NASCAR Vs Formula 1 2023: Difference Between Drivers, Teams, Speed, Tracks and Cars Between Two Premium Motorsport Events

In both Europe and North America, motorsports is a huge deal. However, the two regions have different kinds of racing series. While NASCAR and IndyCar are predominant racing competitions in the United States, Europe has Formula 1 to boast about.

In popularity, F1 takes the pie across the globe. It’s also considered the pinnacle of motorsports, with the advanced engineering and intricate strategies implied to win a race.

With F1 expanding in the United States, it’s getting more prominent than ever across the Atlantic. But what are the differences between the two racing series’ formats?

NASCAR vs Formula 1 2023: What separates the two?

Drivers

When it comes to the list of drivers, F1 is an exclusive club. Only 20 drivers participate over a calendar year, and it’s not like a fresh crop of 20 drivers comes in yearly. Having 3-4 new drivers is a big deal in itself. Thus, the survival of the fittest is a huge thing in F1.

Meanwhile, since 2016, 40 drivers can drive in a NASCAR race. 36 spots are reserved for the charter teams. The remaining four sports are for the non-charter teams competing for the remaining spots.

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Teams

Even in teams, F1 can’t be more exclusive. Only 10 teams participate across the year, and they compete for the constructors’ championship throughout the number of races listed in the calendar.

Recently from America, Andretti Autosport and Cadillac have been trying to get into F1. But so far, they are seeing heavy resistance over financial intricacies.

Meanwhile, there are 17 teams listed in the NASCAR Cup series, and they can compete in all the series included in the sport. Those different types of races will be detailed below.

Tracks

Formula 1 has only two types of tracks. One is conventional, and the other is street circuits, which have gained prominence over the last decade. The conventional tracks are usually on the city’s outskirts, while street circuits are within the city’s vicinity.

Both circuits have multiple corners and at least two massive straights. Though F1 cars tend to go at their optimal speeds on conventional tracks, street circuits give higher uncertainties in the race, and crashes and collisions, which can change the race’s outcome, are more common on the streets.

On the other hand, there are four different types of tracks in NASCAR. Short tracks, intermediate ovals, superspeedways, and road courses. Most of the tracks are oval in shape with four definitive curves.

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Cars

In Formula 1, all cars are open-wheel cars and have the same regulations to design a car. However, the aerodynamics modifications teams can do to have the upper hand against each other differ.

On the other hand, NASCAR has three types of cars Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro, and Toyota Camry. While a NASCAR car can cost around $500,000-600,000, an F1 car easily costs around $14 million.

NASCAR also has a truck series where the teams modify pickup trucks based on stock cars. It’s regarded as the third tier of the series, behind CUP Series and Xfinity series.

Speed

The stock cars can catch up the speed up to 200mph on an outright maximum pace. On the other hand, F1 cars have a significant edge over their American counterparts.

Meanwhile,e Valtteri Bottas in 2022, while racing in Azerbaijan, recorded a speed of 231.4 mph. Therefore, modern F1 cars top speed on a straight line can range from 220-230 mph.

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Different series

There are three different series of NASCAR. The pinnacle of it is the Cup Series, where the best drivers take part. The level below is the Xfinity series, which acts like a feeder series to the former competition.

The lowest is the Craftsman Truck series, which is believed to be the arena of drivers who couldn’t make up to the top level of stock racing. Meanwhile, F1 is itself a competition. However, it does have other feeder series.

Named by Formula 1, 2, 3 and 4. The drivers gain superlicense points from there and become eligible to drive in f1 by gaining a minimum of 40 points.  Though IndyCar and  NASCAR drivers can earn superlicense points, it’s less rewarding than the inferior Formula versions.

NASCAR drivers are awarded similarly to Formula 3 drivers. Therefore, the drivers aspiring for F1 should get points by participating in F2 to get a seamless entry into F1 if a team is interested in hiring.

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