Differences between Indy Car and F1?

[SECElit3]

So for the first year, this F1 game has got my attention. I am somewhat familiar with Indy car but not at all familiar with F1. What are the differences between these two racing series?

[mercalnd]

Re: Differences between Indy Car and F1?

Cars are much lighter and have much better brakes so they take corners quite a bit faster.

There are no ovals obviously. They have standing starts and very few full course cautions. No refueling. You have to use both types of tires in a race (I think Indycar is like that too but I'm not sure). It has to rain a heck of a lot to cause any kind of delay in F1.

They have KERS which would be somewhat equivalent to Indycar's push to pass. The system stores energy from braking into a battery and you can activate the system for 6.6 seconds per lap for a small HP boost. This year they also introduced the drag reduction system (DRS) which allows a driver that is less than 1 second behind another to open up his rear wing to reduce drag at a specific point on the track to attempt a pass.

That's about it off the top of my head.

[Trash-man143]

Re: Differences between Indy Car and F1?

f1 cars have also a lot more downforce than indy cars but indy car have much higher topspeed

[woody2goody]

Re: Differences between Indy Car and F1?

The main difference I would say, is that the cars aren't equal. I know even in Indycar things aren't always equal, but in F1 the difference from the front of the grid to the back is frequently 4-5 seconds.

[koebner]

Re: Differences between Indy Car and F1?

f1 cars have also a lot more downforce than indy cars but indy car have much higher topspeed

If F1 cars were tuned for(and raced on) ovals they would be faster than Indy cars. Higher HP and RPMs.

[koebner]

Re: Differences between Indy Car and F1?

The main difference I would say, is that the cars aren't equal. I know even in Indycar things aren't always equal, but in F1 the difference from the front of the grid to the back is frequently 4-5 seconds.

Think more like 30 seconds plus.

[mercalnd]

Re: Differences between Indy Car and F1?

Think more like 30 seconds plus.

He was talking per lap.

[dshill]

Re: Differences between Indy Car and F1?

The biggest difference between F1 and IndyCar is that in F1 teams have to develop their own chassis, but IndyCar are supplied by Dallara and teams make set up adjustments to the IndyCar. An F1 team does all the aerodynamics and engineering, so each team has a different car, which means there's a greater difference between the front and back teams, and that budgets for F1 teams are much higher. In theory IndyCar should be more equal than F1, but anybody who watches it knows that it's the Ganassi/Penske show.

[Trash-man143]

Re: Differences between Indy Car and F1?

If F1 cars were tuned for(and raced on) ovals they would be faster than Indy cars. Higher HP and RPMs.

put the v10 f1 2004 cars who had 19000-22000 rpm with a downforce setting in monza and they would be going around the oval around 400 km/h almost without any braking

[mk17ce99]

Re: Differences between Indy Car and F1?

The cost to build a formula 1 race car is roughly 3-5 million per race. The technology far exceeds that of Indy car. Which is way F1 has so much appeal world wide. The cost to build a car in Indy for an entire season is roughly 5 million with the cost of rebuilding included.