Top Speeds - Istanbul Park

Top Speeds - Istanbul Park

I posted these comparisons throughout the 2006 & 2007 seasons to illustrate changes
in top speeds as measured

through the speed traps. In previous years
I restricted the comparison to speeds recorded during the three segments of
qualifying, since the best laps are usually recorded in those sessions. For
2008 I propose to consider the top speeds recorded in the other sessions
(free practice and the race).

The first table compares the 2007 team/driver combination with the equivalent 2008
team/driver - the same

driver if possible, otherwise the 2007 driver is
compared to his 2008 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

All teams have retained their names except for Spyker-Ferrari which has become
Force India-Ferrari.

'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 2007 speed)

I don't have the speed trap data for the 2007 race (I do have all data for
practice and qualifying).

Turkish GP 2007/08

2007 2008
Team-Engine Driver S# km/h Driver S# km/h Dif. %Dif.
========================================================================
Ferrari Räikkönen Q3 319.1 Räikkönen R 323.9 +4.8 +1.50
Ferrari Massa Q1 319.5 Massa R 323.9 +4.4 +1.38
Red Bull-Renault Webber Q1 313.3 Webber P3 316.8 +3.5 +1.12
Red Bull-Renault Coulthard P3 313.4 Coulthard R 315.3 +1.9 +0.61
Spyker-Ferrari Sutil Q1 312.0 Sutil R 313.8 +1.8 +0.58
Williams-Toyota Rosberg Q1 319.3 Rosberg R 320.9 +1.6 +0.50
Toyota Schumacher Q1 318.7 Glock R 320.1 +1.4 +0.44
McLaren-Mercedes Hamilton Q1 322.0 Hamilton R 322.4 +0.4 +0.12

Williams-Toyota Wurz Q2 319.4 Nakajima P2 318.0 -1.4 -0.44
Spyker-Ferrari Yamamoto Q1 312.2 Fisichella Q1 310.7 -1.5 -0.48
McLaren-Mercedes Alonso Q2 323.9 Kovalainen R 322.1 -1.8 -0.56
Toyota Trulli Q1 321.3 Trulli R 318.5 -2.8 -0.87
Honda Button Q1 316.3 Button R 312.4 -3.9 -1.23
BMW Sauber-BMW Kubica Q1 320.1 Kubica R 316.1 -4.0 -1.25
Renault Fisichella Q1 319.7 Alonso R 315.6 -4.1 -1.28
Renault Kovalainen Q2 319.9 Piquet R 315.5 -4.4 -1.38
T Rosso-Ferrari Vettel Q1 315.9 Vettel P3 311.5 -4.4 -1.39
Honda Barrichello Q1 316.8 Barrichello P3 312.3 -4.5 -1.42
T Rosso-Ferrari Liuzzi Q1 316.9 Bourdais R 311.6 -5.3 -1.67
BMW Sauber-BMW Heidfeld Q2 319.3 Heidfeld R 313.7 -5.6 -1.75

S Aguri-Honda Davidson Q2 316.9
S Aguri-Honda Sato Q1 317.1

Only eight driver combinations went faster, while twelve were slower.
Note that 15 drivers set their top speed during the race - probably because
the wind was weaker on Sunday than on Friday & Saturday.


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.

2007 2008
Team-Engine Driver S# km/h Driver S# km/h Dif. %Dif.
========================================================================
Ferrari Massa Q1 319.5 Massa R 323.9 +4.4 +1.38
Red Bull-Renault Coulthard P3 313.4 Webber P3 316.8 +3.4 +1.08
Williams-Toyota Wurz Q2 319.4 Rosberg R 320.9 +1.5 +0.47

Toyota Trulli Q1 321.3 Glock R 320.1 -1.2 -0.37
McLaren-Mercedes Alonso Q2 323.9 Hamilton R 322.4 -1.5 -0.46
Spyker-Ferrari Yamamoto Q1 312.2 Fisichella Q1 310.7 -1.5 -0.48
BMW Sauber-BMW Kubica Q1 320.1 Kubica R 316.1 -4.0 -1.25
Renault Kovalainen Q2 319.9 Alonso R 315.6 -4.3 -1.34
Honda Barrichello Q1 316.8 Button R 312.4 -4.4 -1.39
T Rosso-Ferrari Liuzzi Q1 316.9 Bourdais R 311.6 -5.3 -1.67

S Aguri-Honda Sato Q1 317.1

Only Ferrari, Red Bull and Williams were faster.

All data from www .formula1,com

--

Brian W Lawrence
Wantage,
Oxfordshire, UK
Brian_W_Lawrence@msn,com