Are Open Wheel Cars Faster Than Street Cars? Find Out if and How

If you are a car enthusiast, you may follow the Formula 1 series at least once in your life. I often remember my childhood days when I sat before the TV, had a bucket of popcorn, and enjoyed F1 racing. Apart from these, I also wondered why F1 cars are not like classic cars. Or, what is the speciality of these open-wheel cars?

Are open wheel cars faster? I got the answer. Yes, open-wheel cars are way faster than traditional or closed-wheel cars. The reason behind open-wheel cars being faster is lightweight. Having an average speed of 1500 kg, open-wheel cars’ performance in terms of speed is up to the mark. That’s it?

No, there’s more to discuss open-wheel cars. And in this article, I will share some hidden and interesting facts about open-wheel cars.

Why Are Open Wheel Cars Faster?

Thanks to Ray Harroun, who introduced us to open-wheel cars back in the 19th century. And since then, we have seen open-wheel cars flourish worldwide in terms of popularity.

The significant reason for its popularity is its unique design. The wheels coming from the car’s body, lower cockpit, wider wheels, and eye-catching interior make the fastest racing cars more desirable.

In addition, open-wheel cars can run fast, having a top speed of around 220 MPH. Cars like the 5/10 Ferrari F2002, 8/10 McLaren-Honda MP4/4, and 3/10 Red Bull RB9 are the core examples of open-wheel cars, especially among car enthusiasts.

Now, let’s know the facts that make open-wheel cars faster than any other.

Lightweight

You don’t need to be a car specialist to understand that lightweight cars can generate more speed. Think about the camel in the desert. The more stuff you put on the camel, its walking speed will be less. In terms of open-wheel cars, the concept remains the same.

Most open-wheel cars, including the most popular ones mentioned above, have an average weight of 798-1500 kg. In addition, this weight range is allowed by Formula 1 in racing. This low-weight range of open-wheel cars allows them to take less energy. And, when a car takes less energy to move from one place to another, it becomes faster.

Besides, lightweight open-wheel cars have the ability to produce more aerodynamic drugs, which brings extreme speed.

“No the lighter car will get to its top speed quicker the more loaded car will sit closer to the road and may have less aerodynamic drag using less power then the extra load increasing the wheel bearing and tire friction minimal.” Jonatha Tamm on Quora.

Single-Seater Lower Cockpit

Due to the single-seater lower cockpit or interior, open-wheel cars tend to generate more speed. If you look at the Formula 1 cars, you can clearly see the difference in the cockpit compared to other cars. 

The theory here is the lower cockpit, only the driver’s head coming out, allows the air to move fast over the car. And thus, it makes open-wheel cars go faster.

Larger Diameter Wheel

Open-wheel cars are challenging to drive, and not only everyone can drive them with full confidence. The larger the wheel’s diameter, the harder the car’s acceleration.

However, a larger wheel diameter has an advantage: it can produce more speed and ensure proper wheel to wheel contact. Besides, regarding open-wheel cars, acceleration is something satisfying too.

Furthermore, we see an increasing amount of wheel rubber in terms of open-wheel cars. So, along with other speed-generating facts, the larger diameter rubber wheel of the open-wheel cars is also a reason for their fast movement.

See what Mike Mahony wrote on Quora.

“Basically, the larger the diameter of the driving wheels, the faster the vehicle will travel at any given RPM as compared to smaller diameter wheels.”

Powerful Engine

The more powerful your car engine is, the more it generates speed. In most cases, open-wheel cars are made for racing purposes, and we hardly see them on the road. Keeping the racing perspective in mind, the manufacturers use powerful engines that can produce more torque and horsepower.

Here, you can check this video to explore the power of open-wheel racing car engines.

Open-Wheel Cars Vs Closed-Wheel Cars

As the heading suggests, you can find many differences between an open-wheel car and a closed-wheel car. To make it simpler, as you know, open-wheel cars have wheels located outside their bodies.

In addition, open-wheel cars are also considered single-seater cars, the sports cars seen in F1 racing.

On the other hand, closed-wheel cars are the classic cars you use to travel from one place to another. Closed-wheel keeps the wheels under their bodies and has a covered interior or cockpit.

Now, let’s look at the comparison table below.

Comparison factOpen-wheel carsClosed-wheel cars
SpeedTop speedLess speed than the open-wheel cars
SafetyLess safeCompletely safe.
SeatOne-seaterMultiple seats
 Price Expensive Less price than open-wheel cars.
 Control Challenging to control Easy to control

You can check this video too to differentiate between open-wheel and closed-wheel cars better.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Are Open-Wheel Cars Harder to Drive?

Open-wheel car is not like classic or closed-wheel cars. There are differences between functionality, driving momentum, control, safety, etc. Moreover, open-wheel cars are more challenging to drive, and it needs a long-time practice to drive them comprehensively. A tiny push from other cars can make the scenario more extreme.

Are Open-Wheel Cars Expensive?

Yes, open-wheel cars are expensive. However, if you are a racing enthusiast and have a decent amount of money, you can afford one. Due to external components or parts, manufacturers often can’t make them in an affordable price range. Moreover, racing cars usually come with a higher price tag. So, there’s nothing to be ashamed of if an open-wheel car cuts into your budget.

Are F1 Cars Street-Legal?

Fortunately, or unfortunately, F1 cars are not allowed to drive on the street. There are some valid reasons behind this restriction as well. The first one is safety. Due to the open cockpit and no cover in front of the driver zone, driving an open-wheel car is not safe. In addition, to drive an open-wheel car, one needs extraordinary driving skills, which isn’t possible for many people. Moreover, the open-wheel cars or F1 can’t meet the road safety requirements or policy.

Final Words

Are open wheel cars faster? You’ve got the answer. Open-wheel cars, having some of the most stunning features and functionalities, stand apart from many cars when racing. So, if you are a professional driver and used to driving closed-wheel cars, why not have a new experience?

But make sure you don’t come out with your open-wheel car in the street. I know you won’t do so. If you are looking forward to having one, you can, if you have a lot to spend.

So, with elegant designs, open-wheel cars are faster-nothing to debate over.

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