Editing Open-wheel car (section)

==Driving==
Open-wheeled racing is among the fastest in the world. Formula One cars can reach speeds in excess of {{convert|360|km/h|mph}}. At [[Autodromo Nazionale Monza]], [[Antônio Pizzonia]] of BMW Williams F1 team recorded a top speed of {{convert|369.9|km/h|mph}} (over 102 m/s) in the [[2004 Italian Grand Prix]]. Since the end of the [[V10 engine#Racing|V10]] era in 2006, such high speeds  have not been reached, with later vehicles reaching around {{convert|360|km/h|mph}}.<ref>{{cite news|title=Drivers hit record speeds in Mexico|url=https://www.formula1.com/content/fom-website/en/latest/headlines/2015/10/drivers-hit-record-speeds-in-mexico.html|access-date=4 June 2016|website=Formula1.com|publisher=Formula One Digital Media|date=Oct 30, 2015}}</ref> It is difficult to give precise figures for the absolute top speeds of Formula One cars as the data are not generally released by teams.  The 'speed traps' on fast circuits such as Monza give a good indication, but are not necessarily located at the point on the track where the car is travelling at its fastest. [[BAR Honda]] team recorded an average top speed of {{convert|400|km/h|mph}} in 2006 at [[Bonneville Salt Flats]], with unofficial top speed reaching {{convert|413|km/h|mph}} using their modified [[BAR 007]] Formula One car. Speeds on ovals can range in constant excess of {{convert|210|-|220|mph|km/h}}, and at [[Indianapolis Motor Speedway|Indianapolis]] in excess of {{convert|230|mph|km/h}}. In 2000, [[Gil de Ferran]] set the one-lap qualifying record of {{convert|241.428|mph|km/h}} at [[California Speedway]].<ref>{{cite news|title=De Ferran wins pole, sets record|url=http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2000/oct/28/de-ferran-wins-pole-sets-record|newspaper=[[Las Vegas Sun]]|date=October 28, 2000|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131110003755/http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2000/oct/28/de-ferran-wins-pole-sets-record|archive-date=November 10, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> Even on tight non-oval street circuits such as the [[Grand Prix of Toronto]], open-wheel [[Indy Cars]] attain speeds of {{convert|190|mph|km/h}}.

Regardless of top speeds, Formula One open-wheel race cars hold the outright lap record at the circuits where they currently race due to their combination of top speed, acceleration, and cornering abilities in mixed tracks made of straights, corners and chicanes.  For example, at the [[Monza Circuit]] the fastest lap in the 2021 Grand Prix ([[Daniel Ricciardo]] 1:24.812) is more than six seconds per lap faster than the fastest closed-wheel racing car, an [[Le Mans Prototype|LMP1]] [[sports car]], and more than 20 seconds per lap faster than the [[Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters|DTM]] touring car lap record.

Driving an open-wheel car is substantially different from driving a car with fenders. Virtually all Formula One and IndyCar drivers spend some time in various open-wheel categories before joining either top series. Open-wheel vehicles, due to their light weight, [[aerodynamics|aerodynamic]] capabilities, and powerful engines, are often considered the fastest racing vehicles available and among the most challenging to master. Wheel-to-wheel contact is dangerous, particularly when the forward edge of one tire contacts the rear of another tire: since the treads are moving in opposite directions (one upward, one downward) at the point of contact, both wheels rapidly decelerate, torquing the chassis of both cars and often causing one or both vehicles to be suddenly and powerfully flung upwards (the rear car tends to pitch forward, and the front car tends to pitch backward.) An example of this is the 2005 [[Chicagoland Speedway|Chicagoland]] crash of [[Ryan Briscoe]] and [[Alex Barron (driver)|Alex Barron]].