Brian_W_Lawrence
Rookie
Top Speed Comparisons #5 - Catalunya
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/Q1/Q2/Q3/R)
'Diff' difference in top speed (km/hr)
'%Dif' difference in top speed (as percentage of 2008 speed)
Spanish GP 2008/2009
top speed as he did 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.
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.
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/Q1/Q2/Q3/R)
'Diff' difference in top speed (km/hr)
'%Dif' difference in top speed (as percentage of 2008 speed)
Spanish GP 2008/2009
2008 2009
Team-Engine Driver S# km/h Driver S# km/h Diff. %Dif.
========================================================================
F India-[Ferrari] Sutil P3 307.8 Sutil P3 314.7 +6.9 +2.24
[Honda] Button R 304.3 Button Q2 310.1 +5.8 +1.91
F India-[Ferrari] Fisichella R 308.9 Fisichella R 314.4 +5.5 +1.78
[Honda] Barrichello P1 305.3 Barrichello P2 310.7 +5.4 +1.77
Red Bull-Renault Webber R 308.1 Webber P3 311.8 +3.7 +1.20
Renault Alonso R 308.9 Alonso P3 311.0 +2.1 +0.68
Renault Piquet R 308.9 Piquet R 310.8 +1.9 +0.62
McLaren-Mercedes Hamilton R 311.6 Hamilton R 313.3 +1.7 +0.55
Toyota Glock P3 309.9 Glock P3 311.4 +1.5 +0.48
Williams-Toyota Rosberg P3 312.5 Rosberg R 313.7 +1.2 +0.38
Red Bull-Renault Coulthard R 310.6 Vettel R 311.4 +0.8 +0.26
BMW Sauber-BMW Kubica R 312.6 Kubica R 312.7 +0.1 +0.03
Toyota Trulli R 310.7 Trulli P3 310.7 0.0 0.00
T Rosso-Ferrari Vettel P3 311.7 Buemi P1 311.6 -0.1 -0.03
T Rosso-Ferrari Bourdais R 311.9 Bourdais P2 311.3 -0.6 -0.19
McLaren-Mercedes Kovalainen R 311.6 Kovalainen R 309.0 -2.6 -0.83
Williams-Toyota Nakajima R 312.4 Nakajima R 309.3 -3.1 -0.99
BMW Sauber-BMW Heidfeld R 312.8 Heidfeld R 308.1 -4.7 -1.50
Ferrari Massa R 313.8 Massa P3 308.0 -5.8 -1.85
Ferrari Räikkönen R 314.6 Räikkönen P3 308.4 -6.2 -1.97
S Aguri-Honda Davidson P3 309.9Twelve drivers improved while seven did not. Jarno Trulli set exactly the same
S Aguri-Honda Sato R 310.7
top speed as he did 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.
========================================================================
F India-[Ferrari] Fisichella R 308.9 Sutil P3 314.7 +5.8 +1.88
[Honda] Barrichello P1 305.3 Barrichello P2 310.7 +5.4 +1.77
Renault Alonso R 308.9 Alonso P3 311.0 +2.1 +0.68
McLaren-Mercedes Hamilton R 311.6 Hamilton R 313.3 +1.7 +0.55
Red Bull-Renault Coulthard R 310.6 Webber P3 311.8 +1.2 +0.39
Williams-Toyota Rosberg P3 312.5 Rosberg R 313.7 +1.2 +0.38
Toyota Trulli R 310.7 Glock P3 311.4 +0.7 +0.22
BMW Sauber-BMW Heidfeld R 312.8 Kubica R 312.7 -0.1 -0.03
T Rosso-Ferrari Bourdais R 311.9 Buemi P1 311.6 -0.3 -0.10
Ferrari Räikkönen R 314.6 Räikkönen P3 308.4 -6.2 -1.97
S Aguri-Honda Sato R 310.7Seven teams have improved while three have not.
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 Tot Avg.All data from http://www.fia.com.
=============================================
1. F India-Mercedes 3 2 3 1 1 10 2.00
2. Brawn-Mercedes 2 6 5 4 2 19 3.80
3. Red Bull-Renault 5 1 2 7 5 20 4.00
4. T Rosso-Ferrari 4 7 4 5 9 29 5.80
BMW Sauber-BMW 1 5 9 6 8 29 5.80
Toyota 10 4 6 2 7 29 5.80
Renault 7 3 7 9 3 29 5.80
8. Williams-Toyota 6 8 8 8 6 36 7.20
McLaren-Mercedes 9 10 10 3 4 36 7.20
10. Ferrari 8 9 1 10 10 38 7.60
