While INDYCAR and Formula One both feature open-wheeled cars, the race dynamics and statistics could not be more different. This article quantitatively compares the statistics for both series relating to overtakes, speed, and the races in general. These statistics highly correlate with fan satisfaction from the race, as many racing fans may be interested primarily in speed, while others in the strategy involved or the number of overtakes.
Here’s a snapshot of what we’ve included:
The table below compares INDYCAR to Formula One. The figures are based on averages of available data.
Statistic | INDYCAR | Formula One |
---|---|---|
Number of Winning Drivers (2023 Season) | 7 drivers | 3 drivers |
Highest Number of Overtakes in a Race | 653 overtakes | 188 overtakes |
Average Number of Overtakes per Race | ~ 425 overtakes | ~ 45 overtakes |
Average Race Time | Races run to pre-defined distance | Two hours |
Average Race Length | Varies by race, generally 200 - 500 miles | Minimum of 190 miles |
Average Track Length | 1.89 miles | 3.31 miles |
Track Types | 24 ovals, 10 road courses, 11 street circuits | 46 race circuits, 19 street circuits, 12 road circuits |
Average Turns per Track | 8.15 turns | 14.18 turns |
Average Pit Stop Duration | 6 - 10 seconds | 2 - 2.5 seconds |
Average Pit Stop Frequency | 5 - 10 pit stops | 2 pit stops |
INDYCAR offers viewers a more suspenseful race, with the maximum percentage of races any one driver (Alex Palou) winning in the 2023 season was 29.4% of the races, compared to Formula One, where Max Verstappen took home 86.36% of the wins in the 2023 Formula One season. Additionally, we observe more overtakes in IndyCar, with some races nearing more overtakes than the entirety of the Formula One season. The average speed in IndyCar is faster as well, with the plethora of oval tracks giving drivers the chance to average well over 200mph for the duration of the race.
Regarding Formula One, many fans enjoy the tracks because of the high number of turns and longer average tracks offered by that series.
This table offers a side-by-side look into INDYCAR and Formula One racecars.
Car Statistic | INDYCAR | Formula One |
---|---|---|
Engine Size & Type | 2.2L twin-turbocharged V6 | 1.6 liter, turbocharged V6 |
Power Output | 900 horsepower | 1,000 horsepower |
Top Speed | 236 mph | 246.9 mph |
Acceleration | 0-60 mph in ~3.0 seconds | 0-60 mph in ~2.6 seconds |
Weight | ~748 to 766 kg (without driver and fuel) | ~798 kg (without driver and fuel) |
Tire Specifications | Firestone Firehawk race tires, primary & alternate variations | Pirelli, varying compounds (soft, medium, hard, wet) |
Fuel Type | E85, an Ethanol-based fuel blended with 15% high-octane racing fuel | E10 fuel – 10% renewable ethanol |
Gearbox & Transmission | 6-speed sequential gearbox | 8-speed semi-automatic paddle-shift |
The primary difference between these two series comes down to one factor: the freedom of each team to make their own car. INDYCAR restricts teams in their ability to customize the cars, leading to more competitive races with more weight on the driver than the engineering team. Each INDYCAR team must select either a Honda or Chevrolet engine and are only able to make adjustments to their dampers, aero kits, and other minor parts of the car.
On the other hand, Formula One teams build their cars from the ground up, from the chassis to the engine, to the suspension. Formula One rules stipulate regulations for the cars, but in many ways, F1 is “pay to play” as teams with more to spend on R&D inevitably come out ahead. For some viewers, this is part of the entertainment, but many would like to see a more level playing field.
This table displays INDYCAR tracks throughout history and the lengths and turns on each.
* Current Circuits
INDYCAR | ||
---|---|---|
Circuit | Track Length (mi) | # of Turns |
Atlanta Motor Speedway | 1.54 | 4 |
Auto Club Speedway | 2.0 | 4 |
Baltimore street circuit | 2.04 | 12 |
Barber Motorsports Park* | 2.38 | 17 |
Charlotte Motor Speedway | 1.5 | 4 |
Chicagoland Speedway | 1.52 | 4 |
Circuit of the Americas | 3.427 | 20 |
Detroit Belle Isle Street Circuit | 2.35 | 14 |
Dover International Speedway | 1.0 | 4 |
Edmonton street circuit | 2.224 | 13 |
Homestead–Miami Speedway | 1.485 | 4 |
Houston Street Circuit at NRG Park | 1.634 | 10 |
Indianapolis Motor Speedway* | 2.5 | 4 |
Indianapolis Motor Speedway (road course)* | 2.439 | 14 |
Iowa Speedway* | 0.894 | 4 |
Kansas Speedway | 1.52 | 4 |
Kentucky Speedway | 1.48 | 4 |
Las Vegas Motor Speedway | 1.544 | 4 |
Long Beach Street Circuit* | 1.968 | 11 |
Michigan International Speedway | 2.0 | 4 |
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course* | 2.258 | 13 |
Milwaukee Mile* | 1.015 | 4 |
Nashville Street Circuit | 2.17 | 11 |
Nashville Superspeedway* | 1.333 | 4 |
Nazareth Speedway | 0.935 | 4 |
New Hampshire Motor Speedway | 1.025 | 4 |
NOLA Motorsports Park | 2.74 | 13 |
Pikes Peak International Raceway | 1.0 | 4 |
Pocono Raceway | 2.5 | 4 |
Portland International Raceway* | 1.967 | 12 |
Phoenix Raceway | 1.022 | 4 |
Richmond Raceway | 0.75 | 4 |
Road America* | 4.048 | 14 |
St. Petersburg Street Circuit* | 1.8 | 14 |
São Paulo Street Circuit | 2.536 | 11 |
Sonoma Raceway | 2.385 | 12 |
Streets of Detroit* | 1.7 | 9 |
Kansas Speedway | 1.52 | 4 |
Surfers Paradise Street Circuit | 2.795 | 12 |
Texas Motor Speedway* | 1.455 | 4 |
Toronto Street Circuit* | 1.75 | 11 |
Twin Ring Motegi | 1.549 | 4 |
Twin Ring Motegi (road course) | 2.983 | 14 |
Walt Disney World Speedway | 1.0 | 4 |
Watkins Glen International | 3.45 | 11 |
WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca* | 2.238 | 11 |
World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway* | 1.25 | 4 |
Average: | 1.89 miles | 8.15 turns |
The following chart displays the split between the three types of Tracks utilized by INDYCAR: ovals, road courses, and street circuits.
This table displays Formula One tracks throughout history and the lengths and turns on each.
* Current Circuits
Formula One | ||
---|---|---|
Circuit | Track Length (mi) | # of Turns |
Adelaide Street Circuit | 2.349 | 16 |
Ain-Diab Circuit | 4.734 | 18 |
Aintree Motor Racing Circuit | 3.0 | 12 |
Albert Park Circuit* | 3.28 | 16 |
Algarve International Circuit | 2.891 | 15 |
Autódromo do Estoril | 2.709 | 13 |
Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez* | 2.674 | 17 |
Autódromo Internacional do Rio de Janeiro | 3.126 | 11 |
Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello | 3.259 | 14 |
Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari* | 3.05 | 17 |
Autodromo José Carlos Pace* | 2.677 | 15 |
Autodromo Nazionale di Monza* | 3.6 | 11 |
Autódromo Oscar y Juan Gálvez | 2.646 | 18 |
AVUS | 5.157 | 4 |
Bahrain International Circuit* | 3.363 | 15 |
Baku City Circuit* | 3.73 | 20 |
Buddh International Circuit | 3.194 | 16 |
Caesars Palace Grand Prix Circuit | 2.268 | 14 |
Circuit Bremgarten | 4.479 | 14 |
Circuit de Monaco* | 2.074 | 19 |
Circuit de Pedralbes | 3.925 | 6 |
Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps* | 4.352 | 20 |
Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve* | 2.71 | 13 |
Circuit of the Americas* | 3.426 | 15 |
Circuit Paul Ricard | 3.63 | 14 |
Baku City Circuit* | 3.73 | 20 |
Circuito da Boavista | 4.831 | 9 |
Circuito Permanente de Jerez | 2.751 | 12 |
Dallas Fair Park | 2.424 | 20 |
Detroit Street Circuit | 2.59 | 11 |
Fuji Speedway | 2.835 | 16 |
Hungaroring* | 2.722 | 13 |
Intercity Istanbul Park | 3.317 | 27 |
Korea International Circuit | 3.489 | 18 |
Las Vegas Strip Circuit* | 3.853 | 17 |
Long Beach Street Circuit | 2.035 | 11 |
Lusail International Circuit* | 3.367 | 16 |
Marina Bay Street Circuit* | 3.07 | 19 |
Miami International Autodrome* | 3.363 | 18 |
Montjuïc Circuit | 2.356 | 18 |
Mosport International Raceway | 2.459 | 8 |
Nivelles-Baulers | 2.314 | 10 |
Nürburgring | 3.199 | 7 |
Pescara Circuit | 16.031 | 15 |
Phoenix Street Circuit | 2.312 | 24 |
Prince George Circuit | 2.436 | 12 |
Red Bull Ring* | 2.683 | 8 |
Riverside International Raceway | 3.275 | 10 |
Rouen-Les-Essarts | 4.065 | 14 |
Scandinavian Raceway | 2.505 | 9 |
Sebring Raceway | 5.192 | 13 |
Sepang International Circuit | 3.444 | 10 |
Shanghai International Circuit* | 3.387 | 12 |
Silverstone Circuit* | 3.66 | 16 |
Sochi Autodrom | 3.634 | 15 |
Suzuka International Racing Course* | 3.608 | 18 |
TI Circuit Aida | 2.301 | 11 |
Valencia Street Circuit | 3.367 | 16 |
Watkins Glen International | 3.374 | 10 |
Yas Marina Circuit* | 3.281 | 15 |
Zeltweg Airfield | 1.98 | 4 |
Average: | 3.314 miles | 14.18 turns |
The following chart displays the split between the three types of tracks utilized by Formula One: race circuits, road circuits, and street circuits.
While Formula One has hit peak popularity recently, in part due to Netflix’s Drive to Survive series, INDYCAR remains a home for true fans of American racing. Formula One remains a “pay to play” sport, with a high degree of success on the track dependent on the engineering team. INDYCAR stays true to the spirit of racing, where each driver has a chance to compete and win, even when the odds may be low. For more information on next year’s INDYCAR season, click here.
Sources:
Nashville Superspeedway
4847-F McCrary Road
Lebanon, TN 37090
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