If you put an F-1 car against an Indy car, which do you think will win?

Question

When I was in junior high, I loved to watch Indy car racing. Then when we were moved to Japan (dad was in the Navy), I discovered Formula 1. I became hooked instantaneouly. After a few years of watching Formula 1, I always wondered if they could put an Indy car vs. a Formula 1 car. I already have my opinion on this. What's yours?

Answer 1

Both of these cars are VERY fast purpose built racing machines, and the way either maximize their speed is through specific setup. An F1 car that is running at Monza will have little resemblance to the same car when running in Montreal. Likewise, an Indy car setup for the Indy 500 will not have much in common with the same car set to run at Sears Point.

Indy Cars tend to have higher speeds because they usually run on circuits where higher speeds are possible... but the maximum speeds they run are well within the range of what an F1 car could do with a similar setup.

Real world data is hard to come by since there are no circuits where both of these cars run. The closest direct comparision would be F1 and CHAMP cars, but it's been quite some time since Cart and Indy seperated, and the cars are fairly different by now... though on that front, CHAMP beat the Laguna Seca lap record that Toyota set in 2006 while running demo laps at the Monterey Historics (though either of those are somewhat questionable, both being demo laps seeking the lap record, it's hard to say the cars were strictly legal, and when compared to earlier marks set, these were both run fairly soon after the track was resurfaced).

As a generalization, F1 cars would most likely have the edge, due to the fact that these cars are designed in a "cost is no object" way. Indy cars are spec cars, aimed for high performance, but with the goal of keeping costs very controlled. As such, the F1 car would have a wider range of setup options which would be more likely to maximize it's performance in a given situation. Though the Indy car would probably run closer than many might like to admit.

Answer 2

it depends on where they are running, if they are running on a road course the f1 car would beat the Indy car into the first turn and the race is over after that,

but the Indy car would give the f1 car a run for its money on a super speed way, remember Indy cars are slowed down to 230 mph at Indy, the problem is we haven't seen what f1 could do with a low aero setup on an oval, only the Honda on a straight line

Answer 3

It depends on the distant of the race. F1 cars are made to go a maxium of 90 minutes. The cars are completley maxed out preformance wise after 90 minutes and most wouldnt last another 30 minutes without mechanical failures. So and Irl car would win on an oval. However F1 cars would dominate on road courses.

Answer 4

just based on their specs, the F1 wins every time: it's shorter (20+ cm) and narrower (18 cm), has a longer wheelbase (30+ cm) but is just 3.5 cm taller. then there's the weight .. the F1 is 137 kg lighter (that's 300 lbs!!!) Engine wise the IRL carries a "spec" normally aspirated 4.0 litre DOHC V8 while the F1 caries a custom 3.0 litre normally aspirated DOHC "V" configured engine (the Sauber BMW has a V8 while the WIlliams has a V10 .. ) The IRL engine is chip limited at 10,500 rpm while the F1 engines have no such limitation I could find and appear to max in the 19K-20K rpm range though both seem to be in the 600+ hp range. Tires are where the IRL may have a small advantage they run "slicks" while F1 runs treaded tires.

bottom line: the F1 is smaller, lighter and has approximately equivalent horsepower and traction. every type of racing except tractor pulls covets smaller and lighter with equivalent power 'cause it's faster.

Answer 5

Formula 1 would smoke the Indy car.

Answer 6

F1 for sure, much faster, and much lighter. But I love IndyCar.

Answer 7

F1 wins easily.