Formula 1 has become one of the most looked-forward-to sport. People all over the world anticipate a race just to look at the Formula 1 car. But F1 is not the only motorsport around. NASCAR is another one of the highly anticipated motorsports. A lot of F1 drivers have returned from F1 to join NASCAR or were driving for NASCAR before their big Formula 1 debut.
Both NASCAR and Formula 1 involve cars with the highest speed, racing each other. And both of these World racing series involve intense competition to finish first and drive the car to its limits. But while NASCAR and Formula 1 may have a lot of similarities in them. There are some significant differences between them too. NASCAR has cars modified to race and Formula cars are built for racing.
Difference between NASCAR and Formula 1
Overview
NASCAR stands for the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing. In NASCAR the cars compete with each other on an oval race track. The tracks are usually 2 to 2.5 miles long, although the cars have to be driven for 500 miles. Unlike F1, the cars have no aid and they have to be driven by pure skills. While the NASCAR car bears a cost $200,000 to $400,000, the Formula 1 car cost at least $12 million to $20 million.
Meanwhile, Formula 1 cars are built for the races. The races take place at street circuits which are prepared to be used as tracks or tracks that were built for the race. The circuits are long and complex. F1 cars are also open-wheels and are very complex to build than NASCAR cars. While NASCAR cars provide at least 800 horsepower the Formula 1 cars have smaller engines which develop 750 horsepower.
Techniques and race conditions
NASCAR races are longer and F1 races are short and last for only 190 miles. They can include extra races like Sprint Shootouts for the weekend. In NASCAR, one of the most important elements is drafting. Drafting involves two cars driving extremely close to each other.
One car is the lead while the other is the trailing car. This is done to increase the speed of the car without losing too much fuel. The aerodynamic slipstream helps the trailing car speed up. But in the case of Formula 1 cars, the aerodynamic slipstream allows them to drive through those corners without losing speed. Since the wheels are more on the outside of the car, they cannot drive close to another car.
The NASCAR races take place mostly on sunny and dry days which can make the tracks difficult to drive on. While Formula 1 takes place throughout different seasons. F1 races are scheduled half a year earlier than the season. Therefore the races take place during summer, rain, and winter. That is because NASCAR is only limited to the USA while F1 travels around the world and drives on different circuits.
Track Design and Technology
The NASCAR races involve short 1 to 2.5-mile oval tracks. They are simple and symmetrical in nature. Although they do need to drive while turning left almost at all times. While the tracks for F1 are much more complex. They have a longer circuit and involve a lot of different turns and corners. While most of the street circuits also tend to be more narrow.
While NASCAR and Formula 1 cars have pretty similar technology, the NASCAR cars have roll cages and a variety of safety devices like the HANs devices. It also has a telemetry that updates the performance of the cars in real time. F1 cars also have small sensory devices that monitor everything. NASCAR cars also use a V8 engine that is 5.9 liters at the top. And also continue to use a push rod. While F1 cars use V6 turbocharged engines that are double-overhead camshafts. These engines are mostly 1.6 liters.
The difference in the driving experience in NASCAR and Formula 1
In F1, drivers race internationally and have to win various different races to win a championship. They drive on some of the most prestigious and old tracks that date back all the way to 1949. Some of the circuits that the Formula 1 cars compete on are the Monaco circuit Abu Dhabi circuit and the Singapore circuit.
Another one of the biggest differences between F1 cars and NASCAR cars is the speed. F1 cars are much lighter which allows them to accelerate at higher speeds. The average Formula 1 car can accelerate from 0 to 62.1mph in less than 1.6 seconds. And gives a top speed of 229 mph.
While NASCAR cars travel at around 200 mph. F1 also has the Halo that protects drivers and is also a survival cell. The racers also wear inflammable suits just like the NASCAR drivers. Although the safety features are different. The NASCAR drivers have seat belts and harnesses on them. They also have window nets and roof plates for protection.
As F1 gains more and more popularity, the question of how is it different from NASCAR keeps coming up. The Formula 1 and NASCAR aside from their differences are the most anticipated motorsports. While some may prefer to watch F1, some prefer the raw skills of NASCAR. The differences aside, these two motorsport series bring some of the best skills and art of engineering into the game that should be looked forward to.