How Much is the F1 Car in GTA? A Deep Dive into the Costs and Performance of Formula 1 Vehicles in Grand Theft Auto

Formula 1 racing cars are the pinnacle of automotive engineering – optimized for outrageous speed and cornering ability at the expense of practicality and cost. Naturally, these exotic vehicles have made their way into the fictional world of Grand Theft Auto, where you can experience their extreme performance without the multi-million dollar price tag. In this article, we‘ll take a deep dive into the F1 cars available in GTA Online, looking at their costs, top speeds, and how they compare to real-world Formula 1.

Overview of F1 Cars in GTA Online

There are currently two dedicated open-wheel F1-style vehicles available for purchase in GTA Online:

• Benefactor BR8 (Formula 1 Car) – Added in the Los Santos Summer Special update in 2020, clearly based on modern Red Bull F1 cars. Costs $3,400,000 from Legendary Motorsport.

• Progen PR4 – Added in the Diamond Casino Heist update in 2019, inspired by 1980s McLaren F1 cars. Costs $3,515,000 from Legendary Motorsport.

In addition, the Ocelot R88 has design cues from F1 cars, although it is classified as a sports car rather than open wheel. It costs $3,115,000 from Legendary Motorsport.

For comparisons, we‘ll focus on the BR8 and PR4 since they are the most authentic F1 replicas in the game.

Purchase Costs – How Much Are the F1 Cars in GTA Online?

The BR8 and PR4 are among the most expensive vehicles in GTA Online, with price tags over $3.4 million each. Here‘s a breakdown of their purchase costs:

• Benefactor BR8 – $3,400,000 from Legendary Motorsport
• Progen PR4 – $3,515,000 from Legendary Motorsport

To put those prices in perspective, here are some of the other most expensive vehicles in GTA Online:

• Luxor Deluxe Private Jet – $10,000,000
• P-996 LAZER Fighter Jet – $6,500,000
• RM-10 Bombushka Cargo Plane – $5,918,500
• Buckingham Luxor Private Jet – $2,000,000

So while the F1 cars are certainly expensive, they aren‘t even close to being the most expensive vehicles in the game. The Luxor Deluxe private jet holds that distinction at a staggering $10 million!

Real World F1 Car Costs for Comparison

In real life, an F1 car is estimated to cost around $15 million to design, engineer, and build. And that‘s just for one car – top teams like Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull operate two cars each.

For the 2022 F1 season, the cost cap for teams is $140 million. That has to cover designing and manufacturing the cars, engines, salaries for drivers and crew, transportation, marketing, and more.

To put it in perspective, the Milwaukee Bucks NBA team has a total player payroll of around $150 million in 2021/2022. So an F1 team‘s budget has to match an entire pro sports team!

Clearly the in-game prices of $3.4 million for the BR8 and PR4 are massively discounted compared to real F1 car costs. But that allows us to enjoy their extreme performance without the outrageous price tag.

Top Speeds – How Fast Are the F1 Cars in GTA Online?

The BR8 and PR4 are two of the fastest vehicles in GTA Online, with top speeds exceeding 120 mph. Here are the tested top speeds:

• Benefactor BR8 – 122.75 mph (197.55 km/h)
• Progen PR4 – 121.25 mph (195.06 km/h)

For comparison, the fastest supercar in the game is the Ocelot Pariah with a top speed of 136 mph (218 km/h).

So while the BR8 and PR4 aren‘t the absolute fastest, they are solidly in the top tier of vehicles. And their acceleration and cornering grip allows them to be extremely quick around race tracks despite not having the raw top speed of a Pariah.

How Do the GTA F1 Cars Compare to Real F1?

In the real world, Formula 1 cars are the pinnacle of performance. The current 2022 F1 cars have estimated top speeds of around 220 mph (354 km/h), with the record being Lewis Hamilton‘s Mercedes at 230 mph (370 km/h) set in 2016.

So the in-game BR8 and PR4 are realistic but fall a bit short of real world F1 performance. But that tradeoff allows them to be drivable for the average GTA Online player, while still capturing the general feel of racing in an open-wheel rocket.

The acceleration and cornering of the BR8 and PR4 are also realistic, giving you the sensation of driving a finely tuned, responsive race car. The levels of grip let you take corners at high speed while still being manageable with a game controller.

Overall, Rockstar did an admirable job translating the real-world performance of F1 cars into a virtual experience you can enjoy without being a professional race car driver.

Customization Options

A major part of the appeal of F1 cars are their sponsor livery and color schemes. The BR8 and PR4 allow you to customize their liveries by picking primary and secondary colors for different body panels.

There are also two liveries pre-made for each car model – one based on the fictional Benefactor and Progen brands, and the other a striking gold-accented livery.

While not as extensive as wraps and decals on real F1 cars, the ability to tweak the colors to your liking definitely adds to the experience.

Where to Drive F1 Cars in GTA Online

The natural habitat for these open-wheel rockets is of course the Open Wheel Race Series. This is a collection of dedicated race tracks modeled after real F1 circuits like Monaco. These provide the opportunity to properly test the BR8 and PR4 at their limits.

For free-roaming fun, the long highways and twisting mountain roads of Blaine County are perfect for taking your F1 car up to top speed or carving canyons. Just be aware of their sensitive handling at the limit.

Once you get the hang of the BR8 or PR4, few other vehicles can keep up with your pace on the open road. Weaving through traffic at 120+ mph provides a unique thrill.

Closing Thoughts – Are the F1 Cars Worth it in GTA Online?

While the $3.4 million price tag may seem intimidating, the BR8 and PR4 deliver a unique experience unlike any other vehicles in GTA Online. Hurtling down straights at triple digit speeds before braking hard into tight corners captures the sensation of F1 racing.

The sensitive handling takes some skill to master, but pulling off a perfect lap in one of these open-wheel beasts provides a satisfaction like no other. Given their stunning performance and exclusivity, the costs seem justified for dedicated gearheads and racing fans.

If you have the spare cash and want to stand out from the crowds in packed lobbies, an F1 car also announces your presence in style.

So if you‘ve ever dreamed of piloting an open-wheel rocket like Lewis Hamilton, the BR8 and PR4 let you fulfill those Formula 1 fantasies at a fraction of the real world price. Buckle up and give one a test drive to experience the pinnacle of racing engineering virtually. Just be ready to destroy your lap records around the track!