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Indy Cars vs F1

Midwest Blade

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Leaving out performance, I really like the look of the new Indy race cars vs the latest F1 designs. Having watched both the Indy 500 and Monaco F1 Grand Prix this past weekend (thanks to the weather) I really came away with this perception. I know that F1's can stop and go and probably run circles around an Indy car but it seems they have lost their style and looks to the constant demand of engineering and technology. Now Indy cars are designed and engineered for a completely different style of racing and the slippery look of the cars scream high speed in line racing.

Have always been a fan of the Indy 500 and Sunday once again reassured me, as usual, I will probably never watch another Indy Car race this year and will tune in and follow each Grand Prix. Go figure.
 

Blumlein 88

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I like the Indy races on ovals oddly enough. So looking forward to Texas on June 8th. Then Iowa, Pocono, and that Gateway track in Illinois. I've seen a couple Indy road course races in person.

As for F1 and Indy just look at the Circuit of the Americas times as both ran it this year. You can find articles. Not even close to F1, and Indy cars let drivers go over marked track limits this year while F1 did not. So it really is worse than the times indicate. I agree though F1 cars are ugly, and Indy cars are pretty slick and fast looking. Also with F1, watch qualifying. No need to watch the race much after that. You know at least with the front runners how they'll more than likely finish.

There was about 12 seconds per lap difference at COTA with Indy cars running wide on turns. On the other hand, an F1 car is just about 30 times the cost of an Indy car. Indy is a budget racing org compared to F1.

Interesting also are the MotoGP times. About 30-35 seconds slower than F1 and 20 or so behind Indy cars. The MotoGP bikes can accelerate better than either to about 125 mph. They have similar top speeds. But they don't have downforce so braking is much less and cornering speeds are much lower for the bikes.
 

Soniclife

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If I could easily get Indy car coverage I'd watch it.
 

Roen

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I was watching Detroit this past weekend............I couldn't watch Indy for more than a few laps because of how slow the cars were in the corners. However, watching the 500 on the other hand was loads of fun!

I wish the Indy cars were closer.........or the F1 cars would run ovals once in awhile.
 

Sal1950

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I know that F1's can stop and go and probably run circles around an Indy car but it seems they have lost their style and looks to the constant demand of engineering and technology.
IMO Waaay too much computer control going on in F1, give the cars back to the drivers.
Personally I'll take Nascar, simply man and machine. Plus rubbin is racin. ;)
 
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Midwest Blade

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I like to think that the driver has a bit more affect on the race in Indy and Nascar than F1, but I wonder if you put any of the other 18 F1 drivers in the Mercedes would they be as dominant as Lewis or Valteri.
 

Soniclife

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IMO Waaay too much computer control going on in F1, give the cars back to the drivers.
I'm not sure there is much these days, they have banned a lot of things, the ECU gives them some traction control, but the rest has to be adjusted by the driver, hence all the buttons and dials on the wheel they are constantly adjusting around the lap. I agree cars should be driven, and not managed.
 

Soniclife

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I wonder if you put any of the other 18 F1 drivers in the Mercedes would they be as dominant as Lewi
Most of the other 18 would come up short, there are a few I'm sure world be great, and there would be the odd real surprise if they were given a go in a top car. Sadly we will never find out.
 
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Most of the other 18 would come up short, there are a few I'm sure world be great, and there would be the odd real surprise if they were given a go in a top car. Sadly we will never find out.
I'm not sure about that. Given a little bit of time to adjust for a particular car, I think most/all of the current F1 drivers would be at the front if driving the Mercedes. These guys are all excellent wheel-men.

The reverse would be interesting. If you put Hamilton or Bottas in the Williams cars, they would still be at the back of the pack.
Car is king in F1.

F1 is much more interesting nowadays if you monitor the mid-pack teams/battles. That's where the real competition is.

Dave.
 

sonci

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If you watched the last Monaco Grand Prix, it was pretty obvious that Merc is the best car, but also Hamilton is the best driver. He won the race with no tyres and with Verstapen as a shade..
I think the pilot is much more important in the F1, because you have to be perfect, in every corner, every lap, there's no margin for error..
Rosberg won the championship in 2016 beating Hamilton, but it doesn't mean that every pilot can win with a Mercedes, but just that when you drive in F1, you are the best of the best..
 

Soniclife

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I'm not sure about that. Given a little bit of time to adjust for a particular car, I think most/all of the current F1 drivers would be at the front if driving the Mercedes.
I've just looked at the current list of drivers, and in my next to useless opinion there are 10 drivers who are not top level, sure they would all go faster in faster cars, but others would go faster.

The reverse would be interesting. If you put Hamilton or Bottas in the Williams cars, they would still be at the back of the pack.
Car is king in F1.
Agreed, and probably always will be, it's an engineering championship first.
 
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Midwest Blade

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Fully agree on the mid-pak in F1. It appears that Toro Rosso is rising to the top, I was expecting more from Renault and Ricardo this year.
 

Twitch54

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Indy car fan here along with sports car(IMSA) racing. Enjoyed the brief 2 year return that Indy had at the Glen a cpl years back. One of my favorite tracks, memories of F1 back in the seventies.......
 

Cortes

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In Europe nobody (almost) knows what Indy is. Real races are for F1.
 

restorer-john

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In Europe nobody (almost) knows what Indy is. Real races are for F1.

We had Indycar races here where I live from 1991-2008 or so. Street circuit and it was ball-tearing fun to watch. We'd be in a mate's high rise unit on the beach looking right over the track eating and drinking all weekend. Those suckers were loud echoing in and around all the beachside highrise apartments!

Some fun times. Plenty of sights:

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Now it's the GC600 with V8 supercars. Still fun, but not my cup of tea. We avoid that part of the Gold Coast while it is on next month.

This is the northern part of the street circuit:

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Bottom centre is the pits and some grandstands/start grid. they blast down the highway and wind through the highrise and then down the beach road.
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anmpr1

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To me, the most exciting are the longest and shortest races. For insane, over the top audiophile 'slam' it's got to be Top Fuel. Then there's places like Le Mans. In the span of 24 hours, anything that can go wrong will. Or Baja.
 

Wombat

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V8 Supercars Down-under was a big tribal contest - Holden(Chevy) vs Ford. It has given way to including Nissan, Volvo, Mercedes and whatnot.

Blechh. o_O
 
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