Differences between Indy Car and F1?

[SECElit3]

So for the first year, this F1 game has got my attention. I am somewhat familiar with Indy car but not at all familiar with F1. What are the differences between these two racing series?

[mercalnd]

Cars are much lighter and have much better brakes so they take corners quite a bit faster.

There are no ovals obviously. They have standing starts and very few full course cautions. No refueling. You have to use both types of tires in a race (I think Indycar is like that too but I'm not sure). It has to rain a heck of a lot to cause any kind of delay in F1.

They have KERS which would be somewhat equivalent to Indycar's push to pass. The system stores energy from braking into a battery and you can activate the system for 6.6 seconds per lap for a small HP boost. This year they also introduced the drag reduction system (DRS) which allows a driver that is less than 1 second behind another to open up his rear wing to reduce drag at a specific point on the track to attempt a pass.

That's about it off the top of my head.

[Trash-man143]

f1 cars have also a lot more downforce than indy cars but indy car have much higher topspeed

[woody2goody]

The main difference I would say, is that the cars aren't equal. I know even in Indycar things aren't always equal, but in F1 the difference from the front of the grid to the back is frequently 4-5 seconds.

[koebner]

Quote: Originally Posted by Trash-man143

f1 cars have also a lot more downforce than indy cars but indy car have much higher topspeed

If F1 cars were tuned for(and raced on) ovals they would be faster than Indy cars. Higher HP and RPMs.

[koebner]

Quote: Originally Posted by woody2goody

The main difference I would say, is that the cars aren't equal. I know even in Indycar things aren't always equal, but in F1 the difference from the front of the grid to the back is frequently 4-5 seconds.

Think more like 30 seconds plus.

[mercalnd]

Quote: Originally Posted by koebner

Think more like 30 seconds plus.

He was talking per lap.

[dshill]

The biggest difference between F1 and IndyCar is that in F1 teams have to develop their own chassis, but IndyCar are supplied by Dallara and teams make set up adjustments to the IndyCar. An F1 team does all the aerodynamics and engineering, so each team has a different car, which means there's a greater difference between the front and back teams, and that budgets for F1 teams are much higher. In theory IndyCar should be more equal than F1, but anybody who watches it knows that it's the Ganassi/Penske show.