The Formula 1 cars are some of the fastest beasts in the world, with speeds consistently crossing 300 km/hr.
The teams on the grid spend hundreds of millions competing in the World Championship every year, but how much does an F1 car actually cost?
The Engine is the most important unit of an F1 car, and naturally the most expensive. The turbocharged 1.6-liter V6 engines used currently cost approximately $18.2 million. The actual cost, of course, depends on the plans and cost-cutting efficiency of the teams.
The chassis is the central part of an F1 car, and all additional parts, such as the front wing and halo, are attached to this. It’s a single-piece monocoque structure, forming a protective shell around the driver and it costs $707,000.
F1 cars have semi-automatic gearboxes, with eight forward gears and one reverse. Some teams buy in gearboxes from others, while some make their own. The estimated cost of a gearbox is approximately $354,000.
The Rear Wings play a crucial part in balancing the car when it goes through high-speed corners. Teams often change the design of their wings after every race, depending on the requirement of the track, and costs roughly around $85,000-$150,000.
The front wing or nosecone is one of the most complicated and crucial part of an F1 car. Since new aerodynamic rules came into force in 2017, the designs have become even more complicated. The estimated cost of front wings is $141,000.
And after including the cost of other components like halo, floor, bargeboard, fuel tank, steering wheel, and hydraulics, the estimated cost of a Formula 1 goes well over 21 million dollars.