Q&A · 1:14:01-1:15:14

Why an Iowa power plant would not make a fast Formula 1 car

A deliberately extreme engine swap exposes the difference between a battleship's machinery and a lightweight racing car.

Question

How fast could a Formula 1 car go with an Iowa-class battleship power plant?

Short answer

The machinery's mass and operating characteristics prevent a meaningful speed figure, even with magically durable shafts and wheels.

Notes

The question grants magically durable shafts and wheels, but the battleship plant remains enormously heavy. Marine machinery is built for a different operating speed from a Formula 1 drivetrain. Its power rating alone therefore cannot produce a meaningful car-speed answer. No numerical speed is offered.