How much does an IndyCar engine cost? Exploring the price and more

IndyCar has evolved massively since its inception in the 1920s, and today, it has become the premier open-wheel racing category in America. It has developed in all aspects, and the modern engines are so advanced that the sport also carries the hallmark, 'fastest racing on earth.'

In line with this, how much an engine costs in the sport has become a matter of great intrigue. Until the 1980s, an IndyCar team was able to operate on a relatively modest budget; however, with the rapid advancements in technology, an engine in the modern era could cost the participating teams tens of millions of dollars.

Impact of IndyCar engines on costs

Motorsports have traditionally been a costly affair, and due to the additional things that have come into racing related to various aspects including the engines, the costs have kept sky-rocketing. The engines in America's top open-wheel category are developed by Honda and Chevrolet. They can cost around $125,000 and require regular maintenance to ensure efficiency. Moreover, they comprise a 2.2-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine that is extremely advanced.

Cost of America's open-wheel engines in comparison to Formula 1

While the above-mentioned figures are huge from the point of view of engine development for IndyCar, the fact of the matter is that it is still relatively cheap compared to top motorsports like Formula 1 (hundreds of millions of dollars).

In the 'fastest racing on earth', the Chassis is provided by Dallara for around $349,000 to all the participating teams. On the other hand, in the pinnacle of motorsport (F1), a team has to look after everything, from the chassis development to the other expenses associated with developing a full-fledged racing car. The engine is one area where F1 teams are required to spend a truckload of money to get an advantage over their rivals ahead of a season. Interestingly, an F1 engine costs $11,000 per horsepower, the IndyCar engines only cost $167 per horsepower.

IndyCar engines produce greater top speeds in comparison to Formula 1

Formula 1 came into existence in 1950 (British Grand Prix), whereas America's highest class of open-wheel racing has been around in various forms since 1920. While both sports have come forward by leaps and bounds in the last few decades, the top speed of IndyCar engines is higher despite the lesser budget compared to F1.

As per the statistics, the fastest speed ever recorded in an F1 car is 231 mph (F1 driver/10-time race winner, Valtteri Bottas achieved this speed in the 2016 Mexican Grand Prix). When it comes to the 'fastest racing on earth,' a speed of around 236 mph is regularly reached by drivers, especially during the iconic Indianapolis 500. One thing to note here is that IndyCar races take place around oval tracks as well, which is not the case in F1.