Could you have a car chase on the street involving a Formula 1 car?

Question

Let's say you're agent 007 and you're trying to catch an international thief who's taking off in a regular car. All you have available is a Formula 1 car with a full tank. Is it physically possible to have a car chase? Would the street damage the race car? How long before you run out of gas? How fast could you go on the highway?

The logistics of procuring the car are all worked out since you're at a multi-millionaire villain's lair and got ahold of his hobby race car.

Answer 1

A hypothetical question deserves a hypothetical answer, however, based on a few facts, here goes:
I guessing this chase will take place in a typical North American city, one where the streets have lots of 90-degree turns and we'll choose Phoeniz, AZ., which hosted three U.S. Grands Prix, the last in 1991.
Ayrton Senna qualified on the pole for that race at an average speed of 164.488 Km/h (102.208 mph) and the fastest race lap was set by Jean Alesi at 154.394 Km/h (95.935 mph), so you can go fast on a city street.
Anyone with a lot of money can buy a year-old F1 car (there are lots of them in the Formula Boss series) and the chances are the only tires/tyres available will be hard compound, so they will last longer than the typical tire/tyre you see at a Grand Prix. The tank will probably hold enough fuel for about 150 kilometers (just over 90 miles) - Phoenix was a two-stop race and the race distance was a tad under 300 kilometers.
If the driver is really skilled and can avoid the manhole covers (they were a problem at the Phoenix races, even though they were welded shut and I remember Kenny Atcheson dislodging one when the Group C cars ran at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve) and dodge other traffic, then you can have a chase. Of course the car would have to be set up for city streets with a fairly high ride height, stiff springs and a lot of downforce. If the chase gets to the highway, then the F1 car would reach Monza-like speeds.
Of course this is all fantasy and I am hypothecizing.

Answer 2

First of all, F1 cars are not road-legal. It might be possible to have a car chase, and don't forget that the car won't suffer any damage if it is set up properly and it has an expert driver behind the wheel. I mean, F1 races on the streets of Monaco!
A full tank won't get you too far, but it might be enough for 150-200 km, that is if your engine doesn't cry "ENOUGH" before that, and after a few seconds self-destructing with a ton of smoke pouring out of the back.
Plus the tires wear out pretty quickly, graining and blistering are major issues which cause loss of grip and even tires exploding.

But you could still go at 235mph if you have the car set up for minimum downforce and minimum drag, like for Monza or the old Hockenheim.

Answer 3

An international thief in a REGULAR CAR like what a corolla, or a 75 pinto, oooh I know a 65 chevelle convertible.....no no that's not a regular car. Just having fun bud!
An F1 car on the streets is not easy driving. First off, if your in a foot chase with said thief and he jumps into his wheels and bolts, you then run up to your F1 McLaren, you had better have a starter mounted to the motor, otherwise your just a street model at that point.
For the sake of arguement the car is running and off you go I beleive that you would'nt get very far so you had better nab him quickly. Fuel consuption at a rate of 1.5 to 3 miles per gallon( Give or take a few miles. Watch out for speed bumps, underground parkades, any drive through (one gets hungry being a super hero) ummmm basically it would be a very rough ride! Alot of bumps since the cars have no shock absorbtion system.
Rent the Sly Stallone flick that has a street race in it with an Indy car( Almost the same thing.....NOT!)

Answer 4

Just see the movie "Charlie’s Angel", where Carmen Diaz chases a thief with a Indy car, which is as fast a the F1 car but it does not handle as good as Formula One cars. But it is very pleasant to imagine, but you cannot take a F1 out for a ride. They are worth $5Million, who the hell will let anybody to take it for a chasing scene, they will not allow even the new 007 Agent Daniel Craig to take it on road.

And with great difficulty if you take it on the road to chase a thief, very soon you will put the thief back (speed and accel. is compare to no car on earth) and soon the car will run out of fuel.

Answer 5

Yeah.. Like someone is going to leave a multi million dollar car just sitting on the street in public. It's possible but not likely

Answer 6

The ground clearance is so low, you wouldn't even be able to get it out driveway without completely tearing the car up. The front wings would break off first, then the car would just bottom out and the front and rear suspension would totally collapse. Not a very good choice.

Answer 7

Actually if you look on e-bay right now, there is a former IRL car that has been rendered street-legal up for auction. I don't know about where you live, but where I live the roads have pot-holes, frost heaves, etc. that would destroy a F1 car in short order.

Answer 8

the streets would tear the car apart... long before you ran out of gas, you would suffer body and suspension damage... assuming you made it to the interstate without damage, could reach speed over 225mph... also, even if you could keep up the chase, not likely you would be able to stop the other car... can't shoot at them... need both hands on the steering wheel... gears are controlled by paddle shifters on the steering wheel...

Answer 9

when you're allowed to through the authorities (for a particular journey), you favor to ensure you've sufficient tyres and suspension for a public highway, so better up suspension for bumps, as an social gathering. that's been finished over the international, ytou can seek for the information superhighway for it, as an social gathering...

Answer 10

If u talkin abt Schumi in the f1 car.. then surely.. the race is on... but who woul dare to race the world champ??