However, the two series operate in very different ways. F1 has always been the pinnacle of engineering excellence, with a strong focus on design and development, while IndyCar prioritizes leveling the playing field on a lower budget.

While IndyCar may seem complicated to European racing fans, F1’s reliance on money and technology is equally puzzling to American audiences. But by looking at the key differences, and what each series does better than the other, it’s possible to appreciate the richness of top-tier single-seaters.

The main difference between Formula 1 and IndyCar is that while F1 is raced only on road circuits, IndyCar is raced on both road and oval circuits. That meant the two cars needed to be designed differently—both needed to maximize acceleration and cornering speeds, but IndyCars also needed to cope with the sustained top speeds on the oval.

Is the top speed of F1 or IndyCar the highest?

The twin-turbocharged 2.2-liter V6’s IndyCar machinery can reach top speeds in excess of 240 mph, while for an F1 car the turbocharged 1.6-liter V6 hybrid tops out at about 205 mph – although in In 2019 Sebastian Vettel and Sergio Perez both managed to hit speeds of 223.5 mph in Monza and Mexico City respectively. F1’s lower top speed can be explained by the priority given to downforce and cornering speed in its regulations.

However, IndyCar’s superior straight-line speed doesn’t directly equate to faster lap times for its cars. F1 cars can accelerate faster and are set up to lose far less time in corners. In 2019, IndyCar raced at Circuit of the Americas, the venue of the United States Grand Prix, for the first time a direct comparison was made. Will Power took pole position with a lap time of 1 meter 46.017 seconds, averaging 115 mph. Nearly nine months later, at the United States Grand Prix, Valtteri Bottas did it in a time of 1m 32.029 seconds, 14 seconds quicker, at an average speed of 133.5 mph.

With such a different approach to motorsport, just looking at series speeds isn’t really representative. IndyCar places great emphasis on creating a level playing field, with all teams using the same Dallara chassis and choosing between Honda and Chevrolet engines. In contrast, F1 currently has four engine manufacturers, with each team developing its own components. As a result, the competitiveness of the car varies greatly between the front and rear of the grid, and the budget spirals as the battle for points progresses.

How much horsepower do IndyCar and F1 cars have?

According to its website, the IndyCar mechanical can use between 550 and 700bhp, depending on turbocharging. F1 engine makers, on the other hand, tend to keep quiet about the current power details of their machines, but this one produces around 830hp. In 2019, Renault announced that its internal combustion engine and hybrid system had achieved a combined power of 1,000bhp, suggesting that Mercedes and Ferrari have also reached that magic number.

What accessibility features are available in F1 and IndyCar?

F1 has been using DRS since 2011 to try to eliminate the aerodynamic disadvantage of following another car and encourage overtaking. The system works by allowing cars within one second of the car in front to raise part of the rear wing on a designated straight to create an opening that improves aerodynamic efficiency and allows the car to drive without dirty air.

IndyCar introduced a push-to-pass system in 2009 to help increase overtaking. Controlled by a button on the steering wheel, the driver can temporarily increase engine power for around 40bhp of extra power. In 2017, the rules were changed to give each driver 200 seconds of extra power over the course of the race, rather than an allotted number of uses, allowing drivers to withdraw from failed overtaking maneuvers without wasting extra seconds, and Deploy that time at a later opportunity. Oval races don’t allow this, though, which means no drivers in the Indy 500 are allowed to use push to pass.

How do F1 and IndyCar audience sizes compare?

As an essentially national series, IndyCar’s TV ratings are far lower than global F1’s. IndyCar averaged 5.45 million viewers per race in 2019 on all affiliated channels of the series’ official broadcaster, NBC, and 4.8 million viewers for the 2022 Indy 500. This compares to F1’s 2021 global average viewership of 70.3 million, with 108.7 million viewers tuned in for the spectacular 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

What is the difference between the qualifying format in IndyCar and F1?

As with all F1 races, qualifying is divided into three parts, called Q1, Q2 and Q3. All drivers took part in the 18-minute Q1 race, after which the five slowest drivers withdrew. The remaining 15 fight to create one of the top 10 fastest to enter Q1. In the final qualifying session, the drivers raced to set the fastest times to get as close to the front row as possible for Sunday’s race.

IndyCar qualifying depends largely on the type of event. For oval races, riders are out once and the average of the two timed times constitutes their qualifying time. For the Indy 500, qualifying is split over three days, with everyone setting their time from an average of four laps on day one. Those finishing in the top nine will repeat the process in the fast-nine duel, while those finishing below 30 in the final row duel will determine the final grid position.

For both road and street circuits, drivers work in groups and times are determined based on their best lap times. The field for the first session was split in two, with the fastest six drivers in each group progressing to qualifying for the next session, with the rest finishing 13th and below. The fastest 12 drivers have 10 minutes to complete a lap, with the fastest six going into a quick six-man shootout, while the rest of the grid starts from 12th to 7th. The final six had six minutes to set the fastest lap and secure pole.

How do IndyCar and F1 race formats differ?

For F1, the race ends when the race distance of 189.5 miles (305 kilometers) is reached. This usually takes about an hour and a half, but there is also a two-hour limit per race in case of bad weather or a prolonged safety car. For IndyCar, the situation is slightly more complicated. In oval races there is no time limit and all races are run to a certain distance, while for road and street races there is usually a two-hour time limit if the race distance cannot be met – although there are provisions in the rules to allow IndyCar will change time limits as necessary. That said, most last about an hour and three quarters of an hour when running nonstop.

One of the biggest differences between F1 and IndyCar is where they race. While the only time IndyCar will leave the US in 2022 is across the border to Toronto, F1 will travel from Australia through Asia, Europe and North and South America in mid-March and head to Abu Dhabi in late November/early December. So round-the-world F1 has a longer season, both in terms of the number of races and the length of the calendar month.

IndyCar still uses refueling as part of its race, something that has been banned in F1 since 2010. An F1 mechanic can now change a car’s tire in about two and a half seconds, while an Indycar pit crew changes a tire and tops up the fuel tank with around 84 liters of fuel in less than 10 seconds.

What is the difference between the points system of F1 and IndyCar?

In F1, the top 10 drivers get points, the top three get 25, 18 and 15 points, and the tenth place gets one point. However, IndyCar is far more generous when it comes to handing out points, with 50 points for the winner, 40 and 35 for second and third, and the points go all the way to the finishers on the field, down to 25th 5 points for each point from 1st to 33rd. Indy 500 and Laguna Seca season finale points are doubled, as are Indy 500 qualifiers for first through ninth catch points.

While F1 has recently offered bonus points to drivers who set the fastest laps (as long as they finish in the top 10), IndyCar has gone further in rewarding drivers again, with the fewest bonus points for pole and lead One lap, and two points for leading the most laps.

In F1, each team will also receive points of the same structure based on the races completed by their drivers (excluding bonus fastest lap points). In IndyCar, engine makers Honda and Chevrolet are fighting their way to once again earn the same number of points as the top two drivers. In addition, the winning manufacturer will receive an additional 5 points, while the pole position manufacturer will receive 1 point.

Things are a little different at the Indy 500, with two points awarded to the manufacturer on pole and one point awarded to the fastest manufacturer on the first day of qualifying. Engine manufacturers who reach the 2,000-mile threshold are eligible to receive a bonus equal to the number of manufacturer points earned in the race.