Toro Rosso show form in first session

2011 Japanese GP FP1 analysis

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Sebastien Buemi, Toro Rosso, Suzuka, 2011
Both Toro Rossos were in the top ten in first practice

It’s not unusual to see Sebastian Vettel off the top spot in the first practice session, only for him to go on and set the pace through the rest of the weekend.

But Toro Rosso’s pace in the first session at Suzuka looks encouraging for the team. Sixth is the highest a they’ve been in first practice all year, and of late they’ve tended to be considerably lower than that.

Here’s all the data from the first practice session at Suzuka.

Longest stint comparison

This chart shows all the drivers’ lap times (in seconds) during their longest unbroken stint:

https://www.racefans.net/charts/2011drivercolours.csv

12345678
Sebastian Vettel97.639102.001104.60194.742101.20794.375
Mark Webber100.27399.25799.72999.95199.826104.863115.614
Lewis Hamilton96.1199.54694.42799.84393.725
Jenson Button94.04294.46694.248102.05493.634124.191
Fernando Alonso105.15499.10996.04100.79594.78194.757
Felipe Massa104.82196.759105.90495.58596.10697.02
Michael Schumacher96.96197.14697.118107.77597.16697.63104.568120.763
Nico Rosberg99.86599.17198.197112.27599.942
Bruno Senna100.491101.67199.14498.544
Vitaly Petrov97.009100.02696.65496.91296.885101.901138.496
Rubens Barrichello103.031114.106103.216117.85598.331
Pastor Maldonado100.77599.848120.536100.84398.446
Nico Hulkenberg97.579101.66997.453105.37499.324127.864
Paul di Resta97.90597.917105.85197.983103.791127.393
Kamui Kobayashi100.509100.08297.951105.22696.948
Sergio Perez101.435107.393101.61299.048106.32698.262108.94797.429
Sebastien Buemi96.35495.90295.66795.72595.71195.72495.59
Jaime Alguersuari100.41495.80796.81796.07499.76695.777
Karun Chandhok101.177108.39101.08109.869100.32100.658
Jarno Trulli101.404104.523111.74199.382
Daniel Ricciardo106.073103.544102.856102.576101.597101.319101.106
Narain Karthikeyan112.563102.55105.686117.133110.759128.988
Timo Glock102.43101.341112.429
Jerome d’Ambrosio103.852102.168101.695102.022101.759105.347116.969

Ultimate lap times

An ultimate lap is a driver’s fastest three sector times combined.

  • Jenson Button was fastest and also had a little time in hand over Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel
CarDriverCarUltimate lapGapDeficit to best
14Jenson ButtonMcLaren-Mercedes1’33.4080.226
23Lewis HamiltonMcLaren-Mercedes1’33.7250.3170.000
31Sebastian VettelRed Bull-Renault1’34.0900.6820.000
45Fernando AlonsoFerrari1’34.3160.9080.056
52Mark WebberRed Bull-Renault1’34.4261.0180.000
619Jaime AlguersuariToro Rosso-Ferrari1’34.8701.4620.067
76Felipe MassaFerrari1’35.0521.6440.533
818Sebastien BuemiToro Rosso-Ferrari1’35.3211.9130.269
97Michael SchumacherMercedes1’35.9442.5360.089
1010Vitaly PetrovRenault1’36.0452.6370.325
119Bruno SennaRenault1’36.4873.0790.000
1214Nico HulkenbergForce India-Mercedes1’36.6423.2340.058
1315Paul di RestaForce India-Mercedes1’36.9333.5250.016
1416Kamui KobayashiSauber-Ferrari1’36.9483.5400.000
1517Sergio PerezSauber-Ferrari1’36.9513.5430.152
168Nico RosbergMercedes1’38.1974.7890.000
1711Rubens BarrichelloWilliams-Cosworth1’38.3224.9140.009
1812Pastor MaldonadoWilliams-Cosworth1’38.4465.0380.000
1921Jarno TrulliLotus-Renault1’38.8455.4370.323
2020Karun ChandhokLotus-Renault1’39.5086.1000.438
2124Timo GlockVirgin-Cosworth1’40.5637.1550.309
2222Daniel RicciardoHRT-Cosworth1’40.8887.4800.218
2325Jerome D’AmbrosioVirgin-Cosworth1’40.9657.5570.054
2423Narain KarthikeyanHRT-Cosworth1’41.2417.8330.534

Complete practice times

  • Both Toro Rossos were in the top eight this morning at a track where they’ve shown good form in the past, particularly in 2009.
  • The team only recently introduced their exhaust-blowing package onto their car which should be paying dividends at this circuit where downforce is crucial. Jaime Alguersuari was clearly pleased with his car in the first session, saying it had “a very good feeling in high speed” corners.
CarDriverCarBest lapGapStint lapAt timeLaps
14Jenson ButtonMcLaren-Mercedes1’33.6345/69220
23Lewis HamiltonMcLaren-Mercedes1’33.7250.0915/54518
31Sebastian VettelRed Bull-Renault1’34.0900.4565/57221
45Fernando AlonsoFerrari1’34.3720.7385/54224
52Mark WebberRed Bull-Renault1’34.4260.7926/64625
619Jaime AlguersuariToro Rosso-Ferrari1’34.9371.3033/44323
76Felipe MassaFerrari1’35.5851.9514/64227
818Sebastien BuemiToro Rosso-Ferrari1’35.5901.9567/78025
97Michael SchumacherMercedes1’36.0332.3994/44722
1010Vitaly PetrovRenault1’36.3702.7365/56218
119Bruno SennaRenault1’36.4872.8533/37218
1214Nico HulkenbergForce India-Mercedes1’36.7003.0665/54921
1316Kamui KobayashiSauber-Ferrari1’36.9483.3145/55824
1415Paul di RestaForce India-Mercedes1’36.9493.3155/55022
1517Sergio PerezSauber-Ferrari1’37.1033.4693/36329
168Nico RosbergMercedes1’38.1974.5633/55718
1711Rubens BarrichelloWilliams-Cosworth1’38.3314.6975/54611
1812Pastor MaldonadoWilliams-Cosworth1’38.4464.8125/5437
1921Jarno TrulliLotus-Renault1’39.1685.5341/16210
2020Karun ChandhokLotus-Renault1’39.9466.3121/45922
2124Timo GlockVirgin-Cosworth1’40.8727.2381/18613
2225Jerome D’AmbrosioVirgin-Cosworth1’41.0197.3853/37024
2322Daniel RicciardoHRT-Cosworth1’41.1067.4727/73525
2423Narain KarthikeyanHRT-Cosworth1’41.7758.1414/44625

Speed trap

  • The Toro Rossos were also the fastest cars through the speed trap
#DriverCarEngineMax speedGap
118Sebastien BuemiToro RossoFerrari309.4
219Jaime AlguersuariToro RossoFerrari307.61.8
31Sebastian VettelRed BullRenault306.92.5
46Felipe MassaFerrariFerrari306.23.2
55Fernando AlonsoFerrariFerrari306.23.2
64Jenson ButtonMcLarenMercedes305.14.3
73Lewis HamiltonMcLarenMercedes304.54.9
810Vitaly PetrovRenaultRenault302.56.9
92Mark WebberRed BullRenault301.97.5
109Bruno SennaRenaultRenault301.67.8
117Michael SchumacherMercedesMercedes3018.4
1224Timo GlockVirginCosworth298.111.3
1317Sergio PerezSauberFerrari297.212.2
1415Paul di RestaForce IndiaMercedes297.212.2
1525Jerome D’AmbrosioVirginCosworth295.713.7
168Nico RosbergMercedesMercedes294.115.3
1712Pastor MaldonadoWilliamsCosworth293.615.8
1814Nico HulkenbergForce IndiaMercedes29316.4
1916Kamui KobayashiSauberFerrari29316.4
2023Narain KarthikeyanHRTCosworth292.217.2
2111Rubens BarrichelloWilliamsCosworth291.118.3
2222Daniel RicciardoHRTCosworth285.124.3
2321Jarno TrulliLotusRenault282.726.7
2420Karun ChandhokLotusRenault279.529.9

2011 Japanese Grand Prix

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    Keith Collantine
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    7 comments on “Toro Rosso show form in first session”

    1. Profile Photo

      Slr (@slr)
      7th October 2011, 9:24

      Toro Rosso are always good around Suzuka, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see them score points. Hopefully Sauber’s pace will improve as the weekend progresses, I’d love to see both drivers score points.

      1. Profile Photo

        Fixy (@)
        7th October 2011, 14:57

        @slr I hope they have a good results, possibly Sauber as well.

    2. Profile Photo

      Eggry (@eggry)
      7th October 2011, 10:13

      Ferrari shows their tyre temperature problem again. Slower early, faster later.

    3. Profile Photo

      BasCB (@bascb)
      7th October 2011, 12:49

      I am fascinated/impressed by that almost flat line from Buemi’s 7 lap stint. And Alg. is as fast, just not that consisten (Hm, seen that more often). Might be a good one for them.

      1. Profile Photo

        AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
        7th October 2011, 13:29

        I hope so @BasCB

    4. Profile Photo

      AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
      7th October 2011, 13:31

      Certainly one hell of a gap from the top speed to the Sauber’s. They’re usually quite quick. Wonder if that will improve…

      1. Profile Photo

        @HoHum (@hohum)
        7th October 2011, 14:54

        Ditto Force India.

    Comments are closed.