Top Speeds #1 - Melbourne

I posted these comparisons from 2006 to 2008 to illustrate changes in top
speeds as measured through the speed traps.

The first table compares the 2008 team/driver combination with the equivalent 2009
team/driver - the same driver if possible, otherwise the 2008 driver is compared to
his 2009 replacement. This comparison is intended as a team comparison, but the first
(driver) table is also of some interest - but should be read with care.

Notes

Honda have been renamed Brawn-Mercedes and Force India have switched to
Mercedes engines.

'S#' Session in which the top speed was recorded (P1/P2/P3/Q/R)
'Diff' difference in top speed (km/hr)
'%Dif' difference in top speed (as percentage of 2008 speed)

Australian GP 2008/2009

2008                                    2009
Team-Engine Driver S# km/h Driver S# km/h Diff. %Dif.
========================================================================
BMW Sauber-BMW Heidfeld Q 302.4 Heidfeld Q2 308.4 +6.0 +1.98
Honda Barrichello P3 301.4 Barrichello P2 306.2 +4.8 +1.59
T Rosso-Ferrari Vettel Q 304.4 Buemi Q1 308.7 +4.3 +1.41
F India-Ferrari Sutil P3 304.3 Sutil R 308.5 +4.2 +1.38
Honda Button Q 300.2 Button P2 304.2 +4.0 +1.33
BMW Sauber-BMW Kubica Q 302.5 Kubica Q2 306.5 +4.0 +1.32
T Rosso-Ferrari Bourdais Q 305.1 Bourdais R 308.3 +3.2 +1.05
Red Bull-Renault Webber P3 304.9 Webber R 307.6 +2.7 +0.89
F India-Ferrari Fisichella Q 304.4 Fisichella Q1 306.9 +2.5 +0.82
McLaren-Mercedes Hamilton Q 306.2 Hamilton R 308.5 +2.3 +0.75
Renault Piquet P3 301.8 Piquet P1 303.6 +1.8 +0.60
Williams-Toyota Nakajima R 304.7 Nakajima P2 306.2 +1.5 +0.49
Red Bull-Renault Coulthard P3 305.5 Vettel R 306.5 +1.0 +0.33
Ferrari Massa P3 307.5 Massa Q3 308.3 +0.8 +0.26
Toyota Trulli Q 304.3 Trulli R 305.0 +0.7 +0.23
Williams-Toyota Rosberg Q 304.6 Rosberg P2 304.9 +0.3 +0.10
Ferrari Räikkönen P3 307.3 Räikkönen Q1 307.6 +0.3 +0.10
Renault           Alonso      R  302.3  Alonso      R  302.2 -0.1  -0.03
Toyota Glock P3 304.3 Glock R 304.1 -0.2 -0.07
McLaren-Mercedes Kovalainen R 308.3 Kovalainen Q2 306.3 -2.0 -0.65
S Aguri-Honda     Sato        Q  300.7
S Aguri-Honda Davidson Q 300.0

Only three drivers failed to improve - Alonso, Glock & Kovalainen.


The second table compares the best speed achieved by each team (IE the top
speed of both drivers), and as such is a better comparison.

2008                                    2009
Team-Engine Driver S# km/h Driver S# km/h Diff. %Diff.
========================================================================
BMW Sauber-BMW Kubica Q 302.5 Heidfeld Q2 308.4 +5.9 +1.95
Honda Barrichello P3 301.4 Barrichello P2 306.2 +4.8 +1.59
F India-Ferrari Fisichella Q 304.4 Sutil R 308.5 +4.1 +1.35
T Rosso-Ferrari Bourdais Q 305.1 Buemi Q1 308.7 +3.6 +1.18
Red Bull-Renault Coulthard P3 305.5 Webber R 307.6 +2.1 +0.69
Williams-Toyota Nakajima R 304.7 Nakajima P2 306.2 +1.5 +0.49
Renault Alonso R 302.3 Piquet P1 303.6 +1.3 +0.43
Ferrari Massa P3 307.5 Massa Q3 308.3 +0.8 +0.26
Toyota Trulli Q 304.3 Trulli R 305.0 +0.7 +0.23
McLaren-Mercedes Kovalainen R 308.3 Hamilton R 308.5 +0.2 +0.06
S Aguri-Honda     Sato        Q  300.7

Most data from http://www.formula1.com, but the race speed trap data is directly from
http://www.fia.com.
 
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