Why do formula 1 cars look so different looking than Indy racing cars when both can do the same thing?

Question

I have heard that previous Indy race car drivers have tried formula 1 cars and found that they are harder to brake plus other factors. Indy cars race road corses as well. Why do these cars look so different?

Answer 1

different series and different rules, after senna died f1 made the car more narrow, made then raise the ride height minimum, and put grooves in the tires in the hopes of slowing them down,

but in f1 cars are designed by each team, so each team goes about compensating for the rule changes as they see fit, as something works for one team by the next year all teams are trying it, because of this these car evolve every year

champ car and irl are a spec series and don't evolve much at all, they all but their cars from the same place so they don't look any different from each other aside from the paint job

as for breaking f1 has the most advanced breaks in the world to compare at the indy grand prix circuit a nascar goes from top speed in to turn 1 breaking at 500 meters the f1 car breaks at 50,

Answer 2

The two are definetly not the same. A F1 car is developed to perfection. If you put an Indy Car up to a F1 car on a track with corners (not an oval) it will look like the F1 car is quick as hell and the Indy Car looks like it ate snails the night before!

A small comparison: The budget for an IndyCar team (one car) is about 6 million dollar per year. Ferrari F1 team (ok 2 cars) has a budget of 400 million dollar per year.

Answer 3

An F1 car weighs about 1/3 of a Indy car!

The jeep and porshe comparision is were I was going too! IRL cars are made by one or two different companies so they are nearly identical to each other! In F1 every team designs their own car so their are 11 different cars on the grid.

Answer 4

There are many things different between the 2 I just wish that IRL CART or CHAMP what ever they are called today and F1 would run at a common track so the times could be compared.

Answer 5

its not the outside you should be looking at as there is no difference its the AIM AND THE POWER..to get your shot
to beat the WIND in THE power of that DRIVER ///
DID YOU LOOK TO SEE WHAT shape he was in...?
Go to the COLOSSEUM and Check those previous
steel models the only thing that holds them together is paste
sylicone .[so you notice everything is artificial PLASTIC]
NOW OLD Motors are held together by great old MECHANICS know to use steel screws
remember YOU can waste your money on PLASTIC..
but be ASSURED its what holds the motor together
dont let anyone screw you its not THE MODEL ...
YOU GO FOR THE MOTOR...

Answer 6

The info you have above plus design regulations that prevent too many unsafe structural changes in F1.

Answer 7

They DON'T do the same thing

Indy cars are designed to go round & round on ovals, so have aerodynamics specifically for that.

F1 cars have to deal with more intricate circuits so obviously have to be designed differently to cope with that.

You might as well say a Porche & a Jeep do the same thing, so why do they look different

Answer 8

u have the wrong information dude
f1 cars r faster more reliable and have better aerodynamics
the shape of the car is to help it travel faster