95% of the performance comes from the car. They fight for differences of 0.5s between drivers on the same team and that is within 99.5% of each other or something. It means results are kind of limited to a very narrow range of possibilities, the best team wont come below 3rd etc. The engineering at the top 3 is probably military industrial level for sure.

Euros also took pride of their “circuits” because it is technical, it is not about overtaking but in the old days, going to an F1 race was realy about the sound and the camping experience, again EU circuits being all in the middle of nowhere often. old Hockenheim was fucking amazing going through the forest etc. The American oval circuit experience I imagine is much closer to a stadium like atmosphere so its completely different purpose and vibe.