F1 vs Le Mans cars: Which is faster, horsepower, assists and more

LMH was introduced as a replacement for the LMP1 category, in a bid to reduce costs at the top end of endurance racing and increase its appeal to automotive manufacturers, after the likes of Audi and Porsche withdrew to leave Toyota as the only OEM remaining.

Toyota introduced its GR010 HYBRID for the start of the 2021 WEC season, while the US-based boutique manufacturer Glickenhaus added its non-hybrid 007 LMH to the field in time for the second round in Portimao.

WEC's 2023 season then saw the debut of the LMDh prototype, after the series merged with IMSA allowing the LMH and LMDh to compete in both championships. This was done as a further attempt to attract manufacturers to the top tier of sports car racing and it resulted in WEC's Hypercar category expanding from four teams to nine. 

But what are the similarities and differences between LMH/LMDh cars and their counterparts in F1? Let's take a look.

Lando Norris, McLaren MCL35M

Photo by: Drew Gibson / Motorsport Images

Which is faster: an F1 car or an LMH/LMDh car?

While F1 and WEC cars are both capable of hitting speeds in excess of 200mph, F1 have the edge on LMH/LMDh cars when it comes to pace across an entire lap.

When F1 visited Imola for the 2024 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, Max Verstappen was fastest in qualifying with a 1m14.746s, while Ferrari's LMH claimed pole for that year's Imola 6 Hours after setting a 1m29.466s - meanwhile, the quickest LMDh was Porsche who did a 1m30.101s.

#708 Glickenhaus Racing Glickenhaus 007 LMH: Luis Felipe Derani, Gustavo Menezes, Olivier Pal

Photo by: JEP / Motorsport Images

How much horsepower do LMH/LMDh and F1 cars have?

With twin energy-retrieval systems augmenting the 1.6-litre V6 internal combustion engine in an F1 car, a 2024 F1 car produces an output of around 1000bhp, although this number is rarely confirmed by any of the powertrain suppliers within the category.

The LMH/LMDh cars are capped to 671bhp in the interest of ensuring open competition, otherwise known as Balance of Performance. However, engine design is open, allowing manufacturers to choose their configuration and displacement. Energy recovery systems are optional, although the deployment of hybrid power is regulated to eliminate any unfair advantage over non-hybrid cars.

The hybrid system can be implemented within the front axle for an all-wheel drive configuration, and will regenerate energy expended from front-wheel braking. This hybrid system may not have an output of more than 200kW (268bhp).

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W12, battles with Carlos Sainz Jr., Ferrari SF21

Photo by: Charles Coates / Motorsport Images

What assists are available for F1 and LMH/LMDh cars?

F1 cars currently incorporate a drag reduction system (DRS), which allows the driver to open the rear wing to negate the effects of drag when following another car and have a greater chance to overtake. This is restricted, in a race situation, to a car within one second of the car in front. Drivers were formerly allowed to change engine modes during a race, but this was restricted partway through last season to allow drivers use of just one engine map across both qualifying and the race.

The LMH/LMDh rules no longer allow hybrid power to be used as a push-to-pass overtaking tool: the power curve is defined for every car in the BoP table for each race. Power from the front axle can also only be deployed above 120km/h (approximately 75mph) to ensure there is no traction advantage for four-wheel-drive cars out of lower-speed corners.

Polesitter #7 Toyota Gazoo Racing Toyota TS050: Kamui Kobayashi

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images

What's the difference between the WEC and F1 qualifying formats?

F1 qualifying takes place over three parts: Q1, Q2 and Q3. Q1 lasts 18 minutes and features all 20 cars attempting to set the fastest lap times. The slowest five cars are eliminated and set in their grid slots, while Q2 then features the remaining 15 cars. Q2 lasts 15 minutes, and once more the slowest five cars are eliminated and the top 10 progress to the final part – in which pole position is decided along with the grid slots down to 10th.

WEC has a more traditional system comprising of a 12-minute session, where the 10 fastest cars from both Hypercar and LMGT3 progress to the 10-minute Hyperpole. A point is also awarded to each of the drivers of the car that takes pole in both classes.

This system differs slightly for WEC's double-points Le Mans 24 Hours round, where it is the eight fastest cars from each class that progress to Hyperpole. Le Mans also features a third class, LMP2, which used to be full-time in WEC until it was dropped for 2024, meaning Hyperpole runs for 30 minutes - 10 minutes for each category - at Circuit de la Sarthe. 

#7 Toyota Gazoo Racing Toyota GR010 - Hybrid: Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi, Jose Maria Lopez

Photo by: TOYOTA GAZOO Racing

What are the differences between WEC and F1's race formats?

F1 grands prix are run to a minimum length of 190 miles - 160 for the Monaco GP - but they have two hours to complete said distance, excluding any red flag stoppages. Across the race, each car must use at least two of the three nominated tyre compounds provided by Pirelli, and pitstops may only be used for tyre changes and possible repairs following the ban on refuelling from 2010 onwards.

WEC races are much longer, hence the term “endurance racing”, with five of the eight rounds on the 2024 calendar running for six hours. There is also an eight-hour round in Bahrain, Qatar runs its race to 1812km with a 10-hour limit, while only Le Mans lasts a full 24 hours.

This means that multiple drivers share each car, and there are regulations across every category that mandate minimum times behind the wheel for each driver. Endurance racing also assigns each driver a category – bronze, silver, gold and platinum – based on prior experience and results. The LMP2 and LMGT3 categories have set combinations of driver categorisations allowed. This does not apply to the Hypercar class, other than permitting no bronze drivers to participate in the category.

Nicholas Latifi, Williams Racing and George Russell, Williams Racing celebrate with the team

Photo by: Williams

What's the difference between F1 and WEC's points systems?

For a six-hour race, WEC runs to the same 25-18-15-12-10-8-6-4-2-1 points format as F1, while awarding an extra point for each class pole. Unlike F1 though, it doesn't offer a point for the fastest lap.

WEC treats each class as a separate championship, and awards points to a team relative to their position within the class.

The eight-hour races and the Le Mans 24 Hours offer different points distributions. In an eight-hour race, the points are handed out in a 38-27-23-18-15-12-9-6-3-2 format for the top 10, while Le Mans runs to a 50-36-30-24-20-16-12-8-4-2 format - double the points on offer for a six-hour race.

Unlike the WEC, F1 awards a point for the fastest lap of the race, provided it has been set by a driver within the top 10 at the chequered flag. There is no point for pole position, nor for drivers finishing below 10th.