Every motorsport fan knows that F1 cars only look fast when they’re in their garage. This begs the question: how fast do F1 cars really go? This answer is a bit tricky because several factors can influence whether a car reaches its top speed during a race.
The fastest F1 car ever driven by F1 is 256.75mph. Jenson Button set this record in a late-model Red Bull racing on the Bonneville Salt Flats. However, you’re unlikely to see an F1 car reach these speeds during a race.
How fast do Formula 1 cars go on the track?
Although Jenson Button set the fastest ever speed in a Formula 1 car, they usually go much slower around the track. The cars are fastest in qualifying with little fuel in the tank and will use all available resources to set the fastest lap in the race for pole position at the Grand Prix. Valtteri Bottas set the unofficial speed record for any F1 car on track in 2016 when he drove a Williams 231.46mph at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku.
The design of F1 circuits limits the speed of the cars for safety reasons. As drivers navigate the track, they often have to slow down in braking zones or cornering. Prolonged high-speed driving puts too much pressure on the car and can heat the tires beyond the optimum temperature range. As a result, F1 drivers monitor their speeds during the race.
Racing conditions can also affect how fast drivers drive their vehicles during a Grand Prix. While fans may assume that rain is the number one factor affecting a car, they might be surprised to learn that crosswinds can seriously affect a vehicle’s handling. Likewise, track debris such as sand can interfere with handling and force drivers to slow down during the race.
What are the fastest circuits in F1?
Formula 1 usually organizes the different race circuits into two camps: high downforce circuits and power circuits. The high-downforce tracks rely on aerodynamics to keep cars stable when negotiating obstacles such as chicanes, curbs and long curves. Meanwhile, power tracks are high-speed loops that push vehicles to their limits every lap.
The fastest circuit on the F1 calendar is the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. The Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort is second. These tracks have a wide banked curve which allows drivers to maintain high cornering speeds. They also feature multiple instant and generous DRS zones to promote strong straight-line speed.
What helps F1 cars go so fast?
Compared to other vehicles, F1 cars are designed to go fast. They often work better at high speeds than at low speeds. The fastest F1 cars reach top speeds of over 220mph and 0-60 in around two seconds. It is similar to many road cars, such as the Tesla Model S Plaid version.
When Formula 1 cars are at top speed, they generate a huge amount of drag to keep them stable. F1 teams manipulate downforce by modifying structures such as the rear wing of the car to force the car against the ground while driving. As the car goes faster, more force is applied to the chassis, keeping it grounded and stable.
The design of Formula 1 cars has a good power-to-weight ratio. The vehicle moves more efficiently, the lighter it is and the more power it produces. Most F1 cars only weigh around 1,759 pounds. However, high-performance F1 engines with turbocharged V6 engines and energy recovery systems produce over 1,000 horsepower, making these vehicles blistering.
Are F1 cars faster than other racing cars?
F1 cars are the fastest cars on the track as compared to other racing series but lag behind other racing cars on the track. They are only slightly behind IndyCar vehicles, which can easily reach 230 or more when racing around an oval track. Again, as many F1 circuits have unique obstacles, they tend to be much slower during the races.
However, F1 cars are much faster than stock NASCAR cars, only hitting around 200mph during a race. This weight means NASCAR vehicles are much less powerful, even with larger engines.
