing fans have a single-seater circuit of their own, with indycar running since the mid-1990s. that said, whether it’s from tv ratings or overall global popularity, formula 1 outperforms the indicar.
However, the same cannot be said for the performance of their cars.
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While both are open circuits, the rules, regulations and style of each are wildly different. yes, they are designed for speed. yes, they are equally dangerous.
but there are still several differences between the two. here are some of the biggest ones:
Contents
formula 1 rules
here is the nitty-gritty of how an f1 course and race weekend works:
field
the f1 field is made up of 20 drivers (10 teams). grid is set after qualifying on Saturday.
racing weekend
On a typical race weekend, there are three practice, qualifying and race events. Practices 1 and 2 typically take place on the Friday before the race, while Practice 3 and qualifying take place on Saturday and the race takes place on Sunday.
rating
The race grid is determined by the fastest lap on the track.
Qualifying is divided into three separate sessions, except during race weekends. five drivers are eliminated (and placed) after qualifying 1, five more after q2 and the remaining 10 drivers are placed on the grid after q3.
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score
The top 10 finishers in a race receive points. 1st through 10th place points are awarded as follows: 25, 18, 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, 1. If you finish outside the top 10, no points are awarded.
One point is awarded to the driver who finishes with the fastest lap in the race.
pit stop
Teams must pit at least once in a race. you cannot refuel and must use two different types of tire compounds during the race.
differences between formula 1 and indycar
: The f1 field is currently 20 drivers (10 teams). the indycar grid is a bit more flexible, with 26 different teams and 29 drivers in 2022.
: In Formula 1, each team has its own choice of chassis and engine manufacturer, of which there are four: Mercedes, Honda, Ferrari and Renault. In IndyCar, teams have two engine manufacturers, Chevrolet and Honda. the chassis is supplied by dallara. dallara has provided chassis for indycar since 1997 and is the sole supplier.
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: F1 teams produce the parts and components for their cars.
: Formula 1 cars are built more for cornering, but indycars can achieve higher speeds in a straight line. both can reach top speeds of around 225 mph.
: indycar racing mainly in the usa. USA, with occasional races in Brazil and Canada. Formula 1 races on every continent except Africa (in recent years) and Antarctica, but don’t be surprised if that happens in some capacity in the near future. just half joking.
— f1 teams modify the aerodynamics of the cars to take into account the different changes from one race to another. indycar has separate car setups for road courses instead of ovals.
: Indycar racing on street, road and oval circuits. f1 does not race on oval tracks, with only a few races a year on street tracks.
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— indy cars are slightly heavier than f1 cars.
formula 1 vs indycar: which is faster?
formula 1 and indycar rides can reach top speeds of over 225 mph. however, both have their advantages.
f1 cars are designed for speed through corners and turns, and can accelerate faster than indycar vehicles. indycar, however, may have the highest top speed.
the top speed record in a formula 1 race is 231.4 mph, set by valtteri bottas in 2016. however the top speed ever recorded in an f1 car is much higher, 246.9 mph: That number was set by Honda as they attempted to exceed 400 km/h (248.5 mph) at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah.
indycar can reach a top speed of around 236 mph in a race, in low-downforce settings at the end of straights and on oval tracks.
basically an f1 car will cook an indy car at monza. but an indy car will outperform an f1 car in indianapolis.