How efficient is a Formula 1 engine compared to a road going car?
How much more efficient is a modern Formula 1 car compared to a regular car we all drive around each day?
Before the current turbo engines the efficiency was not very good at all. It's hard to compare these as the characteristics between the two are very different. Road going cars are rarely driven at full power, where F1 cars are constantly being pushed to the limit. Even modern Formula 1 racing cars are not very efficient, around 30 percent of the energy in the fuel is harnessed for moving the car. The rest is wasted in the form of heat.