E85 fuel and equal cars: Grosjean compares Formula 1 to IndyCar

Romain Grosjean, despite his horror crash in Bahrain 2020, was not done with racing. After leaving Formula 1, he switched to the IndyCar series, where he is still active today. In a video on his own YouTube-channel he explained the differences between the two racing classes.

His experience with both disciplines allows the driver to compare them well. He explained that while the cars look somewhat the same on the surface, they are actually very different. For example, in the IndyCars there are only two engine manufacturers: Honda and Chevrolet.

Grosjean explains differences F1 and Indycar

The engines used also differ significantly between the two racing classes. Whereas Formula 1 uses hybrid technology, IndyCar does not as yet. The fuel is also very different: F1 cars switched to E10 fuel with ten percent ethanol in 2022, while IndyCar cars use a compound with as much as 85 percent ethanol (E85).

In addition, all IndyCar drivers drive the same car, unlike in Formula 1. "The only parts that are allowed to be freely developed are the dampers," Grosjean explained. "Because of that, you also see a difference between the bigger and smaller teams, because they spend a big budget on it."