Top Speeds #4 - Sakhir

Speed Trap Data - Top Speed Comparisons

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 from Ferrari 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)

Bahrain GP 2008/2009

2008                                    2009
Team-Engine Driver S# km/h Driver S# km/h Diff. %Dif.
========================================================================
F India-[Ferrari] Fisichella P1 311.2 Fisichella P3 316.4 +5.2 +1.67
F India-[Ferrari] Sutil R 310.7 Sutil P2 315.8 +5.1 +1.64
[Honda] Button P2 305.9 Button P2 310.4 +4.5 +1.47
McLaren-Mercedes Hamilton P1 312.2 Hamilton P1 315.6 +3.4 +1.09
Toyota Trulli R 307.6 Trulli P1 310.9 +3.3 +1.07
Toyota Glock P2 307.5 Glock P1 310.7 +3.2 +1.04
BMW Sauber-BMW Kubica P2 309.8 Kubica P2 312.9 +3.1 +1.00
McLaren-Mercedes Kovalainen P2 312.5 Kovalainen P1 314.7 +2.2 +0.70
[Honda] Barrichello P1 309.2 Barrichello P2 310.8 +1.6 +0.52
T Rosso-Ferrari Bourdais P3 311.4 Bourdais Q1 312.4 +1.0 +0.32
T Rosso-Ferrari Vettel P2 311.3 Buemi P3 311.9 +0.6 +0.19
Red Bull-Renault Webber P1 311.4 Webber P1 311.9 +0.5 +0.16
Red Bull-Renault  Coulthard   P1 312.7  Vettel      P1 312.6  -0.1 -0.03
Williams-Toyota Nakajima P1 309.8 Nakajima P1 309.5 -0.3 -0.10
Renault Alonso P1 312.5 Alonso P1 312.1 -0.4 -0.13
Williams-Toyota Rosberg P2 309.2 Rosberg P1 308.3 -0.9 -0.29
Renault Piquet P1 314.3 Piquet P1 313.3 -1.0 -0.32
BMW Sauber-BMW Heidfeld P2 312.3 Heidfeld R 310.7 -1.6 -0.51
Ferrari Räikkönen P2 315.9 Räikkönen P2 311.9 -4.0 -1.27
Ferrari Massa R 316.0 Massa P2 311.8 -4.2 -1.33
Super Aguri-Honda Sato        R  306.1
Super Aguri-Honda Davidson R 306.6
Twelve drivers were able to improve on their 2008 speeds, while eight did not.
The top four were all Mercedes-powered, with all six Mercedes-engined cars in
the top 10.


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.
========================================================================
F India-[Ferrari] Fisichella P1 311.2 Fisichella P3 316.4 +5.2 +1.67
Toyota Trulli R 307.6 Trulli P1 310.9 +3.3 +1.07
McLaren-Mercedes Kovalainen P2 312.5 Hamilton P1 315.6 +3.1 +0.99
[Honda] Barrichello P1 309.2 Barrichello P2 310.8 +1.6 +0.52
T Rosso-Ferrari Bourdais P3 311.4 Bourdais Q1 312.4 +1.0 +0.32
BMW Sauber-BMW Heidfeld P2 312.3 Kubica P2 312.9 +0.6 +0.19
Red Bull-Renault  Coulthard   P1 312.7  Vettel      P1 312.6  -0.1 -0.03
Williams-Toyota Nakajima P1 309.8 Nakajima P1 309.5 -0.3 -0.10
Renault Piquet P1 314.3 Piquet P1 313.3 -1.0 -0.32
Ferrari Massa R 316.0 Räikkönen P2 311.9 -4.1 -1.30
Super Aguri-Honda Davidson    R  306.6
All data from http://www.formula1.com, except for the race speed trap data which is
from http://www.fia.com.
 
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