Formula 1 and Le Mans are the most popular events in motorsport. So the question has to be asked, which car is faster, the Formula 1 car or the Le Mans Hypercar?
For those who don’t know, the 24hrs Le Mans race is part of the World Endurance Championship (WEC). There are a total of 3 classes in WEC; Hypercar, LMP2, and LMGTE with the Hypercar being the fastest.
Over a single lap, a Formula 1 car will be much faster than the Le Mans Hypercar. However, the Formula 1 car will not be able to last as long as the WEC Hypercar for a continuous period of time.
Why is the Formula 1 car faster than the Hypercar?
Both the Formula 1 cars and the Hypercars are built for different purposes due to the nature of their respective championships. The WEC consists of races lasting up to 24 hours. These cars will be required to last continuously for 24 hours while traveling at high speeds.
The Formula 1 cars are built to last only for approximately 90 minutes per race. F1 cars have a lot of engine regulations limiting the engine manufacturers from making the car too powerful. However, the amount of Aerodynamics that goes into the design of the car makes the car extremely quick in the corners giving them a greater pace over a lap.
The Le Mans cars don’t have too many engine regulations, Both the Hypercar and the Formula 1 car can go at speeds over 200mph. However, the cars are much heavier and the car does not create much downforce, forcing the driver to slow down a lot more in the corners. For comparison, the F1 car can do a lap around Monza at approximately 1:19.555 while a Hypercar can complete the same lap at around 1:35.899.
Can F1 cars run for 24 hours continuously?
Current Formula 1 cars are not built to last for 24 hours. Even if the cars could last for 24 hours, it will be very stressful for the drivers to travel at high speeds with high G-forces on their bodies every lap.
Over a 2-hour race, each driver losses approximately 6-8 pounds. Over a 24-hour race, the driver would lose approximately 10-15 pounds with driver changes during the race. Losing this sort of weight will not be healthy or ideal.
Driver changes in the current Fromula 1 car would be more complicated than expected. The F1 car seat is custom designed specifically for each driver. For example, Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen will not be able to share the same seat in an F1 car. Changing a seat mold during a race is close to impossible.
Even if they could find a driver of the same build so the seat can be shared, for a driver to get out and get into the car, they will have to remove the steering wheel and headrest. Removing the steering wheel could lead the vehicle to switch off. Starting a Formula 1 car is not as simple as turning a key or pressing a button. The mechanics would have to insert a drill into the back of the car in order for it to restart.
Formula 1 engines have a high wear rate. Due to the high revs that occur during a race, the engines will wear down faster than the average road car or the Hypercar. These issues will prevent the car from completing a 24-hour race like the WEC Hypercar.