The car comparisons of Formula 1, IndyCar Series and NASCAR Cup Series cars

[theriusDR3]

Here are the comparisons of Formula 1, IndyCar Series and NASCAR Cup Series cars (updated):


Formula 1 Car
Chassis: Carbon-fibre monocoque unique to each team and manufactured independently
Top speed: Approx. 225+ mph (depending on circuit configuration)
Engine: Petrol hybrid turbocharged, 1.6-liter V-6
Horsepower: 900-1,060 (900 from engine and 160 from energy recovery systems)
Gearbox: Semi-automatic with eight forward gears plus reverse
Fuel: 94.25% unleaded racing gasoline + 5.75% biofuel
Tyres: Pirelli P Zero ungrooved racing slicks and Pirelli Cinturato grooved wet condition tyres
Weight: Maximum of 1,657.88 pounds (752 kilograms) without fuel, with 176 pounds (80 kilograms) coming from the driver, seat, and safety gear
Height: 37.40 inches maximum (95 centimeters)
Width: 78.74 inches, maximum (200 centimeters)
Steering: Power-assisted rack and pinion
Traction control: Banned


IndyCar Series Car
Chassis: Carbon-fibre monocoque standarized by all entrants
Top speed: Approximately 235 mph
Engine: Twin-turbocharged, 2.2-liter V-6
Horsepower: Approx. 550 – 700 depending on turbo boost + 60 including push-to-pass
Gearbox: Assisted six-speed paddle shift plus reverse
Fuel: E85 (blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent racing gasoline)
Tyres: Firestone Firehawk ungrooved racing slicks; grooved wet-condition tyres for road/street courses
Wheelbase: 117.5-121.5 inches
Weight: Approximately 1,700 pounds (road/street courses) 1690 lbs (short oval configuration) and 1,625 pounds (speedway configuration), without fuel, driver and driver weight equivalent
Height: Approx 40 inches
Width: 76.5 inches maximum, 75.5 inches minimum, (75.75 inches minimum for ovals) measured outside rim to rim
Steering: Manual, rack and pinion (no power steering)
Traction control: Banned


NASCAR Cup Series Stock Car
Chassis: Steel tube frame with integral safety roll cage. Independently manufactured by automobile makers
Top speed: Approx. 200 mph
Engine: Normally aspirated, 5.86-liter (350-358 cubic inches) V-8
Horsepower: Approx.550 (speedways) and 750 (short tracks and road courses)
Gearbox: Manual four-speed
Fuel: E15 blend unleaded racing gasoline and up to 15 percent ethanol
Tyres: Goodyear Eagle ungrooved racing slicks; grooved wet-condition tyres for road/street courses
Wheelbase: 110 inches
Weight: Minimum of 3,200 pounds, without driver
Height: 54 inches maximum
Width: 77 inches maximum
Steering: Power with recirculating ball
Traction control: Banned

Source: Formula1.com, IndyCar.com and NASCAR.com

[Tommy Cookers]

afaik and otoh ...

the F1 biofuel content (not necessarily ethanol) is defined as 5.75% in gravimetric terms
but 5% ethanol in volumetric terms is 5.75% in gravimetric terms - that is E5
because ethanol is c.15% denser than gasoline

the IndyCar and NASCAR biofuel contents (necessarily ethanol) are respectively 85% and 15% in volumetric terms

[Big Tea]

Is there a way to list a comparison of acceleration of theses cars please?
I would assume the lower speeds would favour the F1 cars but does mid range and top end move to one of the other cars?
3200lb is a heck of a weight to shift, and to stop
Good article. thanks

[theriusDR3]

Is there a way to list a comparison of acceleration of theses cars please?
I would assume the lower speeds would favour the F1 cars but does mid range and top end move to one of the other cars?
3200lb is a heck of a weight to shift, and to stop
Good article. thanks

Formula 1 car 0-100 km/h acceleration - 2.6 seconds
IndyCar Series car 0-100 km/h acceleration - 3 seconds
NASCAR Cup Series stock car 0-100 km/h acceleration - 3.2 seconds

[Big Tea]

Is there a way to list a comparison of acceleration of theses cars please?
I would assume the lower speeds would favour the F1 cars but does mid range and top end move to one of the other cars?
3200lb is a heck of a weight to shift, and to stop
Good article. thanks

Formula 1 car 0-100 km/h acceleration - 2.6 seconds
IndyCar Series car 0-100 km/h acceleration - 3 seconds
NASCAR Cup Series stock car 0-100 km/h acceleration - 3.2 seconds

Thanks. 3.2 is surprising for something that heavy on quite narrow (comparative) rubber.
I thought it would have come into its own in mid range. A lot to get moving.

[SiLo]

Is there a way to list a comparison of acceleration of theses cars please?
I would assume the lower speeds would favour the F1 cars but does mid range and top end move to one of the other cars?
3200lb is a heck of a weight to shift, and to stop
Good article. thanks

Formula 1 car 0-100 km/h acceleration - 2.6 seconds
IndyCar Series car 0-100 km/h acceleration - 3 seconds
NASCAR Cup Series stock car 0-100 km/h acceleration - 3.2 seconds

Thanks. 3.2 is surprising for something that heavy on quite narrow (comparative) rubber.
I thought it would have come into its own in mid range. A lot to get moving.

I think it's more that it's really hard to get much faster times with rear wheel drive cars.

[Just_a_fan]

Is there a way to list a comparison of acceleration of theses cars please?
I would assume the lower speeds would favour the F1 cars but does mid range and top end move to one of the other cars?
3200lb is a heck of a weight to shift, and to stop
Good article. thanks

Formula 1 car 0-100 km/h acceleration - 2.6 seconds
IndyCar Series car 0-100 km/h acceleration - 3 seconds
NASCAR Cup Series stock car 0-100 km/h acceleration - 3.2 seconds

Thanks. 3.2 is surprising for something that heavy on quite narrow (comparative) rubber.
I thought it would have come into its own in mid range. A lot to get moving.

3.2s 0-60mph seems reasonable when one thinks of the number of similarly heavy / heavier sports cars that will do around 3.5s on road rubber.

[Hoffman900]

Formula 1 car 0-100 km/h acceleration - 2.6 seconds
IndyCar Series car 0-100 km/h acceleration - 3 seconds
NASCAR Cup Series stock car 0-100 km/h acceleration - 3.2 seconds

Thanks. 3.2 is surprising for something that heavy on quite narrow (comparative) rubber.
I thought it would have come into its own in mid range. A lot to get moving.

3.2s 0-60mph seems reasonable when one thinks of the number of similarly heavy / heavier sports cars that will do around 3.5s on road rubber.

Exactly.

The tires are the limiter for sure. With a NASCAR, gearing is as well. Gearing for 190-200mph with a 4 speed makes for a tall first gear.

3200lbs isn't that heavy any more when you look at road cars. Many of them racing endurance series with stock brake calipers.... of course you absolutely trash brake pads quickly.

It's interesting how corked up all of these cars are. IRL would be close to and NASCAR would be over 1000bhp if they let them (unlimited compression, no gear rule, and any type of fuel injection system / manifold instead of the bandaid system they have now (EFI on the old carburetor manifold and the tapered spacer)).

[Big Tea]

Formula 1 car 0-100 km/h acceleration - 2.6 seconds
IndyCar Series car 0-100 km/h acceleration - 3 seconds
NASCAR Cup Series stock car 0-100 km/h acceleration - 3.2 seconds

Thanks. 3.2 is surprising for something that heavy on quite narrow (comparative) rubber.
I thought it would have come into its own in mid range. A lot to get moving.

3.2s 0-60mph seems reasonable when one thinks of the number of similarly heavy / heavier sports cars that will do around 3.5s on road rubber.

Even when you consider 200mph and 4 gears? Unless maybe 1st is 0-60mph and dont use second below 55mph?

[Big Tea]

Thanks. 3.2 is surprising for something that heavy on quite narrow (comparative) rubber.
I thought it would have come into its own in mid range. A lot to get moving.

3.2s 0-60mph seems reasonable when one thinks of the number of similarly heavy / heavier sports cars that will do around 3.5s on road rubber.

Exactly.

The tires are the limiter for sure. With a NASCAR, gearing is as well. Gearing for 190-200mph with a 4 speed makes for a tall first gear.

3200lbs isn't that heavy any more when you look at road cars. Many of them racing endurance series with stock brake calipers.... of course you absolutely trash brake pads quickly.

It's interesting how corked up all of these cars are. IRL would be close to and NASCAR would be over 1000bhp if they let them (unlimited compression, no gear rule, and any type of fuel injection system / manifold instead of the bandaid system they have now (EFI on the old carburetor manifold and the tapered spacer)).

Oops, should have read this one before replying above

[Hoffman900]

1st gear for them should be good for about 60-70mph. Hence all the wheel spin pulling away!

They sound the best of all three though. Some real BRM V16 vibes:

[Just_a_fan]

Thanks. 3.2 is surprising for something that heavy on quite narrow (comparative) rubber.
I thought it would have come into its own in mid range. A lot to get moving.

3.2s 0-60mph seems reasonable when one thinks of the number of similarly heavy / heavier sports cars that will do around 3.5s on road rubber.

Even when you consider 200mph and 4 gears? Unless maybe 1st is 0-60mph and dont use second below 55mph?

Everything RWD and 500+bhp is basically traction limited up to 60 anyway so the number of gears is a bit moot there. Having a long first gear might actually be helpful as it's one gear change you don't need to do.

[Hoffman900]

It is and it isn’t. You need a bit of wheel spin if you’re geared too tall to keep the engine from stalling, so that isn’t helpful.

Drag racers have a lot of this figured out. The 10.5” Outlaw cars are awesome.

[Just_a_fan]

Must admit that I've never really been that fussed about the "emergency start" times of cars. Whether a car gets there a tenth of a second quicker than something else seems to be fairly irrelevant. I know the US is in to 1/4 times and the like, but 0-60 is a bit, well, "yeah, ok, so?". Plenty of cars are now around the same 0-60 time so it's not really a great differentiator of performance anymore. 0-60 times these days are just an indicator of who has the best launch control.

For example, my current 2.5t SUV will do the same 0-60 time as my first hot hatch would do. Yippee. The thing is, the SUV will do it all day long and in the wet too.

For circuit racing cars, 0-60 seems even more silly. Given the perfect start, every F1 current car will basically do the same time, for example. So you're down to the driver and not the car to make the difference. Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if every F1 of the last 30 years has basically the same 0-60 time as they're all totally traction limited until the aero starts to seriously kick in and that's above 60mph really.

[Hoffman900]

It’s a magazine metric, but pretty useless outside of that, unless you’re racing to 60mph.