F1 Vs Indy Car – Which is the Best Motor Racing Series
Formula 1 and Indy Car are two of the world’s biggest open-wheel motorsports. Although they share a common ethos and are based on fast racing, they are very different.
The biggest difference is in the way that they use their chassis and engine. In F1, each team builds their own cars, while in IndyCar there’s only one chassis maker and two engine manufacturers.
What are the main differences?
F1 and Indy Car are two different types of racing series, but they share a number of similarities. Both are open-top cars, which means they go really fast around an oval or a track.
Formula One races take place on some of the world’s most famous tracks, such as Silverstone, Spa-Francorchamps and Monza, while IndyCar visits the best American tracks and street circuits. However, they are wildly different in terms of rules, regulations and culture.
For instance, in F1, teams have the freedom to design their own chassis whereas IndyCar only has two engine manufacturers, Chevrolet and Honda, which limits development costs and equalizes the field. Also, IndyCar allows a kinetic energy recovery system (KERS) that can be used to deploy energy as it’s needed.
Speed
The cars of both F1 and Indy Car look pretty similar, but there are plenty of differences between the two motorsports. One of the most obvious ones is speed.
In F1, every element of the car only performs at extremely high speeds, which is why it is so difficult to drive an F1 car for the first time. Similarly, IndyCars are made to go fast on straights and oval tracks. This means that they are able to accelerate quicker and corner faster than their F1 counterparts.
They also have different aerodynamic packages for each circuit they run on, which can make a huge difference to the way they race. This can help them win more races and avoid penalties.
Tracks
The two series are very different in many ways, from the locations they compete in to the tracks used. F1 races mainly in the US and Europe, while Indy Car is more of a global racer.
Both types of racing use ‘road’ circuits and street venues for their tracks, but IndyCar sprinkles in ‘oval’ races throughout its calendar too – an entirely different technical challenge that F1 teams have never had to worry about!
The qualifying format is also different. In F1, qualifying is split into three segments, with the fastest laps from each segment going on to shootouts for pole position.
Overtaking
Both F1 and Indy Car are fantastic series to watch, with drivers having to work hard to pass and be on their guard. IndyCars are much more physically demanding. They don’t have power steering, so drivers are forced to use more control and physical strength to keep their cars on the road.
The Indy cars are also much heavier, so they can’t run flat out for as long as their F1 counterparts. The F1 cars, on the other hand, are geared for higher top speeds over shorter straightaways. This means they’re much better suited to racing over a variety of tracks.
Rules
F1 and Indy Car share many similarities but there are also a few key differences. Each race has its own rules and each series has a unique approach to racing. In F1, the teams must use their budget to create a car from scratch that performs between many parameters.
In Indy Car, on the other hand, there is a more level playing field as all teams use a single Dallara chassis and Honda or Chevrolet engines. These cars are designed for continuous speeds like ovals and can handle curves well at higher speeds because of their aerodynamics.
Conclusion
Both motor racing series will entertain and there is no reason why you cannot watch them both. The good news is that you will not have trouble identifying where you can watch them. For instance, you will find F1 streaming gratis on many sites – just use a VPN!