Born on the Track to Dominate the Roads

The automobile and racing have gone hand in hand since their inception, forever linked by the eternal human quest for improvement. More speed. More optimization. More risk.

Over the years—and the vast fortunes that have been made thanks to motorsport—engineers and drivers have sought triumph and glory in mere fractions of a second. Now, cars are faster than ever, with control units calculating steering vectors, tire pressure, asphalt resistance, and the optimal moment to shift gears at a pace so rapid it is inconceivable for the human brain.

We have created synthetic materials, less dense than bones but stronger than steel. We have created instant gear changes, where just brushing the paddles behind the steering wheel shifts to the next gear, ensuring no power is lost to the wheels for even a moment. We have discovered that, with ingenious channeling, the wind cut by cars improves their traction. We have invented fireproof suits so that, in the inevitable accident, death can be evaded.

Like natural evolution, everyday cars and racing cars share a common ancestor. In the early races, held on conventional roads, participants used production cars like the Peugeot Type 5, which delivered two horsepower from its 565 cubic centimeter engine.

Motorsport has its roots in France at the end of the 19th century. The first recognized race was the Paris-Rouen in 1894, which mixed elements that would eventually become the disciplines of rally and endurance. From that moment, an arms race began where each manufacturer wanted to surpass the others, as victories were a lure for sales.

However, racing brought with it a large number of accidents that almost always had a tragic end, both for drivers and spectators. Therefore, two decisions were made: races had to be held on controlled circuits, and there had to be a body to regulate the competition. In 1904, the International Automobile Federation was officially founded, which would regulate the Grand Prix that would eventually become Formula 1. In 1906, the first specific circuit for cars was built in Aspendale, Australia.

This caused a divergence: while conventional cars sought to increase passenger comfort with softer seats or air conditioning, racing cars had only one goal: to maximize speed at any cost. Durability is a valuable feature in street cars, but in racing cars, rebuilding an engine is common, and the driver's comfort takes a back seat.

These differences became progressively deeper, to the point that it would be impossible to see a Formula 1 car on the streets, due to increasingly stringent regulations on noise, speed, safety, and pollution.

But even racing cannot completely escape these concerns, and even the top category has seen its engines go from the V12s of the early '90s to the current V6 hybrids—50% more powerful.

Today, victories and racing technology remain a commercial lure for brands, and some offer the best they have for select clients who can afford components destined for the tracks. Some buyers who can afford it are great motorsport enthusiasts and have cars intended for track use.

Maserati, Ferrari, McLaren, or Aston Martin all have cars that cannot be registered for the street. But they also have models that meet the regulations just enough to have a license plate and, if you're lucky, to encounter at a traffic light.