What's faster...

[MythUK]

Cars from IRL or F1?

A friend asked me today, he had the impression it was IRL but only because of the way the tracks are laid out.

I didn't know, so i thought i would ask

[Woodcat]

Hi Myth, To offer an opinion on your topic, I think it is necessary to define the parameters, and decide what criteria is used to judge which car is fastest. Here are a few of the ways we can judge a cars speed: Straight line acceleration, Cornering speeds, Top end speed, Overall lap times on a given circuit, Gear change speed, Braking, etc.. So, we could jusdge which car is fastest any number of ways....
Looking at the two cars basic specs we see some very close similarities, but the differences are what will determine which car is actually fastest.
Formula 1 car: 2.4L naturally aspirated fuel injected V8 with 18000 rev limit, 100+ octane fuel. Car weight of 1250 pounds (approx), six and seven gear transaxles, carbon fiber brake discs, major car components made with extensive use of carbon fiber. Raced on street and natural terrain road courses.
Indy Car: 2.5L naturally aspirated fuel injected V8 with 10300 rev limit, ethonal fuel. Car weight of 1550 lbs on ovals, 1625 lbs on road circuits, six speed transaxles, cast steel brake discs, cars are built by a handful of car manufactures, many components made with carbon fiber. modified to suit by the teams, raced on ovals, street and road courses.
Looking at the basic stats, it's easy to see that F1 cars have advantages in the power and braking over the IRL cars. As F1 is confined to road and street courses, they don't have the long straights and gentle curves that the IRL guys have when racing on ovals in order to give them the chance to show the top end speed potential of the F1 cars. The IRL cars run laps at Indy in the 218-223 mph range, but require seriously high gearing to make those speeds. I could see a F1 car easily turning a lap at Indy in the 230-235 mph range with the same gears they run at most of the high speed Euorpean tracks such as Spa and Monza.
F1 cars accellerate quicker due to the higher octane fuel and greater rev limits, have much greater braking capabilities due to the use of carbon fiber discs, and generally have a higher level of technology built into them, hence they cost in the millions of dollars to build.
IRL cars are essentially a customer car built to a spec formula with greater limits on the type of technology they are allowed to use, lower rev limits, greater weight and environmentally friendly ethonal fuel. They cost roughly $315,000.00 to the teams. They are still turning laps at most venues similar to what a F1 car could perform, especially if the F1 engines were de-tuned as the IRL Honda spec engine runs.

So I guess it becomes obvious that F1 cars are faster overall, accellerate quicker, brake in shorter distances and corner better than the IRL cars, but cost five to ten times as much to build and cost much more to race and maintain throughout the course of a season.
As a spec class racing series, the IRL provides very fast, competitive, and exciting shows for the U.S. fans at a fraction of the price for staging an FIA Grand Prix. There are more passes made in a single IRL race than in half a dozen GPs, and more teams are capable of winning in the IRL as well....
So, is it the raw speed that attracts us to F1 racing, or is the IRL providing the better show because it costs so much less and provides greater excitement? By the way, U.S. fans have much greater access to the teams and drivers than you will ever see at a F1 race....
Whichever formula is the best is really up to the fan to decide for himself, and personally I enjoy F1 over the IRL simply because it is so very competitive and no-holds barred racing in the most advanced cars in the world....

[MythUK]

Cheers for that mate,

We did wonder if you placed them on the same grid (as they are set up to their best possible set up) which would be quicker.

I know that F1 is the highest and greatest in the way of technical development but sometimes simple is best!

[Woodcat]

Takuma Sato's take on joining the Indy Racing League for 2010....
Takuma Sato has revealed that he came close to rejoining Formula 1 on no less than three occasions on the run-up to the 2010 season, eventually electing to join KV Racing in America's IndyCar Series instead; the Japanese driver will compete in his first race on the same weekend as this year's F1 season-opener.
"I've only driven for one hour but I had this big smile after and I felt like a kid; the car is different from F1 - it's heavier and there's lots of things that don't have electronic controls. It's classic racing. Everyone uses the same chassis, the same engine and the same tyres, which means everyone has a chance to win races which, from a driver's point of view, is great."