Difference Between Grand Prix and Indy 500
Table of Contents
Any type of racing event is capable enough to provide thrill and adventure not only to the participants but also to the audience. That is the major reason why people do not hesitate to spend extra money on purchasing tickets to these events. Grand Prix and Indy 500 are also two widely loved racing events.
Grand Prix vs Indy 500
The main difference between Grand Prix and Indy 500 is that Grand Prix is a huge body of racing events that includes multiple vehicles and is organized in different locations worldwide. Indy 500, on the other hand, is a single-day car racing event that is organized in Indiana, US. Both Grand Prix and Indy 500 are equally trendy among people.
Grand Prix is known as a series of salient cars and motorbikes racing on an international level. Hence, each season when these races are organized is considered Grand Prix. The plural form of Grand Prix is written as ‘Grands Prix’. The Grand Prix of Formula One cars is very famous among nations.
The Indy 500 is short-term for the Indianapolis 500. Indy 500 is an automobile race that is organized every year since it was introduced at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Indiana, United States. But from 1917 to 1945, the Indy 500 was postponed because the world war broke out.
Comparison Table Between Grand Prix and Indy 500
| Parameters Of Comparison | Grand Prix | Indy 500 |
| Introduced in | The year in which Grand Prix racing started is known to be 1894. | The Indy 500 automobile racing event started on 30 May 1911. |
| Established by | The Grand Prix racing events were organized or established by ACF (Automobile Club de France). | The Indy 500 racing event was established by Carl G. Fisher and his partners. |
| Type of vehicle | Grand Prix is technically a term referred to a racing event, it can include cars, motorbikes, and even horses. | Indy 500 automobile event is completely based on cars and no other types of vehicles. |
| Place | Grand Prix is an international event held at multiple locations across the globe such as Australia, Asia, Europe, etc. | The event of Indy 500 automobile racing is held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Speedway, Indiana, United States, |
| Duration | The duration of Grand Prix racing events is dynamic and is frequently scheduled throughout the year. | The Indy 500 automobile race is a one-day-long racing event scheduled on the weekend of the Memorial Day holidays. |
What is Grand Prix?
The short-term used in the place of Grand Prix is known as GP. It is said that the word Grand Prix is derived from the French word ‘great prize’. Grand Prix racing involves closed and narrow paths for cars and motorcycles to race.
The Grand Prix racing started at the dawn of the 20th century and within some years it became one of the most legendary forms of racing. In the early stages of the Grand Prix, it was not international but controlled and supervised by FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile).
FIA determined the classification of cars and motorbikes allowed to race in Grand Prix and included Formula One cars. The term Formula One refers to a car that is relatively small than a normal and can contain only one person who drives it. The characteristics classified by FIA for Grand Prix racing for vehicles are single-seater, size of the engine, open-wheeled, amount of fuel, and many more.
In the mid 20th century, Grand Prix hit the international level and became popular worldwide. At first, the term Grand Prix was only used to denote automobile races but after some years it was used for other racing events as well. For example, initially, Grand Prix was used for French horse racing around 1863.
What is Indy 500?
The Indy 500 aka Indianapolis 500 automobile race was introduced in 1911. It is one of the most popular automobile races which is organized annually for one day, in other words, the Indy 500 is a single-day event. Indy 500 race is dated on the weekend of the nation’s holiday of Memorial Day.
The concept of the Indy 500 race was started from the construction of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1909. This subway was built only for testing to facilitate the local automotive industry. This subway is also known as a brickyard because it was paved with bricks, although, at first, the engineers used crushed rocks for pavement.
The same goes for racing cars that run on the track in the Indy 500 race, these cars also have undergone countless modifications. Before participating in the race, the driver or participant is required to pass a four-lap time trial, without qualifying for this trial, the participant does not consider eligible for the race.
33 cars are included arranged in 3 rows for the race. The participants are assigned to the respective rows depending on their results of the trial. The first person to win the Indy 500 automobile race was Ray Harroun, he took 6 hours 42 minutes to complete the race with a speed of 74.6 miles/hour.
Main Differences Between Grand Prix and Indy 500
Conclusion
There are many types of auto racing events are organized worldwide and some of them are international while some of them are held within a nation. Auto racing includes terms like automobile racing, car racing, motorbikes racing, etc.
Many participants participate in these events and compete to win the prize. Auto racing is one of the most liked sports. Anyone can participate in these racing events and it can be both outdoor and indoor.
Also, auto racing is a very beneficial event for those who are employed in the automotive industry. The most famous type of auto racing is known as Formula One races.
References
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