Best Laps #2 - Sepang

Q: How does the best lap of the whole weekend (3 practice sessions, 3 qualifying
periods and the race) compare to the best lap of the weekend in 2008?

Here are two tables - one compares driver with driver; easy enough if the same
driver remains in the same team. If not we compare the 2008 driver with the guy
who replaced him.

Note: Honda has morphed into Brawn-Mercedes, while Force India have switched
from Ferrari to Mercedes power.

'S' is the session when the best lap was achieved (P1/P2/P3/Q1/Q2/Q3/R)
'Lps' are the total laps in all sessions
'Diff' is the gain/loss in seconds
'%Diff' is the difference in time as a percentage of the 2008 time

Negative Diff/%Diff mean that the driver/team improved. Positive means they
got worse.

There can be several reasons for the variations seen.

[size=1]2008 Team         2008 Driver S  Lps  Time   2009 Driver S  Lps  Time    Diff.  %Diff
======================================================================================
[Honda] Button Q2 147 1'35.208 Button Q2 117 1'33.784 -1.424 -1.50
Williams-Toyota Nakajima P3 129 1'36.183 Nakajima Q2 122 1'34.788 -1.395 -1.45
[Honda] Barrichello Q2 134 1'35.622 Barrichello Q2 129 1'34.387 -1.235 -1.29
T Rosso-Ferrari Bourdais P3 49 1'36.668 Bourdais Q2 112 1'35.431 -1.237 -1.28
Red Bull-Renault Coulthard Q2 92 1'35.408 Vettel Q2 126 1'34.276 -1.132 -1.19
Williams-Toyota Rosberg Q2 134 1'35.670 Rosberg Q2 137 1'34.547 -1.123 -1.17
F India-[Ferrari] Sutil P3 76 1'36.939 Sutil Q1 112 1'35.951 -0.988 -1.02
Toyota Trulli Q2 156 1'34.825 Trulli Q2 132 1'33.990 -0.835 -0.88
Red Bull-Renault Webber Q2 139 1'34.967 Webber Q2 122 1'34.222 -0.745 -0.78
Toyota Glock Q2 104 1'35.000 Glock Q2 133 1'34.258 -0.742 -0.78
Renault Alonso Q2 129 1'35.140 Alonso Q2 94 1'34.706 -0.434 -0.46
F India-[Ferrari] Fisichella P3 143 1'36.229 Fisichella Q1 103 1'35.908 -0.321 -0.33
BMW Sauber-BMW Kubica Q2 130 1'34.811 Kubica Q2 94 1'34.562 -0.249 -0.26
BMW Sauber-BMW    Heidfeld    Q2 139 1'34.648 Heidfeld    Q2 117 1'34.769 +0.121 +0.13
Renault Piquet Q2 153 1'35.562 Piquet Q1 115 1'35.708 +0.146 +0.15
McLaren-Mercedes Kovalainen Q2 135 1'34.759 Kovalainen Q2 74 1'34.924 +0.165 +0.17
Ferrari Räikkönen Q2 130 1'34.188 Räikkönen Q2 120 1'34.456 +0.268 +0.28
McLaren-Mercedes Hamilton Q2 136 1'34.627 Hamilton Q2 105 1'34.905 +0.278 +0.29
T Rosso-Ferrari Vettel Q2 131 1'35.648 Buemi Q1 110 1'36.107 +0.459 +0.48
Ferrari Massa Q2 117 1'34.412 Massa Q1 107 1'35.642 +1.230 +1.30
S Aguri-Honda     Davidson    P3  120 1'37.140
S Aguri-Honda Sato P3 115 1'36.908
[/size]

Notes

This week seven drivers failed to improve on 2008 times, both Ferraris, Piquet,
and Heidfeld joining the McLarens and Buemi who were in the same position at
Melbourne.


The second table takes the best lap time from both drivers in each team and compares
with the equivalent team last season. Probably a better comparison.

[size=1]
2008 Team 2008 Driver S Lps Time 2009 Driver S Lps Time Diff. %Diff
======================================================================================
[Honda] Button Q2 281 1'35.208 Button Q2 246 1'33.784 -1.424 -1.50
Williams-Toyota Rosberg Q2 263 1'35.670 Rosberg Q2 259 1'34.547 -1.123 -1.17
Toyota Trulli Q2 260 1'34.825 Trulli Q2 265 1'33.990 -0.835 -0.88
Red Bull-Renault Webber Q2 231 1'34.967 Webber Q2 248 1'34.222 -0.745 -0.78
Renault Alonso Q2 282 1'35.140 Alonso Q2 209 1'34.706 -0.434 -0.46
F India-[Ferrari] Fisichella P3 219 1'36.229 Fisichella Q1 215 1'35.908 -0.321 -0.33
T Rosso-Ferrari Vettel Q2 180 1'35.648 Bourdais Q1 222 1'35.507 -0.141 -0.15
BMW Sauber-BMW Heidfeld Q2 269 1'34.648 Kubica Q2 211 1'34.562 -0.086 -0.09
Ferrari           Räikkönen   Q2 247 1'34.188 Räikkönen   Q2 227 1'34.456 +0.268 +0.28
McLaren-Mercedes Hamilton Q2 271 1'34.627 Hamilton Q2 179 1'34.905 +0.278 +0.29
S Aguri-Honda     Sato        P3 235 1'36.908
[/size]

Brawn maintain their position with the same 1.4s improvement that they showed in
Australia. And once again Red Bull, Williams & Toyota made significant gains.
Ferrari join McLaren as the two who failed to improve.
 
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