Top Speeds #11 - Valencia

Top Speed Comparisons #11 - Valencia

I posted these comparisons from 2006 to 2008 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
===========================================
F India-Mercedes Sutil Race 313.5 kph
F India-Mercedes Fisichella Q1 313.0
Brawn-Mercedes Barrichello Q2 312.9
Ferrari Räikkönen Q1 312.1
McLaren-Mercedes Kovalainen Q1 311.8
McLaren-Mercedes Hamilton Q1 311.2
Brawn-Mercedes Button Race 311.0
T Rosso-Ferrari Buemi Q1 309.8
T Rosso-Ferrari Alguersuari P3 309.6
Ferrari Badoer Race 309.0
Williams-Toyota Nakajima Race 308.9
Toyota Glock Q1 308.0
Renault Grosjean Race 307.9
Williams-Toyota Rosberg Race 307.6
Renault Alonso P2 307.6
Toyota Trulli Q1 306.7
Red Bull-Renault Webber P2 306.7
BMW Sauber-BMW Kubica Race 305.6
BMW Sauber-BMW Heidfeld Race 305.6
Red Bull-Renault Vettel P2 304.8


The first table (below) 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)

European GP 2008/2009

2008                                    2009
Team-Engine Driver S# km/h Driver S# km/h Dif. %Dif.
=========================================================================
[Honda] Barrichello P3 309.2 Barrichello Q2 312.9 +3.7 +1.20
McLaren-Mercedes Kovalainen Q3 309.8 Kovalainen Q1 311.8 +2.0 +0.65
[Honda] Button P3 309.1 Button R 311.0 +1.9 +0.61
F India-[Ferrari] Sutil Q1 312.5 Sutil R 313.5 +1.0 +0.32
F India-[Ferrari] Fisichella   Q1 313.2 Fisichella   Q1 313.0  -0.2 -0.06
McLaren-Mercedes Hamilton Q3 312.2 Hamilton Q1 311.2 -1.0 -0.32
Ferrari Räikkönen Q1 316.0 Räikkönen Q1 312.1 -3.9 -1.23
Toyota Glock Q1 312.0 Glock Q1 308.0 -4.0 -1.28
Williams-Toyota Nakajima P2 313.0 Nakajima R 308.9 -4.1 -1.31
Williams-Toyota Rosberg P3 312.5 Rosberg R 307.6 -4.9 -1.57
Renault Piquet P1 313.4 Grosjean R 307.9 -5.5 -1.75
Renault Alonso P1 313.1 Alonso P2 307.6 -5.5 -1.76
Toyota Trulli Q1 312.5 Trulli Q1 306.7 -5.8 -1.86
BMW Sauber-BMW Kubica P1 311.4 Kubica R 305.6 -5.8 -1.86
T Rosso-Ferrari Vettel Q3 316.4 Buemi Q1 309.8 -6.6 -2.09
T Rosso-Ferrari Bourdais P3 316.2 Alguersuari P3 309.6 -6.6 -2.09
Ferrari Massa P3 316.3 Badoer R 309.0 -7.3 -2.31
Red Bull-Renault Webber P3 314.0 Webber P2 306.7 -7.3 -2.32
BMW Sauber-BMW Heidfeld Q2 313.3 Heidfeld R 305.6 -7.7 -2.46
Red Bull-Renault Coulthard P3 313.2 Vettel P2 304.8 -8.4 -2.68


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.
========================================================================
[Honda] Barrichello P3 309.2 Barrichello Q2 312.9 +3.7 +1.20
F India-[Ferrari] Fisichella Q1 313.2 Sutil R 313.5 +0.3 +0.10
McLaren-Mercedes  Hamilton    Q3 312.2 Kovalainen   Q1 311.8  -0.4 -0.13
Williams-Toyota Nakajima P2 313.0 Nakajima R 308.9 -4.1 -1.31
Ferrari Massa P3 316.3 Räikkönen Q1 312.1 -4.2 -1.33
Toyota Trulli Q1 312.5 Glock Q1 308.0 -4.5 -1.44
Renault Piquet P1 313.4 Grosjean R 307.9 -5.5 -1.75
T Rosso-Ferrari Vettel Q3 316.4 Buemi Q1 309.8 -6.6 -2.09
Red Bull-Renault Webber P3 314.0 Webber P2 306.7 -7.3 -2.32
BMW Sauber-BMW Heidfeld Q2 313.3 Heidfeld R 305.6 -7.7 -2.46

With Brawn and Force India able to achieve higher top speeds, and McLaren only just
failing to do so, the three Mercedes powered outfits were again right at the top.


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 R11   Tot  Avg.
===================================================================
1. F India-Mercedes 3 2 3 1 1 1 1 1 - 3 2 18 1.80
2. Brawn-Mercedes 2 6 5 4 2 3 5 3 - 2 1 33 3.30
3. Red Bull-Renault 5 1 2 7 5 4 4 5 - 4 9 46 4.60
4. Renault 7 3 7 9 3 10 2 7 - 7 7 62 6.20
5. Toyota 10 4 6 2 7 8 9 2 - 9 6 63 6.30
McLaren-Mercedes 9 10 10 3 4 5 8 10 - 1 3 63 6.30
7. BMW Sauber-BMW 1 5 9 6 8 7 7 6 - 5 10 64 6.40
8. T Rosso-Ferrari 4 7 4 5 9 9 3 9 - 8 8 66 6.60
Williams-Toyota 6 8 8 8 6 6 6 4 - 10 4 66 6.60
10. Ferrari 8 9 1 10 10 2 10 8 - 6 5 69 6.90

All data from http://www.fia.com or http://www.formula1.com.
 
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