F1 vs. F2 vs. F3 | What is the difference between F1, F2, F3, and FE?

Formula one racing is the pinnacle of motor racing; however, these events can further be classified into different segments, more commonly known as F1, F2, F3, and FE. Even though Formula One is the most commonly searched and famous of the lot, the others have their importance as well. Here you will learn about each in a comparative study,

F1  vs. FE

FE is a rather new addition to these events and stands for Formula Electric. This is mainly made for the new electric cars that have come out and are very different from the usual Formula One races that you see. While the rules remain the same in FE, you will only be allowed to enter with electric cars. Apart from that, the main difference between these events is that while F1 cars can hit a top speed of 374 km/h, FE cars will max out at about 220 km/h. This discrepancy made it absolutely necessary for Formula One developers to create a whole different segment for these cars. When it comes to the cars used, while in F1 races, you see a great variety of models and manufacturers, FE cars are still new and only use the Park-Renault SRT_01E. However, with the innovation of technology, this format is also gaining traction amongst common viewers and will soon see more companies be a part of it. It is only a matter of time before this becomes as popular as the main events, thanks to the promising nature of the event.

F1 vs. F2

One of the most common debates you will hear about Formula One events is the differences between F1 and F2. The FIA Formula 2 championship, more commonly known as F2, can be called the unofficial feeder series to F1. While in F1, every team has their own car models and manufacturers, including tech that they have developed themselves to have a better shot at winning the event, in F2, all drivers have to use a car designed by Williams F1. All cars are ditto, and all drivers are catered to by the same race engineers. This is done so that instead of the technology, the only differentiator between racers is their talent.

In addition to that, F2 cars are made with only half the horsepower in comparison to F1 cars. However, that does not create many differences in the top speed. If you are a driver looking to participate in an F2 event, it will take your 311,000 USD to take part, which is only about 1/10^th of the cost of participating in an F1 race. You can find subtle differences in the format as well. F2 makes it necessary for drivers to have practice sessions and a single qualifying session which determines the list that will be driving in the feature races. After that, the top 8 performers of the features will be reversed, making it the starting order for the sprint race.

F1 vs. F3

Formula 3 is often considered to be the starting point of any novice F1 racer and is generally built by Mygale. F3 cars max out at 270 km/h and are known to be the slowest fuel-based Formula racing cars. The chassis of an F3 car will always be built by Dallara and is used by every team. Similar to F2 races, you will find carbon-fiber monocoque chassis in this series as well, each being powered by a Mecachrome naturally aspirated V6 engine, which is always direct-injected.

The race weekends in this series are very similar to that of F2, which come with a feature and a sprint race. Much like the F2 series, here also, you will see the sprint race features the reversed top 8 and the rest of the pack remaining as they are. Feature races in this series are usually longer than sprint races. The F3 event starts with a practice session, followed by a qualifying round on Friday. The winners of that round then get to take part in the feature race on Saturday and then a sprint race on Sunday.

These are the basic differences that can help you get a better idea of the different segments of Formula races.