The Racing Thread
- Thread starter AWP
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AMR and...depending on who you believe, McLaren or Mercedes. Which makes sense because RB did it, received a slap on the wrist, and went on to win multiple WCCs and WDCs.
Mercedes would surprise me, but I can wholly subscribe to Zak Brown breaking the cap. Zak's a turd and I hope Oscar finds a winning team because he deserves better.
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I’m tired of following traditional pro-sports and I’ve enjoyed reading the back and forth in this thread.
Give me a racing 101?
What’s worth watching? NASCAR, F1, etc?
Is there a way to compare the different types of racing to the different traditional pro sports that I might watch?
Do you support countries, teams, or it appears maybe you are just supporting certain automobile makers?
I have no idea where to even begin, or who to watch or care about.
Give me a racing 101?
What’s worth watching? NASCAR, F1, etc?
Is there a way to compare the different types of racing to the different traditional pro sports that I might watch?
Do you support countries, teams, or it appears maybe you are just supporting certain automobile makers?
I have no idea where to even begin, or who to watch or care about.
Topkick
Verified Military
I casually follow a lot of different venues but mostly NHRA because its simple and full of characters. Also, I am a gearhead and have done some amateur drag racing myself. I also enjoy road racing like the 24 hour endurance races. Auto racing isn't a nonsense free sport. NASCAR is probably more woke than a lot of traditional sports. Its a shell of its former glory. F1 is fun and full of drama. Call me what you will but my only issue with F1 is the lack of Americans in the sport.
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For NASCAR I'll defer to @Topkick and @SpongeBob*24.
I haven't followed much Indycar but it appears they have a pretty good product and of course, the Indy 500 on Memorial Day weekend every year. The Indy 500 is a month-long event and considered among the crown jewels of racing.
WEC (World Endurance Championship), IMSA, and other endurance races can be very entertaining, but aren't often televised minus races like the Daytona 24.
MotoGP is supposed to be really fun to watch, but the viewing rights in the US are...stupid and expensive.
I haven't followed much Indycar but it appears they have a pretty good product and of course, the Indy 500 on Memorial Day weekend every year. The Indy 500 is a month-long event and considered among the crown jewels of racing.
WEC (World Endurance Championship), IMSA, and other endurance races can be very entertaining, but aren't often televised minus races like the Daytona 24.
MotoGP is supposed to be really fun to watch, but the viewing rights in the US are...stupid and expensive.
I personally do not like "team" sports. Motorsport is very much on the individual first, team second...Mostly. F1 is the pinnacle of racing due to the speed, money, and danger, but it's very flashy. If you have Netflix, catch an episode of drive to survive, but know it's chopped up to create the drama. That's honestly what got me into it. I don't watch NASCAR or Indy. I do watch the Pro2 (2wd), Pro4 (4wd), and stadium trucks every so often cause that shit is cool, but that'll have to be on Youtube. Then you have the Ultra4's and races like the King of the Hammers.
MotoGP is the king of 2 wheels on the street. Motocross and Supercross for dirtbikes.
I prefer supporting a driver, but the history nerd in me has an affiinity for teams with history like Williams or McLaren. Unfortunately the latter is run by a shit head, BUT employs my favorite driver.
The US will have two teams in F1 next year. Haas and Cadillac. The latter is a brand new team and has already dropped about 1.3 billion into the team and they don't even have a car.
F1. Long season (March to Dec.). Races can be boring (though the last 2-3 years have seen the best fields where one-thousandths of a second can matter in qualifying). Race weekend is 3 days: Friday has Free Practice 1 and 2, Sat. has FP3 and Qualifying, Sunday is the race. Qualifying is done with all cars at once. 3 rounds, dropping the bottom 5 after rounds 1 and 2. F1 drivers can be a bit hard to relate to for some Americans and the drivers can be whiners and complainers. Prima donnas.
One interesting thing about F1 is next season brings an entirely new set of rules. New engines, aerodynamics, the whole she bang. 4 races left this season, one in Las Vegas, you have a chance to get your feet wet knowledge-wise before 2026.
The F1 Youtube channel does some good recaps and Jolyon Palmer's analysis videos are top notch.
FORMULA 1
If merch is your thing, I think Red Bull and Williams have some of the best looking merch out there. Aston Martin is vomit green. McLaren is stuck in an 80's truck stop.
Blizzard
Member
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Strap in…this is a looooong post.
Dovetailing off what other have already said, here’s my $.02.
There’s a wide variety of motorsports with unique formats and rules that appeal differently to individuals. You just need to decide what appeals most to you. Some are easier/more accessible than others for viewing/fans.
Motorsports may seem boring to the uninitiated. For many fans, it’s the nuances, strategies, and personalities involved, aside from the actual driving, that provides appeal.
In some ways, I liken it to baseball. Some people are bored to tears with it; games may seem long with little action. I understand that view. But, for fans who understand the game, there’s a lot more to it and it can be very exciting. So, I start from that kind of perspective.
F1 and NASCAR are the two motorsport kings…they’re probably the most widely followed, each with their own unique fan base.
From a 10,000ft view, here’s my "guide" to some of the larger motorsport categories for those that may new to it (note: these summaries are just snapshots in time based on my understanding – I’m not an expert on all – or any -- of them and there's absolutely many other flavors with even more nuance):
Formula 1 (F1):
IndyCar
NASCAR
WRC Rally Car
GT/Touring/Endurance Racing
NHRA Drag Racing
MotoGP
Dirt Bike/Supercross/Motocross
Dovetailing off what other have already said, here’s my $.02.
There’s a wide variety of motorsports with unique formats and rules that appeal differently to individuals. You just need to decide what appeals most to you. Some are easier/more accessible than others for viewing/fans.
Motorsports may seem boring to the uninitiated. For many fans, it’s the nuances, strategies, and personalities involved, aside from the actual driving, that provides appeal.
In some ways, I liken it to baseball. Some people are bored to tears with it; games may seem long with little action. I understand that view. But, for fans who understand the game, there’s a lot more to it and it can be very exciting. So, I start from that kind of perspective.
F1 and NASCAR are the two motorsport kings…they’re probably the most widely followed, each with their own unique fan base.
From a 10,000ft view, here’s my "guide" to some of the larger motorsport categories for those that may new to it (note: these summaries are just snapshots in time based on my understanding – I’m not an expert on all – or any -- of them and there's absolutely many other flavors with even more nuance):
Formula 1 (F1):
- General: Or as Jean Girard calls it, Formula Uh. Many consider this the pinnacle of motorsports. Features open-wheel, single-seat racing in, what most would agree are, the most technologically advanced cars.
- Season: March to December (9 months). 24 races, including 6 sprints.
- Unique Rules/Feature:Rules govern car dimensions and powerplants/engines, but there’s some variety between teams/cars. Teams primarily develop competitive advantage through aerodynamics and other innovations. Huge team budgets; easily exceed $100M.
- Tires: Teams must use a specific allocation of tires with different compounds (hard, medium, soft) during the race weekend; team decides when/how to use them.
- DRS: The Drag Reduction System (DRS) allows drivers to gain an electronic speed advantage for overtaking when they are within 1 second of the car in front while in designated passing zones.
- Pitstops/”Box”: No refueling
- Competition Style:Races are held on road and street circuit courses around the world.
- 10 teams compete (this will expand to 11 in 2026), each with 2 drivers competing per race; 20 drivers/cars total.
- The series crowns a Drivers' Champion (individual with most race points) and a Constructors' Champion (engineering team with the most race points).
- Qualifying occurs on Saturdays, with main event Grand Prix race on Sundays.
- Some events also include a sprint format (~30 min race with no pitstops) that takes place on Saturday, awards points, and sets the start grid for the main race on Sunday.
- Average race distance ~200 miles
- Famous tracks include Monaco and Silverstone
- Atmosphere:High-tech, exclusive, “glamorous”.
- F1 has probably the most visible and made the greatest strides in overall fan engagement over the past several years, thanks to being featured in recent pop culture movies and series like: “Formula 1: Drive to Survive” (Netflix) and “F1: The Movie”.
- Heavy European influence with deep and storied history, but F1 is global and visits locations around the world.
- Current top drivers include: Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri, Charles Leclerc, George Russell, Lewis Hamilton (on his way out)….everyone else is a backmarker.
IndyCar
- General: America's premier open-wheel series. While cars may appear similar in appearance to F1, this is more of a "spec series".
- Season: March to August (6 months). 17 races
- Unique Rules/Feature:All teams use the same chassis from a single supplier, along with spec electronics and tires. The focus is on a team's ability to maximize performance with the same equipment as their rivals. Smaller team budgets; ~10M range.
- Indy 500 qualifying: For the Indianapolis 500, drivers qualify by completing a 4-lap average speed run over 2 days to determine the start grid.
- Engine: Two manufacturers supply the series with twin-turbo V6 engines
- Tires: Single tire supplier
- Pitstops: Refueling allowed
- Push-to-Pass: Drivers can use a "Push-to-Pass" button on road and street courses that provides extra power for overtaking; similar to F1 DRS.
- Competition Style:A mix of high-speed ovals, road courses, and street circuits. The Indianapolis 500 is its most famous event.
- Number of teams and cars per team vary (in 2025, 11 teams with 29 participating cars); a team may have up to 6 cars in a race – some may only have 1
- Drivers only championship; no team award/championship like F1
- Average race distance ~350 miles
- Atmosphere: Deeply rooted American racing tradition. Some see it as more accessible to fans than F1
NASCAR
- General: ‘Merica! Famous for high-speed, oval tracks. “Stock car” racing.
- Season: February to November (10 months). 36 total races; 26 “regular season” and 10 “playoff” races
- Unique Rules/Feature:Heavy, purpose-built, full-bodied cars designed to be durable for close-quarters, contact-heavy racing; aka pack racing
- Teams use "Next Gen" spec chassis, but cars are loosely designed to resemble production models from competing manufacturers (Ford, Chevrolet, Toyota)
- Key focus is on drafting and pit strategy
- Playoff structure: A series of elimination races that narrows the field of 16 drivers to the final "Championship 4" who compete for the title in the final race
- Stage racing: Races are divided into three stages; drivers earn bonus points for their finish position at the end of the first two stages
- Competition Style:10-race “playoff” series determines the champion; regular season has 26 races to determine winners and qualifiers for the playoff series.
- Typical race has ~40 cars competing
- Teams can field a maximum of 4 cars
- Atmosphere: NASCAR has a rich history rooted in the American South. It has a large, loyal fanbase. Has an accessible, friendly, blue-collar, tailgating culture.
WRC Rally Car
- General: World Rally Championship (WRC) rally car is a race against the clock on closed course, public roads as opposed to wheel-to-wheel racing.
- Season: January to November (11 months); ~13 races
- Unique Feature:Drivers compete one at a time in timed stages with a co-driver navigating using "pace notes". It’s all about teamwork between the driver and co-driver.
- Course is on closed, public roads
- A staged point-to-point route vs a looped track
- Stages occur over multiple days
- Competition Style:Competitors race individually against the clock on a closed road course, often with rough, unpredictable terrain like gravel, dirt, snow, and ice.
- The challenge is endurance and adapting to diverse driving conditions
- No practice runs through various stages
- Vehicle specs vary by class but are typically all-wheel drive
- Driver with the best (lowest) time over all stages wins the event; points awarded to top 10 finishers
- Stages can vary in distance from 6 miles to 30 miles
- Average race total distance ~220 miles; broken down between multiple stages
- Atmosphere:Events are typically held over several days and span vast, scenic landscapes around the world.
- Smaller, niche fan base
- World Rally Championship (WRC) is most famous series.
GT/Touring/Endurance Racing
- General: Race-prepared cars based on production models you might see on the road. Multiple races series with their own unique rules.
- Season: Varies each year and series.
- Unique Feature:GT cars are typically high-performance sports cars, while Touring cars are often based on sedans.
- Cars must start as standard production models, but are heavily modified, including engines, suspension, and brakes
- Regulations limit the use of exotic technology to control costs and maintain parity
- Balance of Performance (BoP): Rules may be used to balance the performance of different cars, sometimes using penalty weight, to keep racing close
- Competition Style:Wheel-to-wheel racing on road courses around the world.
- Format varies by series
- Multiple car classes exist based on specifications and performance characteristics (power, weight, handling, etc.); examples include GT2, GT3, GT4, etc.
- Multiple car classes compete during the same race simultaneously
- Race duration varies; it’s a mix of sprint and endurance-style racing, ranging from 3 hrs to 24 hrs
- Some series have mandatory pit stops and driver changes
- Endurance and reliability are the focus
- Atmosphere:GT and Touring car racing is popular worldwide. It’s known for the diversity of manufacturers and close racing action.
- FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC – global), FIA GT World Challenge (global), DTM (Germany), and Super GT (Japan) are a few popular race series
- Most famous and important race is 24 Hours of LeMans, along with 24 of Hours of Daytona, and 12 Hours of Sebring
NHRA Drag Racing
- General: Short, high-speed, straight-line racing over 1/4-mile. The cars, particularly the Top Fuel and Funny Car classes, are some of the fastest-accelerating vehicles on the planet. National Hot Rod Association (NHRA).
- Season: March to November (~8 months); 20 events
- Unique Feature:
- Races are measured in a matter of seconds and hundredths of seconds
- Christmas Tree: A column of lights provides the starting signal. A driver is disqualified for leaving too early (a "red light").
- Index/Dial-In: In some classes, drivers must predict their elapsed time ("dial-in"). Running faster than your dial-in is a "breakout" and results in disqualification, which adds another layer of strategy
- Competition Style:Bracket racing. Two cars line up at the "Christmas Tree". Head-to-head acceleration contest over a short, straight track, typically a 1/4-mile.
- Features various classes, from heavily modified “street” cars to high-hp Top Fuel dragsters and Funny Cars
- One-on-one elimination bracket; the driver who reaches the end of the straight first, without committing a foul, wins the round
- Points system based format over multiple events
- Atmosphere: The experience is defined by sheer speed, massive horsepower (often over 10,000 hp), and the noise of the engines. U.S.-based racing. Major event is the U.S. Nationals
MotoGP
- General: Grand Prix motorcycle racing on road courses with purpose-built race bikes that are not street-legal.
- Season: March to November (~8 months); 22 races
- Unique Feature:
- Concession system: Used to provide manufacturers who aren’t performing as well with additional testing and engine allowances to help them become more competitive.
- Standard electronics: All teams use the same standardized electronic control unit (ECU) to help level the playing field
- Competition Style:Riders race on road courses around the world
- Multiple classes based on performance; ex. MotoGP, Moto2, Moto3
- Races are on weekends, with qualifying sessions and a shorter "Sprint Race" on Saturday, followed by the main Grand Prix on Sunday
- Each race lasts ~45 minutes and covers ~60 – 80 miles
- Atmosphere: A dedicated global fan base. Races defined by high speeds and skill of the riders.
Dirt Bike/Supercross/Motocross
- General: Dirt bike racing takes a couple forms. Supercross is dirt bike racing that takes place inside stadiums on shorter, man-made dirt tracks whereas Motocross is dirt bike racing that takes place outdoors on longer tracks.
- Season: January to May (~4 months); 17 races (Supercross)
- Unique Feature:
- Triple Crown: Some events have a "Triple Crown" format, featuring 3 shorter main events where the overall winner is determined by the best average finish.
- Holeshot: In Supercross, getting the "holeshot," or being the first rider to the chalk line in the first turn, is a huge advantage due to the tight nature of the track.
- Competition Style:Supercross races are shorter and faster-paced than outdoor motocross, with tight turns, steep jumps, and rhythm sections.
- Races are divided into classes based on engine size; 450cc and 250cc
- Practice and qualifying heats narrow the field for the main event
- Main event features up to 22 riders
- Atmosphere: The stadium setting is fun with great visibility for fans and creates an electric atmosphere.
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That post will never receive the love and respect it deserves. Bravo @Blizzard!
@Ooh-Rah and others, one final angle. I followed the WWE for years less for the the in-ring product and more for the business and production aspect. I still glance at it from time-to-time. Think about the product and what we see. Now think about everything that has to happen for us to see that "RKO outta' nowhere." How did we go from a regular match to Hell in a Cell with a 16' high chainlink cage? Where did those ladders and thumbtacks and garbage cans come from?
I think that also attracts me to F1. The production. The game. The mechanism. Other motorsports have theirs to be sure, but F1's "business side" is as entertaining as the track's. Look up videos on F1 logistics. Think about it: 24 races on 6 continents in 9 months so how do you make that happen? Mind blowing. 14 million dollars/ Euros per year, per team, on air freight alone?
And again, kudos to Blizzard for that masterpiece. On God, no cap, Six Seven and whatever else. Seriously. I feel weak I didn't have that vision or energy.
@Ooh-Rah and others, one final angle. I followed the WWE for years less for the the in-ring product and more for the business and production aspect. I still glance at it from time-to-time. Think about the product and what we see. Now think about everything that has to happen for us to see that "RKO outta' nowhere." How did we go from a regular match to Hell in a Cell with a 16' high chainlink cage? Where did those ladders and thumbtacks and garbage cans come from?
I think that also attracts me to F1. The production. The game. The mechanism. Other motorsports have theirs to be sure, but F1's "business side" is as entertaining as the track's. Look up videos on F1 logistics. Think about it: 24 races on 6 continents in 9 months so how do you make that happen? Mind blowing. 14 million dollars/ Euros per year, per team, on air freight alone?
And again, kudos to Blizzard for that masterpiece. On God, no cap, Six Seven and whatever else. Seriously. I feel weak I didn't have that vision or energy.
Topkick
Verified Military
To clarify, you dont race the car in the other lane. You are trying to be more accurate by reporting your own time/ speed and if you are faster than you estimate, you are disqualified. The goal is to get as close to your estimated time as possible, not unlike bracketing when we call for fire.
It looks like AMR was it and they were only guilty of a procedural breach.
Also, the FIA sucks.
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