Top Speeds #10 - the Hungaroring

Top Speed Comparisons #10 - Hungaroring

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

These were the top speeds registered by each driver during the event.

Team              Driver       Sess  Speed
===========================================
McLaren-Mercedes Hamilton Race 299.5 kph
McLaren-Mercedes Kovalainen Race 298.3
F India-Mercedes Fisichella Race 289.3
Brawn-Mercedes Barrichello Race 288.3
Red Bull-Renault Vettel Q2 288.2
BMW Sauber-BMW Heidfeld Race 287.8
Ferrari Räikkönen Race 287.8
BMW Sauber-BMW Kubica Race 287.2
Brawn-Mercedes Button Race 287.0
Ferrari Massa P2 287.0
T Rosso-Ferrari Alguersuari Race 286.5
Renault Piquet Race 286.3
Red Bull-Renault Webber Race 285.1
Renault Alonso P1 284.9
T Rosso-Ferrari Buemi Q2 284.4
F India-Mercedes Sutil P2 283.9
Williams-Toyota Nakajima Race 283.0
Williams-Toyota Rosberg Race 282.0
Toyota Glock Race 281.9
Toyota Trulli Race 281.6
No less than 15 drivers set their top speeds during the race. Of the five others, Massa wasn't
able to race anyway, Sutil lasted one lap, and Alonso retired after 13, leaving Vettel, who
also had a short race, and Buemi.


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 from Ferrari to Mercedes engines.

'S#' Session in which the top speed was recorded (P1/P2/P3/Q1/Q2/Q3/R)
'Diff' difference in top speed (km/hr)
'%Dif' difference in top speed (as percentage of 2008 speed)

Hungarian GP 2008/2009

2008                                    2009
Team-Engine Driver S# km/h Driver S# km/h Dif. %Dif.
=========================================================================
McLaren-Mercedes Kovalainen P1 294.8 Kovalainen R 298.3 +3.5 +1.19
McLaren-Mercedes Hamilton P1 297.7 Hamilton R 299.5 +1.8 +0.60
[Honda]           Barrichello  Q1 288.7 Barrichello  R  288.3  -0.4 -0.14
F India-[Ferrari] Fisichella P1 290.7 Fisichella R 289.3 -1.4 -0.48
[Honda] Button P2 289.3 Button R 287.0 -2.3 -0.80
Red Bull-Renault Coulthard Q1 291.6 Vettel Q2 288.2 -3.4 -1.17
F India-[Ferrari] Sutil P2 289.2 Sutil P2 283.9 -5.3 -1.83
Ferrari Massa P1 292.4 Massa P2 287.0 -5.4 -1.85
BMW Sauber-BMW Heidfeld P1 293.5 Heidfeld R 287.8 -5.7 -1.94
Red Bull-Renault Webber Q2 290.8 Webber R 285.1 -5.7 -1.96
BMW Sauber-BMW Kubica Q2 293.2 Kubica R 287.2 -6.0 -2.05
Renault Piquet Q2 292.6 Piquet R 286.3 -6.3 -2.15
Ferrari Räikkönen P1 294.6 Räikkönen R 287.8 -6.8 -2.31
Toyota Trulli Q2 289.0 Trulli R 281.6 -7.4 -2.56
T Rosso-Ferrari Vettel Q1 292.7 Buemi Q2 284.4 -8.3 -2.84
T Rosso-Ferrari Bourdais Q1 295.0 Alguersuari R 286.5 -8.5 -2.88
Renault Alonso Q1 294.5 Alonso P1 284.9 -9.6 -3.26
Toyota Glock Q1 291.4 Glock R 281.9 -9.5 -3.26
Williams-Toyota Rosberg P1 292.0 Rosberg R 282.0 -10.0 -3.42
Williams-Toyota Nakajima Q1 293.2 Nakajima R 283.0 -10.2 -3.48
Only the rejuvenated McLarens were faster than at last years event. The top five cars
were all Mercedes-powered - the bottom three were Toyotas. Fifteen 2009 bests came in
the race but none did so last year.


The second table compares the top 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.
========================================================================
McLaren-Mercedes Hamilton P1 297.7 Hamilton R 299.5 +1.8 +0.60
[Honda]           Button      P2 289.3 Barrichello  R  288.3  -1.0 -0.35
F India-[Ferrari] Fisichella P1 290.7 Fisichella R 289.3 -1.4 -0.48
Red Bull-Renault Coulthard Q1 291.6 Vettel Q2 288.2 -3.4 -1.17
BMW Sauber-BMW Heidfeld P1 293.5 Heidfeld R 287.8 -5.7 -1.94
Ferrari Räikkönen P1 294.6 Räikkönen R 287.8 -6.8 -2.31
Renault Alonso Q1 294.5 Piquet R 286.3 -8.2 -2.86
T Rosso-Ferrari Bourdais Q1 295.0 Alguersuari R 286.5 -8.5 -2.88
Toyota Glock Q1 291.4 Glock R 281.9 -9.5 -3.26
Williams-Toyota Nakajima Q1 293.2 Nakajima R 283.0 -10.2 -3.48
Only McLaren posted a better top speed than in 2008.


Taking the positions from table 2 at each race (1 is most improved, 10 is
least improved) and averaging them gives a season average position.

Team             R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7 R8 R9 R10  Tot  Avg.
==============================================================
1. F India-Mercedes 3 2 3 1 1 1 1 1 - 3 16 1.78
2. Brawn-Mercedes 2 6 5 4 2 3 5 3 - 2 32 3.56
3. Red Bull-Renault 5 1 2 7 5 4 4 5 - 4 37 4.11
4. BMW Sauber-BMW 1 5 9 6 8 7 7 6 - 5 54 6.00
5. Renault 7 3 7 9 3 10 2 7 - 7 55 6.11
6. Toyota 10 4 6 2 7 8 9 2 - 9 57 6.33
7. T Rosso-Ferrari 4 7 4 5 9 9 3 9 - 8 58 6.44
8. McLaren-Mercedes 9 10 10 3 4 5 8 10 - 1 60 6.67
9. Williams-Toyota 6 8 8 8 6 6 6 4 - 10 62 6.89
10. Ferrari 8 9 1 10 10 2 10 8 - 6 64 7.11
All data from http://www.fia.com or http://www.formula1.com.
 
Two things of note there.

1) Both Mclarens were 10Kp/h faster than every one else !!
2) Fisi's Force India was third fastest through the speed trap !!

Seems like FI (with a huge change in fortune) should be scoring points soon and are really getting to grips with their car.
 
McLaren 10kph faster than everyone else would suggest they were running less wing.
Which would imply they have sorted their downforce problem.
 
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