Brian Lawrence

In 2006 I posted these comparisons of top speeds recorded through the speed trap. It
was intended to illustrate any changes which were most likely due to the switch from
V10 to V8 engines. I propose to continue with the exercise in 2007 to see what effect
the engine freeze and single tyre supplier changes may make.

I am only using the top speeds recorded during the Saturday Qualifying sessions. This
means that at most events there are comparisons that are fairly meaningless because
of some problem that affected a driver during one particular session.

The first table compares the 2006 team/driver combination with the equivalent 2007
team/driver - the same driver if possible, otherwise the 2006 driver is compared to
his 2007 replacement. It is intended as a team comparison, but the first table is
also of interest - but should be read with care.


Australian GP 2006-07

2006 2007
Team-Engine Driver km/h Team-Engine Driver km/h Diff. %Dif.
================================================== ===================================
Honda Barrichello 295.3 Honda Barrichello 306.0 +10.7 +3.6
Toyota Trulli 295.0 Toyota Trulli 303.8 +8.8 +3.0
S Aguri-Honda Ide 294.1 S Aguri-Honda Davidson 302.6 +8.5 +2.9
Midland-Toyota Monteiro 292.9 Spyker-Ferrari Sutil 301.0 +8.1 +2.8
Renault Fisichella 297.4 Renault Fisichella 305.3 +7.9 +2.7
S Aguri-Honda Sato 295.4 S Aguri-Honda Sato 302.9 +7.5 +2.5
Williams-Cosworth Rosberg 298.6 Williams-Toyota Rosberg 305.3 +6.7 +2.2
Ferrari M Schumacher 302.1 Ferrari Räikkönen 308.3 +6.2 +2.1
T Rosso-Cosworth Speed 300.2 T Rosso-Ferrari Speed 306.3 +6.1 +2.0
Toyota R Schumacher 297.9 Toyota Schumacher 303.7 +5.8 +1.9
T Rosso-Cosworth Liuzzi 300.0 T Rosso-Ferrari Liuzzi 305.7 +5.7 +1.9
Red Bull-Ferrari Klien 301.0 Red Bull-Renault Webber 306.6 +5.6 +1.9
Red Bull-Ferrari Coulthard 299.5 Red Bull-Renault Coulthard 304.8 +5.3 +1.8
Midland-Toyota Albers 293.3 Spyker-Ferrari Albers 298.4 +5.1 +1.7
Ferrari Massa 301.9 Ferrari Massa 306.9 +5.0 +1.7
Williams-Cosworth Webber 302.0 Williams-Toyota Wurz 306.5 +4.5 +1.5
McLaren-Mercedes Räikkönen 302.0 McLaren-Mercedes Alonso 304.3 +2.3 +0.8
Honda Button 300.6 Honda Button 302.8 +2.2 +0.7
Renault Alonso 303.4 Renault Kovalainen 304.9 +1.5 +0.5
McLaren-Mercedes Montoya 303.2 McLaren-Mercedes Hamilton 304.4 +1.2 +0.4
BMW Sauber-BMW Heidfeld 302.0 BMW Sauber-BMW Heidfeld 302.4 +0.4 +0.1
BMW Sauber-BMW Villeneuve 303.4 BMW Sauber-BMW Kubica 302.1 -1.3 -0.4

With only the one exception (Kubica) top speeds have increased compared to 2006.


The second table compares the best speed achieved by each team (IE both drivers), and
as such is a better comparison.

2006 2007
Team-Engine km/h Team-Engine km/h Diff. %Dif.
================================================== ===========
Midland-Toyota 293.3 Spyker-Ferrari 301.0 +7.7 +2.6
S Aguri-Honda 295.4 S Aguri-Honda 302.9 +7.5 +2.5
Ferrari 302.1 Ferrari 308.3 +6.2 +2.1
T Rosso-Cosworth 300.2 T Rosso-Ferrari 306.3 +6.1 +2.0
Toyota 297.9 Toyota 303.8 +5.9 +2.0
Red Bull-Ferrari 301.0 Red Bull-Renault 306.6 +5.6 +1.9
Honda 300.6 Honda 306.0 +5.4 +1.8
Williams-Cosworth 302.0 Williams-Toyota 306.5 +4.5 +1.5
Renault 303.4 Renault 305.3 +1.9 +0.6
McLaren-Mercedes 303.2 McLaren-Mercedes 304.4 +1.2 +0.4
BMW Sauber-BMW 303.4 BMW Sauber-BMW 302.4 -1.0 -0.3

All data from www.formula1.com

--

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

Daytona

Thanks Brian.

Interesting to see how little McLaren & Sauber have changed.

Daytona