Formula 1’s popularity has exploded in the United States since the debut of Netflix’s “Drive to Survive”, and viewership is reaching new heights as ESPN and ABC broadcast F1 races. But what exactly is Formula 1? And what makes it different from NASCAR? We asked Peter Gaspich, Clemson Formula SAE suspension lead, automotive engineering ’26. He guides a team of students to build an F1 race car from the ground up and then race it against teams from other universities around the world!
Here are the primary differences Formula 1:
- Open-wheel race cars, custom-built
- Usually race on road courses or street courses
- Fastest top speeds in the world, but more variability in speeds with varying turns
- Hybrid power trains, rely heavily on electronics
NASCAR:
- Stock race cars
- Usually raced on oval tracks with some road course elements
- Running top speeds for longer
- Completely combustion engines, less electronics
