Today’s road-going supercars are mental machines with power and performance deemed alien just a few decades ago. However, for all their advancements, they still trail dedicated race cars. A new video from the Driven Media YouTube channel highlights their performance differences, pitting a V10-powered Formula One car against a McLaren 570GT.

A glance at the spec sheet makes it quite clear the McLaren is at a monumental disadvantage. Its twin-turbocharged 3.8-litre V8 engine produces a partly 562 bhp (419 kilowatts) and 442 pound-feet (600 Newton-metres) of torque. The F1 car’s naturally aspirated V10 produces 770 bhp (574 kW) and 383 lb-ft (520 Nm) of torque; however, it has another advantage. The F1 car is 825 kilograms (1,818 pounds) lighter than the McLaren.

Gallery: 2017 McLaren 570GT: First Drive

The two face off in a pair of quarter-mile drag races, and while the F1 car handily won, it was much close than one would expect. The first race saw the F1 clock a 9.6-second time, while the McLaren trailed with a 10.8-second one. The second race was closer, with 1.0 seconds separating the two – 9.1 to 10.1. It’s not a huge gap, though one that would be difficult for the McLaren to overcome. Shaving off a full second would require some in-depth modifications. A rolling race from 40 miles per hour (64 kilometres per hour) also went into the F1’s victory column.

The final event had the two going from 0 to 100 to 0 in the shortest distance. The F1 car technically won it, though the McLaren needed less tarmac to decelerate from 100 mph (160 kph). F1 brakes aren’t designed to work well under 60 mph (96 kph), giving the big-braked McLaren a chance. The McLaren may have lost every event, but it makes a valiant showing for modern supercars. There’s still a performance gap, but it’s narrowing.