From Formula 1's street circuits to the Indy 500's 500 miles of oval, from IMSA's endurance classics to 24 hours at Le Mans — everything TheFour11 covers across the world of racing.
Four major racing series, each with its own history, format, and appeal.
Each series has a distinct format, car type, and culture — here's the quick guide.
Formula 1 and IndyCar use open-wheel cars — single-seat, exposed wheels, purpose-built for pure speed. IMSA and WEC use sports cars — closed-cockpit prototypes and GT cars that resemble (and in GT classes often share DNA with) road cars. The two formats feel completely different to watch.
F1 and IndyCar run sprint races — roughly 1.5 to 3 hours, first to the finish. IMSA and WEC run endurance races — from 3 hours up to 24, where managing fuel, tires, and driver fatigue becomes as important as outright pace. Endurance racing requires multiple drivers per car and rewards strategy over raw speed.
Formula 1 and WEC are global championships — racing across Europe, Asia, the Americas, and the Middle East. IndyCar and IMSA are primarily North American series, with most rounds on U.S. circuits. This affects the race times you'll be watching and the culture surrounding each series.
F1 is famous for glamorous street circuits — Monaco, Singapore, Las Vegas. IndyCar splits its calendar between ovals (including the legendary Indianapolis Motor Speedway), road courses, and street circuits. IMSA and WEC race primarily on purpose-built permanent circuits with a handful of street events.
F1 is the global prestige destination — the best-funded teams, the most famous drivers, the largest worldwide audience. IndyCar is widely regarded as the most competitive racing on the planet — identical cars mean results come down to driver talent. IMSA and WEC attract a mix of professional and gentleman drivers, with factory works teams competing alongside wealthy amateurs in the GT classes.
Le Mans is genuinely unlike any other sporting event — 24 hours of racing, night driving, massive crowds, and cars running at 200+ mph on the Mulsanne Straight. Monaco is F1 theater at its finest — impossibly narrow streets, yachts in the harbor, history in every corner. The Indy 500 draws 250,000 fans to a single event. Every series has a jewel that's worth experiencing.