F1 vs Honda Indy Car? | FerrariChat

F1 vs Honda Indy Car?

Discussion in 'F1' started by KENCO, Apr 5, 2009.

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  1. KENCO

    KENCO Formula 3

    Nov 1, 2006
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    I just finished watching the early finish of the F1 race in Malaysia, I turned on the Honda Indy car series GP in Saint Petersburg Florida. The Honda Indy cars seem to be much slower. Is this correct? Or is due to the tight track that they are racing on? How would they stack up against a full blown F1 car?
     
  2. Fast_ian

    Fast_ian Two Time F1 World Champ

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    Doors -> Weeds -> Never seen again :D
     
  3. TurboFreak650

    TurboFreak650 Formula 3

    Jul 10, 2004
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    #3 TurboFreak650, Apr 5, 2009
    Last edited: Apr 5, 2009
    The pig Indy car would be TOAST on a F1 track. The Indy cars are around 650 HP and 1650 lbs now (although they have been more powerful and heavier in the past), compared to perhaps 800+80=880 HP amd 1350 lbs for the F1s, which have vastly superior brakes and handling and higher revs. Indy cars don't have anywhere near the kind of lap time potential as an F1 car in spite of the FIA trying to handicap the F1 cars more every year.

    As the cars are setup now, the Indy doesn't even have an oval advantage any more. The current F1s could easily adapt to big ovals, although back when the Indy cars were turbo V-8s with up to 1100 HP, they devoured ovals!
     
  4. KENCO

    KENCO Formula 3

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    TurboFreak650: Thanks for the info!



    I would like to see a side by side comparison in person, it would be interesting.
     
  5. Simon^2

    Simon^2 F1 World Champ

    Oct 17, 2005
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    Would only be side by side for 3/1000ths of a second every few laps! :D :D :D
     
  6. KENCO

    KENCO Formula 3

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    I found this interesting write up that sums it all up......




    F1 vs. Indy
    Over the years many people have asked the question of which car is faster, a Formula 1 car or an Indy car?
    The answer has always been clear, F1, period.

    F1 cars accelerate quicker, brake later, if required can reach higher top speeds and are by far built with the highest level of technology.

    But, for those of you who are still not sure, this weekend provided a great head to head comparison between the two cars to get a very definitive answer.

    The head to head comparison came thanks to the Circuit de Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Canada. Both series race there and have to qualify on the exact same track.

    Sebastien Bourdais won pole position for the Indy event held this past weekend with a time of 1:20.396.

    Jenson Button who won the pole for the F1 event held earlier in the year, set a time of 1:15.217.

    More than 5 seconds quicker than Bourdais' time.

    That means that in a simulated 70-lap race, Bourdais would finish the race some 5 minutes behind his F1 counterpart. Not even the Minardi's were so slow, (Minardi is Formula 1's least competitive team and has been for years, the thought of Minardi ever winning a race is laughable at best!) as they finished about 4 minutes behind the winner at this year’s F1 event.

    In fact, the Minardi's hold the key in identifying just how slow the Indy cars really are compared to F1 cars. As mentioned the Minardi finished about 4 minutes behind the race winner at the F1 Canadian Grand prix, but if we compare the Minardi times with Bourdais' times you will see that the Minardi qualifying time of 1:19.574 was almost 1 second quicker than Bourdais' pole position time and in a simulated 70-lap race, the Minardi would clobber Bourdais by over 1 minute.

    So if it were laughable to think that Minardi might win a race in Formula 1, what would be said about the best Indy car, which is even slower?
     
  7. KENCO

    KENCO Formula 3

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    #7 KENCO, Apr 5, 2009
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  8. ferraridude615

    ferraridude615 F1 Veteran

    May 4, 2006
    5,836
    Texas
    The difference between Champ Cars was a little closer. Ricardo Zonta and Toyota did an exhibition at Laguna Seca once and set the lap record despite Champ Car racing there. Bourdais reset the record the next year by a few tenths but is a much better driver, had a top Champ Car, and regularly drove and tested at that track.
     
  9. KENCO

    KENCO Formula 3

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    I honestly think the Indy car is a little better looking.
     
  10. Fast_ian

    Fast_ian Two Time F1 World Champ

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    And everyone is certainly entitled to their opinion.

    But, your OP didn't ask which was the better looking, but rather the "quickest"..... :)
     
  11. fluque

    fluque Formula 3

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    I don't have the stats but an Indy car would be more comparable to a GP2.
     
  12. maxorido

    maxorido Formula 3

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    But certainly not good taste...

    :p
     
  13. vipersteve

    vipersteve Rookie

    Oct 2, 2005
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    I think your the 1st person I've ever heard make this statement. The look of the car is the biggest complaint I hear about in Indy Car.......
     
  14. Drive550PFB

    Drive550PFB Two Time F1 World Champ
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    I don't have time to look it up again, but I did a while back. The last year that Minardi was in F-1, the time for one of the drivers was faster than the pole for the Indy car series at this same track. That's how competitive it is in F-1.
     
  15. Drive550PFB

    Drive550PFB Two Time F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Have you seen this year's F-1. My son's Range Rover is better looking. Give me the F-2003-GA
     
  16. jk0001

    jk0001 F1 Veteran

    Oct 18, 2005
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    The Indy Car Series are running Honda engines.... enough said. :D
     
  17. KENCO

    KENCO Formula 3

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    +1, Which is really stupid in my opinion......

    They should have different manufacturers involved, so you get the competitive and camaraderie put back into it..............like a Chevy vs Ford, or Ferrari vs Mercedes.

    The way it is now its boring.
     
  18. 355

    355 F1 Rookie
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    I have been to many F1 races over the years in Montreal. I also worked the track for the Molson Indy here in Toronto for many years. The Indy cars would put me to sleep with my feet on the wall during practice. They are nowhere near as fast as an F1 car. Infact about 5 years ago I compared the Indy cars to the speed of F1 cars back in the early 80s. As for looks....up untill this year the F1 cars were much better looking.
     
  19. Fast_ian

    Fast_ian Two Time F1 World Champ

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    +1

    However, I've got to be honest, these new cars are really starting to grow on me (!) OK, the huge front wings look a little ridiculous, but the higher / narrower rear wing isn't turning my stomach the way the launch photos did..... The "sweeping" lines, particularly on the Brawn flyer in white, look really nice IMHO.

    Cheers,
    Ian
     
  20. AlexO91

    AlexO91 F1 Rookie

    Sep 26, 2008
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    I have no doubt that the F1 car will trounce the Indy car around any circuit. I don't think theres anything on 4 or 2 wheels that would get anywhere near an F1 car around a track. As for looks, if your comparing last years Ferrari to that pic in Indy the F1 car is also better looking. And this years car are actually starting to grow on me looks wise, Anyone else agree on that front?
     
  21. rmani

    rmani F1 Veteran
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    good post
     
  22. canadiantifosi

    canadiantifosi Formula Junior

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    F1 wins hands down .... in today's world.

    The IRL cars of today are watered-down cookie cutter assembly line cars compared to back in the mid-nineties when CHAMP Car was at its peak. Paul Tracy pulled a top speed of 256 mph at Michigan Superspeedway in 1996. Granted, the car was trimmed out for the straights and was probably a bear through the corners, but it hauled the mail when top speed ruled the tracks.

    For sheer speed, handling and braking, any F1 car would stomp on the best tuned and dialed-in IRL car.

    Cheers-Colin Firth-Ontario Canada
     
  23. ScreaminRevs

    ScreaminRevs Formula Junior

    Apr 4, 2004
    406
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    How about the Can-Am cars with 1200+ horses? If they were to race at say, Monza, the F1 cars may not win.

    Lookswise, I agree with you that without all the little appendages the lines on the cars this year are cleaner and everything flows better. What I don't like is that they're too narrow (have been for years now), the rear wing is definitely nowhere near as wide as it should be, and this one isn't mentioned often - but the wheels need to grow from their measly 13 inches back to 18, or at least to 16 or so. If someone can put up a side-by-side image of this year's cars and the pre-'93 ones you could see how much beefier and more Formula 1-esque they are.
     
  24. AlexO91

    AlexO91 F1 Rookie

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    Possibly you're right but i can't really comment because i know very little about them. If they do have 1200hp then i imagine on a track like Monza then yes, i think an F1 would be beaten.
     
  25. Prova7

    Prova7 Formula Junior

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    #25 Prova7, Apr 7, 2009
    Last edited: Apr 7, 2009
    All racecars are a product of their rulesets. An F1 car is faster and lighter than an Indycar not because the Indycar designers are boneheads but because that's how the rules state the cars are to be put together. Every series is playing by differing sets of rules and the cars are a reflection of that. It's the same for athletes. An Olympic swimmer is nothing like a Super Bowl winning middle linebacker as each athlete developed themselves with the rules and goals of their sport in mind. Racecars are no different. An F1 car would be absolutely murdered at the dragstrip by any number of "dumb, cheap, low tech" drag cars.

    F1 doesn't have the market cornered on brains.
     

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