Formula 1 cars are among the quickest vehicles ever created. These cars, however, are designed for a combination of performance and race efficiency rather than straight-line speed.
They are designed to be as fast as possible on a racing track.
The average speed of current Formula 1 vehicles is a little more difficult to calculate than you may expect.
The top speeds of F1 cars vary significantly from top racing speeds and top cornering speeds.
While F1 cars are famous for their high speed, they’re not that good at acceleration. So even if a driver starts slow in an F1 race, he catches up and sometimes even wins the race.
What’s more, the reduced acceleration in formula one cars preserves the tires and other essential components. This, in turn, help improve the racing abilities throughout the race.
Without further ado, let’s find out the average speed of F1 cars and get into more detail about speeds.
Average F1 Car Speed
A Formula 1 car is like a tamed wild horse. There is an enormous amount of energy slumbering deep inside, which, however, has not been fully exploited due to years of domestication.
With horses, you need reins for this; in Formula 1, the regulations of the FIA take over this function.
Formula 1 cars have an average speed of 223KPH (138MPH) and have been known to reach a top speed of 360KPH (223MPH).
These vehicles have a 0 to 100KPH (62MPH) acceleration time of 2.4 seconds and turning speeds of 300KPH (186MPH). F1 cars are the fastest vehicles on a racetrack.
This is astonishing given the size of modern F1 vehicles, yet there are records of Formula 1 cars reaching extraordinary speeds outside of official races.
A Formula 1 car’s straight-line speed is only restricted by its aerodynamics and power-weight ratio.
These cars are incredibly fast on a track but are less quick when looking at outright speed.
Some F1 cars have been observed going at speeds above 400 kilometers per hour (more than 248MPH).
These speeds are seldom witnessed in F1 races, but given enough room and a talented driver under the correct conditions, these cars are far faster than many people know.
Still, these cars are not the quickest in a straight when looking at all motorsport, but they are among the fastest cars in the world.
Here are the average speeds by racetrack:
| Racetrack | Top Speed | Average |
| Monza | 351 km/h | 250 km/h |
| Spa-Francorchamps | 330 km/h | 233 km/h |
| Hockenheim | 326 km/h | 209 km/h |
| South Korea | 320 km/h (estimated) | —– |
| Abu Dhabi | 320 km/h | 199 km/h |
| Montreal | 316 km/h | 200 km/h |
| Istanbul | 315 km/h | 222 km/h |
| Shanghai | 312 km/h | 203 km/h |
| Suzuka | 312 km/h | 222 km/h |
| Barcelona | 308 km/h | 205 km/h |
| Valencia | 306 km/h | 225 km/h |
| Sao Paulo | 306 km/h | 214 km/h |
| Melbourne | 303 km/h | 225 km/h |
| Bahrain | 303 km/h | 210 km/h |
| Singapore | 300 km/h | 175 km/h |
| Kuala Lumpur | 297 km/h | 210 km/h |
| Silverstone | 294 km/h | 229 km/h |
| Budapest | 291 km/h | 194 km/h |
Acceleration and Deceleration of F1 Cars
Acceleration is an area where F1 vehicles are not the fastest. These cars are not designed to be the fastest off the line but rather the fastest around a circuit. Hence slow starts are acceptable in this sport.
Reduced acceleration times also aid in preserving the tires and other components of these high-performance vehicles, allowing them to function better during the race.
As previously stated, Formula 1 vehicles accelerate from 0 to 100KPH (62MPH) in around 2.6 seconds.
Considering the mechanics and weight of these cars, this is a quick time, but it is not the fastest in motorsport.
Compared to other racecars, these cars are exceedingly swift off the line, and the acceleration speeds of F1 cars are impressive. As a result, seeing an F1 race begin is usually an exciting event.
The acceleration times of a Formula 1 car are astounding, but what may be even more impressive is how rapidly these cars can come to a stop from top speed.
A Formula 1 car can stop from 100 to zero kilometers per hour in around 15 meters.
In comparison, the braking distance of the McLaren Senna, a purpose-built, track-focused hypercar, is roughly 40 meters at the same speed.
A Formula One car can stop from 100 to 0 in about 1.5 seconds.
Drivers are frequently subjected to truly ridiculous amounts of g-force during braking since these autos can brake so rapidly from such high speeds.
In fact, when braking on some high-speed circuits, such as Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, drivers can encounter forces of up to 5.5 g.
During braking, the cars generate so much g-force that Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton remarked in 2019 that the g-forces were practically pulling tears from his eyes.
Why Are F1 Cars So Fast?
The design and engineering of Formula 1 cars allow them to attain the performance figures they do.
Let’s look at some of the primary components that contribute to the acceleration and braking abilities of a Formula 1 car: the engine, transmission, and brakes.
Engine
All Formula One teams have utilized the same engine since 2014, a 1.6-liter turbocharged V6.
Despite their small size, Formula 1 engines are extraordinarily powerful for their size; today, Formula 1 engines produce around 850 HP.
Also, despite their high horsepower figures, F1 engines produce very little torque, only about 260 lb-ft at 16,000 rpm.
This is one of the reasons why Formula 1 cars accelerate slower than other race cars because a high torque figure is beneficial to acceleration.
Because Formula 1 engines are significantly oversquare, with very high bore/stroke ratios, they have poor torque figures.
A short stroke produces less torque but also allows the engine to rev very quickly, which is beneficial for high-end power.
Furthermore, while Formula 1 engines produce little torque, the cars themselves are light; therefore, a large torque figure isn’t required to get a Formula 1 car moving.
Transmission
Another component of a Formula One car that significantly impacts acceleration is the transmission.
Since 2014, all Formula One vehicles have used the same gearbox, an 8-speed semi-automatic sequential gearbox.
If you’re unfamiliar with the term “semi-automatic gearbox,” it’s a transmission that partially automates the shifting procedure.
A Formula 1 driver switches gears using two paddles on the steering wheel; the left paddle downshifts, while the right paddle upshifts.
However, Formula One transmissions lack a clutch, making them semi-automatic.
Drivers can only shift up or down to the gear immediately adjacent to the one they are currently in.
In contrast, fully manual transmissions allow drivers to change through the gears in any order they chose (for example, in a true manual, they could go from first gear to third gear to sixt if they wanted).
Brakes
The key component of a Formula One car responsible for slowing it down is, of course, the brakes.
A Formula 1 car’s brakes are astounding; they’re comprised of carbon composites, allowing the brakes to tolerate extreme heat without losing efficiency.
Formula 1 brakes can operate in temperatures of up to 1,000 degrees Celsius.
Apart from the fact that they can work at such a high level of performance and are frequently made with better materials, the brakes in a Formula 1 car are practically the same as those in a conventional commuter car.
F1 vs. NASCAR vs. Indy car
NASCAR cars achieve 0 – 96kmph in 3.4 seconds and can hit 199.4mph, which is slower than an F1 car.
Despite the fact that F1 and NASCAR cars are used in racing, they are built substantially differently. A NASCAR car is built to race around an oval track at speeds of up to 200 mph.
When compared to an F1 car, NASCAR cars are larger, heavier, and have longer endurance.
As a result, these vehicles can maintain high speeds over extended periods of time. F1 vehicles, on the other hand, are meant to run at high speeds for a limited period of time.
As part of its safety procedures, NASCAR set many speed restrictions on the cars over the years.
The decision was made in response to an increasing number of events in which both drivers and bystanders were harmed.
IndyCar, not F1, is the quickest single-seater racer car. On a straight line, IndyCars can outperform F1 cars. For example, an IndyCar can reach a top track speed of 380kmph.
This is 20 kilometers per hour faster than F1 cars. However, there is a disadvantage to IndyCars. It takes them longer to reach these high speeds.
