All Fermi answers
Fermi #17 · Question 3

How long would it take a Formula 1 car to drive all the way around the Earth's equator?

Explore the official answer and the simple reasoning behind this Fermi estimate.

3QUESTION 3 OF 3

Answer & explanation

Flat out, no pitting.

The official answer, with Fermi’s reasoning step by step.

Answer & explanation

Official answer

108

hours

How to estimate it

Fermi’s official “Napkin math”

The easiest place to start is the distance around the Earth at the equator, about 25,000 miles. How fast is an F1 car flat out down a long straight? Call it 230 miles an hour.

Equator distance
≈ 25,000 mi
F1 car top speed
≈ 230 mph
25,000 ÷ 230
≈ 109 hours

Rounded assumptions may give a slightly different estimate. The official answer above is the game’s reference value.

Source calculation & reference
Equatorial circumference of Earth (NASA Earth Fact Sheet)
≈ 24,901 miles (40,075 km)
Highest speed ever recorded in a Formula 1 race (Valtteri Bottas, 2016 Mexican GP)
≈ 231.5 mph (372.5 km/h)
24,901 ÷ 231.5
≈ 108 hours

Reference cited by Fermi: NASA Earth Fact Sheet · Formula 1 Race Stats

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