It’s a debate that gets race fans fired up like a hot engine on race day: Is NASCAR faster than Formula 1? Let’s break it all down — from the tech toys to the dollars and top speeds — and see which machine really rules the road.
Speed Isn’t Just About Numbers
F1 cars are quick. They can reach 218 mph (351.7 km/h), while NASCAR stock cars usually peak at around 193 mph (310 km/h). That might not sound like a huge gap, but acceleration and lap time are the real difference.
But here’s the thing — NASCAR races are mostly on oval tracks, which means longer straightaways and lots of drafting. F1, meanwhile, winds through road courses and street circuits that demand sharp cornering and constant braking. So, while F1 wins on raw speed, NASCAR isn’t exactly slow — it just plays a different game.
Power Unit: NASCAR vs. Formula One
NASCAR cars have 5.8-liter naturally aspirated V8 engines that produce 670 horsepower. They cost around $100,000 apiece.
On the other side, F1 engines are incredibly complex. They’re 1.6-liter V6 turbocharged hybrids packed with sophisticated tech like MGU-K, MGU-H, DRS and ERS. These systems recover energy and, along with the power unit, produce 950 hp. That monster of a power unit can cost up to $10.5 million. The price difference is massive.
F1 cars are also way lighter—just under 700 kg (about 1,543 lbs). NASCAR cars weigh nearly twice that, around 1,500 kg (or 3,300 lbs). That weight difference is a big reason why F1 cars blast off the line faster and hug corners like they’re glued to the track.
Different Worlds, Different Goals
There’s more to racing than just how fast you go. NASCAR is about endurance, teamwork and guts. These drivers run 36 races a year, sometimes battling it out for over 500 miles daily. F1, on the other hand, is all about precision, complex engineering, timing and perfection across 24 races around the globe.
Even the money game is wild. An entire NASCAR season might cost $15 million for a top team. Red Bull reportedly spent $283 million to win the title in 2021. And that’s not even counting what’s outside the budget cap.
So, if you’re judging by pure speed and tech? Formula One takes the cake. But if you’re all about brawny, side-by-side action and good ol’ racing drama, NASCAR has its kind of magic.
In the end, it’s not about which is faster. It’s about what gets your heart racing.