Forza Motorsport 7: INDYCAR vs. COTA

When news broke out that next season's Verizon IndyCar Series will add the Circuit of the Americas, the venue famous for the United States Grand Prix in the Formula 1 calendar, every fan of IndyCar finally rejoiced to see COTA finally added to the series and with all the jubilant aside, I was wondering that with COTA now in IndyCar schedule beginning next year, how's it like to drive an IndyCar in one of America's most prestigeous racetrack in modern times?



To find out, I get behind the wheel of the #9 Honda-powered IndyCar Scott Dixon used in the 2017 season and there's a main reason why Dixon's because with him leading the scoreboard, he has a probability that he will be this year's champion but there's more than his imminent victory because in his time as an IndyCar driver, this four-time (or fifth) champion raked up 287 starts, 41 wins, 26 poles, 141 top-five, and 204 top-ten finishes. That's impressive when you look at Scott Dixon's stats but this is no time to get awed because I'm driving his IndyCar machine for the day to see what it's like to drive at a USGP venue of the Formula 1 race.



According to the records, the fastest lap round COTA is set by Sebastian Vettel of the Ferrari F1 team with a 1:37.766 lap time during the 2017 season. That lap time is fast for F1 standards but this is IndyCar I'm talking about and they're completely different even though they're both open-wheel sport with world-class drivers. Let's see how fast an IndyCar can go round COTA with me behind the wheel. Roll the tape.



Taking behind the wheel of an IndyCar round the Circuit of the Americas, located at the Lone Star State we called Texas, I managed to pull a somewhat modest 2:09.781 lap time. Not quick as such and despite being called the fastest motorsport in the world, getting an IndyCar round COTA isn't as quick as a Formula 1 car, so don't even try comparing these two mighty open-wheeler titans, or even a Formula E car. Trust them, almost every vehicle can get obliterated by a Formula 1 car on the track.



Still, I am very pleased to have the Verizon IndyCar Series added the Circuit of the Americas for next season because having the Texas-based racetrack hosting one of the world's fastest motorsports is a match made in Driving Heaven and this is something we should be really looking forward to. A world-class racetrack and a world-class motorsport, both made in the U.S.A., isn't there anything more American than this? IndyCar could overtake NASCAR and IMSA by leaps and bounds.

Also, since I borrowed one of Scott Dixon's IndyCar machines for the day, I want to wish him the best of luck because he's about to be crowned the winner at the season finale at Sonoma. This one's for you, mate.