Physics isn’t magic, you can’t have both. You either choose more interesting racing, or you choose aero.

So, the track record, set by one of the winningest drivers in history, was 14 seconds faster than that of a rookie’s practice lap with nothing on the line?

Yeah, with each series having widely different rules, it’s pointless to compare series against each other, even top tier racing. This is why I always hated when people were all “Well the DeltaWing is the fastest car in LMP2, it’s obviously a good car design!”

So the F1 time is the lap record set in qualifying by a champion. The Indy time was for a rookie in a series that hasn't raced there before. That doesn't seem like the best comparison. What was the lap time for the slowest qualifier for F1 last year? Or the average lap time for qualifying last year?

That gap is big, but that still makes the IndyCar the 2nd fastest machine around COTA. I wanted to know how fast Marc Marquez’ fastest MotoGP lap was and was surprised to find it was 2:03

I think its important to emphasize that these are Formula 1 qualifying times we’re talking about here. In qualifying, F1 cars are running with their engines turned up within an inch of their lives, very little fuel onboard, and unlimited DRS usage.

I’ve ranted a few times about how F1 needs to reduce their reliance on downforce if they want to have more exciting races. Let the drivers race instead of determining the outcome based on engineering budgets and who can get the cleanest air over their aero parts.

Remember how the Nascar trucks and even the Arca series were putting down faster laps at Daytona over the Cup cars a few times because of restrictor plate rule differences?

I would do awful, awful things to see that multiclass open wheel series.

My favorite COTA race ever was last year’s MX-5 Cup. The pack was wild, vicious, and there was never more than maybe eight car lengths between first and fourteenth. Didn’t even have a clear leader until the final corners. Absolutely magnificent.

Another factor to consider is the difference in track temperature.  I don’t remember how hot it was when Hamilton set his F1 time, but it is definitely quite a bit chillier in Texas right now.  Unless the IndyCars have some very, very soft winter tires, I’m sure they never got into their temperature window.  As…

One of the big arguments as to why IndyCar wouldn’t race at COTA was, for a while, that it would show how much slower IndyCars were than F1 cars, thus making IndyCar look like a foolish, small potatoes series next to the grandiose international series that is Formula One.

LMP1s were lapping on the low 45’s if I’m not wrong. But there’s nothing more interesting trackside these days than an Indy car. It is fast, loud and moves about quite a lot.

A short interview with Marcus Ericsson explains the main differences. Downforce and steering. Indycar has significantly less downforce than F1 so on a track with lots of high speed corners, F1 will always be way faster. The fact that the Indycars don’t have assisted steering makes a massive difference too.

I’d say Indycar being slower is a good thing, F1s pure lap speed is one of the biggest problems with the series. They could maintain the straight line performance but reduce cornering and braking grip, thus making speed differentials between straights and corners bigger. It’d make F1 way more interesting to watch.

There is not correlation between how fast something is and how good the race will be. As a genuine curiosity, this is fun. Also of note: The best I can tell is the F4 lap times were in the 2:16 range. The Audi R18 was 1:47. And and F1 car probably wouldn’t top 230 at IMS.

I love racing variation.

Which is why I only follow the LeMons series.

In 2006-2007 both F1 and Champ cars (cart) were racing at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve in Montreal.

Hate to break it to you, but many excruciatingly pedestrian cars can easily hit 153mph these days. I bet my stock 200hp Wagon could get close. Throw a tune on it and I bet it would get there. A stock WRX can probably hit 155 and those seem to be the car-du-jour of students at the local community college and many…

Let people be. I've hit those speeds.