Expert: Dan Liddy - 9/16/2008

Question
hOW MUCH FUEL IS USED DURRING A RACE AT THE GRAND PRIX AND IF WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF IT IS IT STILL WISE TO COUNTINUE ON THE PATH TO FREE DOOM?

Answer
Most very high powered race cars get about 4 miles to a gallon of fuel. The usual Formula One race is about 150 to 200 miles so fuel usage would amount to perhaps 150 to 190 liters per car.  Grand Prix cars use a highly specialized fuel that has almost no relationship with normal gasoline as we know it. It costs the car owoners around US$12.00 a gallon, or about US$3.17 per liter.

Also Indy Cars burn ethyl alcohol exclusively so there's no fossil fuel lost in their efforts. In the US, NASCAR race cars also use a highly specialized racing gasoline, so again , there's no effect on fuel availablity for the common folks.

The average oil fired electric plant burns more oil in a week that all the race groups in the world use in a full year, so motor racing isn't interfering with your life in any way.


This world is a LONG way from independence from oil, but but the amount used by motor sports is infinitesmal when compared to even one airline operation.

Enjoy your day.

Dan Liddy
Sarasota, Floirda