Motorsports for Beginners

Written by Theressa Jabbour

Thumbnail photo by Formula 1

Let this be your introduction to the exciting world of motorsports. Now, you might be thinking driving cars isn’t a sport, but in fact, motorsports have been around for centuries: The first organised race between two automobiles took place all the way back in 1867 in the United Kingdom. 

The early nineteenth century saw the invention of fuel-based automobiles, and with it, the birth of auto racing. While these races consisted of entirely different methods and procedures than motorsports nowadays, the essence of racing remains the same. It is exhilarating and death-defying, with fearless racers manning works of engineering excellence. Watching a skilled driver behind the wheel of an equally matched car is nothing short of brilliant. 

The invention of modern broadcasting technology brought with it a motorsport culture that could be enjoyed by all types of people. It became a global sport with a global community. Whether one is from the Americas, Europe, Asia or Africa, there is always a motorsport to enjoy. 

Motorsports encompass a wide variety of disciplines for spectators. Perhaps the most popular circuit-based ones are open-wheel racing, including the popular series Formula One and IndyCar, and stock car racing, most popular in North America through the household name NASCAR. 

The drivers of these series need to be some of the fittest athletes on the planet, owing to the physical nature of driving a race car over long distances and durations. For drivers in IndyCar and NASCAR, races can take as long as three hours, and two hours for Formula One races. Because these races involve driving at high speeds and in a variety of conditions, endurance is essential and can establish the difference between winning and losing. Qualifying for the race sees 20 to 40 drivers across these three categories fighting for the best starting position possible. This guarantees motorsport enthusiasts plenty of racing action to enjoy during the entire weekend. 

Here is a brief overview of three of the most popular series in motor racing.

Photo by Joe Skibinski

The IndyCar Series:

IndyCar in its current iteration has been taking place under various governing bodies since 1911, with a merger in 2008. Its principal race, the Indianapolis 500, has been around since 1911. The contemporary competition involves more than ten teams competing for the championship, with one to five drivers each. The series takes place across the United States and Canada, and races have been evenly split between oval tracks, permanent road courses, and temporary street races since 2012. Historically, IndyCar has also competed in Europe, South America, and Asia.

There were 17 races this season, each following the same schedule. The Canadian race on the calendar, Honda Indy Toronto, has been a part of the series since 2009. The remaining races took place in the United States, with several practice sessions and qualification rounds, the weekends are usually jam-packed with exciting action leading up to the race. The IndyCar championship is determined by drivers’ points, with the champion being the highest scoring driver out of all the races.

Famous sporting personalities include A. J. Foyt, Scott Dixon, a six-time champion, and Alex Palou, the winner of the 2023 season and a rising star. The latter’s team, Chip Ganassi Racing, is one of the most successful teams in IndyCar, with 21 championships to its name!

IndyCar is broadcast on TSN and INDYCAR Live, so be sure to follow along next season, and you can visit IndyCar.com for more details.

Photo by Formula1

 The Formula One Series:

The first Formula One World Championship race was held in the United Kingdom in 1950, and there have been 73 seasons since then. The modern competition has consisted of ten teams since 2017, each with a pairing of two drivers competing for two championships: the world drivers’ championship, awarded to the highest scoring driver, and the world constructors’ championship, awarded to the highest scoring team. From Melbourne to Montreal, Formula One competes in cities all over the world. The drivers have raced unique circuits in 34 countries since the inception of the sport, such as the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix, with the Canadian Grand Prix that has intermittently taken  place in Montreal since 1978.

The championship can have up to twenty-four races a year, following a basic schedule over the race weekend. The drivers participate in three practice sessions throughout Friday and Saturday to get familiar with the racetrack before taking part in the qualifying session on Saturday to set the starting positions for the race, and finally racing for championship points on Sunday. 

Famous figures of this sport include Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton, both tied for the record-breaking seven Drivers’ Championships, and Max Verstappen, the winner of three Drivers’ Championships and the current reigning World Champion. The oldest and most accomplished team in Formula One is Ferrari, having been a part of the competition since its inception in 1950 and holding the record for most Constructors’ Championships won: sixteen! 

With three races left, all practice sessions, qualifying sessions, and races are broadcast live in Canada on TSN and F1TV, and you can check out Formula1.com to learn more about this season before it wraps up. 

Photo by Alejandro Alvarez 

The NASCAR Series:

Pivoting to stock car racing, NASCAR is one of America’s most popular sports. Founded in 1948, this series consists of three different national levels of competition. The highest, called the Cup Series, involves 36 races and is more prevalent than the Xfinity Series and the Craftsman Trucks Series. Internationally, NASCAR oversees the Pinty’s Series that runs in Canada, as well as others in Mexico and Europe.

The racing schedule includes several practice and qualifying sessions across the weekend before the race. Though it mainly races in the United States on oval tracks, the series has branched out on some occasions to include races in Canada and Mexico. Some of its famed races include the Daytona 500, Southern 500, and Coca-Cola 600.

The Drivers’ Championship is determined by the number of points and victories throughout a season, in each of its series, while the Owners’ Championship is based on points accumulated by a car, and the Manufacturers’ Championship is calculated according to the points of the highest-finishing representative.

Famous figures include Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt and Jimmie Johnson, all three of whom are tied for the record of most championships in the Cup Series: 7! Chevrolet holds the record for most successful manufacturer in NASCAR’s Cup Series, with 41 manufacturers championship wins. Hendrick Motorsports, a team under Chevrolet, has won 14 Cup Series owners championships to date.  

With the season ending in November, there is still time to watch a race or two on TSN. Check out NASCAR.com for more information.

Photo by Arnaud Cornilleau

 Last but not least, an honorary mention needs to be given to the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the longest running endurance race in the world, held since 1923! Taking place near the town of Le Mans, France, it is one head of the Triple Crown of Motorsport, with the Monaco Grand Prix and Indianapolis 500 making up the other two. The Triple Crown of Motorsport is an honour bestowed upon any driver who has won all three races. So far, only one driver has managed to claim it: the late British race-car driver Graham Hill.

Whether you are interested in open-wheel racing, ovals, or international tracks, there is always a race for you to enjoy. IndyCar, Formula One and NASCAR are home to some of the most popular races in the world and have no shortage of drivers and teams for you to support. All three racing series will be returning for the 2024 season.