Top 10 Biggest Car Races in the World

Formula One Car Race (also known as F1 or Formula One) is the pinnacle of international racing for single-seater formula cars regulated by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The World Drivers' Championship, becoming the Formula One World Championship of the FIA in 1981, has been one of the premier forms of racing worldwide since its inaugural season in 1950. The term 'formula' in the name refers to the set of rules that all participants' cars must adhere to. A Formula One season consists of a series of races, known as Grands Prix, taking place worldwide on purpose-built circuits and closed public roads.

The Formula One European race is one of many events in the Formula One World Championship held annually. Teams compete on the Nürburgring circuit in Nürburg, Germany. The race originated from early 20th-century French street races and was first recognized in the United Kingdom in the 1950s. The race is exciting due to a series of technical requirements that teams and drivers must adhere to, depending on technological advancements.

Formula One is constructed either on dedicated tracks or on the streets of Monaco. The average speed of participating cars is around 200 km/h, with a maximum speed of about 300 km/h. Additionally, before each race day, drivers participate in a pole race to determine the starting positions.

Indy 500 is an annual racing event held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Speedway Indiana), known for having extremely high average speeds. Racers aiming to qualify for this event must complete a qualifying run with speeds exceeding 354 km/h. In the official race, participants compete on a 500-mile (approximately 805 km) track with each lap covering 2.5 miles (over 40 km). Additionally, the race has an interesting tradition where the winning racers kiss the finish line and are then awarded a bottle of milk for celebration.

The event features competition with Indy Cars, a formula of professional open-wheel racing cars designed for the purpose. As of 2020, all participants use twin-turbocharged, 2.2L V6 engines tuned to generate power ranging from 550 to 750 horsepower (410 to 560 kW). Chevrolet and Honda are the current engine manufacturers in this sport. Dallara is the sole chassis supplier for these car models, and Firestone, with a long history in the sport, provides exclusive tires for the competition.

For each attempt, a car is allowed to perform two warm-up laps. At that time, a team member stationed at the north end of the main straightaway waves a green flag to signal a qualifying attempt; otherwise, the attempt will be waved off. Attempts can be waved off by the team, driver, or race official at any time during any of the four laps. If an attempt is waved off after the run has started, the run will count, and the previous time is still lost unless race officials disallow the attempt due to weather conditions. Weather can and often does affect the qualifying standards and may lead to last-minute format changes.

The Monaco Grand Prix is an annual Formula 1 race held on the Monaco track in Monaco. Recognized as the most prestigious race of the F1 season, the Monaco Grand Prix originally started as an independent race in 1929. It was later incorporated into the Formula One World Championship in 1950. Throughout history, Monaco GP, along with the Le Mans 24h and Indianapolis 500, has been one of the world's three most prestigious races.

The Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix stands out due to its track formed by the city's everyday streets, covering a total length of 3.34 km with 19 corners, adding an element of surprise and excitement to the race.

Notably, the entire track is designed without runoff areas, featuring concrete or steel barriers, providing an intense experience for the drivers. This race demands exceptional driving skills and high precision from all participants.

Daytona 500, one of the most crucial races in the renowned NASCAR series in the United States, known as the 'Racing Mecca,' draws the participation of thousands of speed enthusiasts every year. Unlike other series often held in the middle or end of the season, the Daytona 500 takes place first and is one of the four major races in each NASCAR season.

Known as the 'Racing Mecca,' Daytona 500, a 500-mile (805km) race organized by the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR), is held at Daytona Beach in the state of Florida (USA) every year, attracting the attention of speed enthusiasts. Set back on the mainland, a few kilometers from the famous beach track, the new track has high banking, allowing drivers to race at maximum speed without the risk of being thrown off the track.

NASCAR drivers seem to agree that vintage racing and the high-speed international track in Daytona always go hand in hand. The Daytona track originally dates back to the 1950s, where cars used the hardened sand of Daytona Beach as the original racing surface. Those days are long gone, but the spirit of NASCAR still lingers in Daytona. Twice a year, NASCAR's premier series visits the sacred track. The first visit is reserved for the race that defines NASCAR, the Daytona 500.

Le Mans is considered the most challenging endurance race, held annually in the town of Le Mans, France since 1923. Unlike other speed-oriented races, the 24 Hours of Le Mans brings a distinct and fascinating dimension with endurance challenges. It is the oldest endurance race in the world, held annually since 1923 in Le Mans, France. The race is a true test of both the car and the drivers' durability as they have to endure a continuous 24-hour race without any issues with the engine, tires, and braking system.

Drivers must navigate the long-distance race, lasting from noon one day to noon the next, under the scorching summer heat in France. Each race car has to complete a grueling track of over 5,000 km, roughly 18 times longer than current F1 races. Each driver must drive continuously for at least 2 hours before being allowed to stop for a driver change. Each team is allowed a maximum of 3 drivers who take turns replacing each other. Drivers can rest and eat during the time they are off the track.

This race is one of the most prestigious car races, highly regarded by the professional community for the winning brands associated with durability, a crucial factor car users care about. Therefore, racing teams must demonstrate endurance, intelligence, and scientific management of their time and capabilities. Drivers must equip the engine to ensure continuous performance for 24 hours with equipment related to mechanics, engine, fuel, tires, and brakes.

Nürburgring 24 is one of the most challenging car races globally, taking place at the Nürburgring race track, famously known as the “Green Hell.” This race not only challenges the endurance of the drivers but also tests the durability of the racing cars. Participating in the Nürburgring 24, drivers must endure a fierce 24-hour race covering over 20km per lap, including the F1 circuit of Nürburgring and a portion of normal public roads. With a complex track design and a focus on very high speeds, the Nürburgring 24-hour car race becomes a significant challenge for drivers in terms of control and stability of their vehicles.

Although affectionately called '24 Hours of Nürburgring', the race is usually named after the official main sponsor. As of 2020, the French oil company, Total, is the official naming rights partner, with the current event titled, 'ADAC 24h Race Nürburgring.'

Officially known as 'ADAC 24h Rennen Nürburgring' in German, it was introduced in 1970 by ADAC as an official race, unlike previous endurance races, including 12, 24 (in 1961 and 1967), 36, 84, and even 96 hours, such as the Marathon de la Route. This replaced the Liege-Rome-Liege and Liege-Sofia-Liege events held at the Nürburgring track from 1965 to 1971.

Dakar Rally is the ultimate test of participants' endurance. The race spans approximately 10,000km, starting from Paris, France, and concluding in Dakar, the capital of Senegal. Notably, in the off-road stages, drivers must overcome 800 - 900km of terrain each day in the harsh desert conditions. This is a rare global race that allows amateur drivers to participate.

Participants must cover from 300 to 800km each day in challenging and ever-changing conditions. Throughout the race, drivers may encounter sand dunes, rocky terrains, slippery surfaces, or treacherous mud. One thing is certain: the tires face numerous challenges. The intense heat is also a crucial factor, as ground temperatures exceeding 50°C contribute to tire wear.

The race journey navigates through extremely harsh and difficult terrains, facing the scorching heat of the desert, sand, rock formations, and treacherous paths. This demands highly skilled handling techniques. Therefore, participants use specialized off-road racing vehicles designed to tackle rough terrains and numerous challenges at high speeds. Traditional race cars that have been 'modified' may struggle to endure the intense race. The participants in the race are diverse, ranging from amateur enthusiasts to professional racers, with amateurs comprising up to 80% of the participants. The Dakar Rally typically lasts for two weeks with over 100 miles of off-road terrain divided into daily stages for teams to complete.

Spa Francorchamps is considered a shrine in F1 sports due to its high-speed demands with iconic corners like Eau Rouge, Pouhon, or Blanchimont that push F1 engines to their limits. The unpredictable weather here is also a memorable feature of these tracks. Racers shudder at the thought of testing their skills at the renowned Spa-Francorchamps.

Racers must continually develop their abilities to cope with the difficulty and diversity of this track as it is one of the longest. While the first and last sections are high-speed stretches with tight curves and corners, the middle section includes twists, turns, and requires very high compressive forces. This puts immense torsional stress on every F1 car as they navigate through before heading into a high-speed uphill section. Most drivers consider this the most 'heart-stopping' corner in all F1 tracks worldwide.

Spa Francorchamps is also known as the Belgian F1 race held at the longest F1 circuit, Spa. This track is in an area with peculiar weather conditions; some sections often experience rainfall while others remain dry. Therefore, the Belgian F1 race is a significant challenge for racing teams in terms of strategy and understanding the car when choosing tires and adjusting the car for various weather conditions simultaneously. It is also the track with the most treacherous corners in F1 worldwide, pushing the limits of racers.

Finland Rally is considered the fastest-paced off-road race in the entire World Rally Championship series, featuring an annual participation list of hundreds of thousands of racers. It stands as the largest community event in all Nordic countries.

The Finland Rally is a high-speed off-road race with beautiful tracks and racing cars instead of off-road vehicles like the Dakar race. The rally's famous tracks include challenging blind turns and spectacular airborne scenes of the cars.

The race poses a formidable challenge for the frame design, suspension system, tires, and more of these racing cars. It even earned the nickname 'the off-road race of a thousand jumps.'

V8 Supercars Racing (Bathurst 1000) is considered the largest-scale car race in Australia. It is an ideal race for manufacturers with original cars on narrow tracks. The name 'Bathurst 1000' signifies a race covering a total distance of 1000km on the Mount Panorama mountain.

V8 Supercars Racing is a unique blend of NASCAR and Le Mans characteristics. It serves as a playground for manufacturers with original cars and often narrow tracks, making collisions between racers a common occurrence.

The name Bathurst 1000 also implies that this is a race covering a total distance of 1000 km on Mount Panorama. Despite having experienced significant victories in this race, renowned names like Morris, Jaguar, BMW, Nissan, and Volvo were excluded from the participation list from 1999-2012 for various reasons.