Pirelli’s predicted lap time for the Buddh International Circuit was beaten in the very first session at the track.
Lewis Hamilton’s lap of 1’26.836 beat Pirelli’s expected lap time of 1’27.0.
With track conditions likely to improve throughout the rest of the weekend, expect lap times to get faster still.
Here’s all the data from the first practice session:
Longest stint comparison
- There’s little information about tyre life to be gleaned at this stage. As drivers became more familiar with the track and grip levels improved, lap times fell throughout the stints on the increasingly familiar circuit.
This chart shows all the drivers’ lap times (in seconds) during their longest unbroken stint:
https://www.racefans.net/charts/2011drivercolours.csv
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |
Sebastian Vettel | 90.857 | 88.802 | 88.316 | 91.568 | 87.854 | 93.606 | 87.416 | |
Mark Webber | 89.491 | 93.757 | 88.203 | 87.671 | 96.775 | 87.428 | 94.951 | 87.642 |
Lewis Hamilton | 92.205 | 94.977 | 93.107 | 89.227 | 94.488 | 91.526 | 87.515 | |
Jenson Button | 93.856 | 92.815 | 88.501 | 109.272 | 88.394 | |||
Fernando Alonso | 95.899 | |||||||
Felipe Massa | 88.644 | 94.146 | 94.627 | 94.048 | 94.536 | 95.233 | ||
Michael Schumacher | 91.09 | 88.531 | 91.32 | 103.315 | 88.982 | |||
Nico Rosberg | 92.603 | 91.282 | 94.898 | 88.982 | 108.658 | 88.542 | ||
Bruno Senna | 103.216 | 99.454 | 96.629 | 101.39 | 96.517 | 94.897 | ||
Vitaly Petrov | 104.73 | 97.626 | 96.815 | 100.165 | 93.006 | 92.311 | ||
Rubens Barrichello | 99.137 | 104.874 | 94.381 | 101.646 | 94.173 | 92.131 | ||
Pastor Maldonado | 92.894 | 97.4 | 91.611 | 90.669 | 106.762 | 94.071 | ||
Adrian Sutil | 94.421 | 106.513 | 93.67 | 95.098 | 91.816 | 98.95 | 91.141 | |
Paul di Resta | 91.569 | 98.434 | 91.248 | 102.207 | 90.562 | 90.161 | 98.172 | 89.7 |
Kamui Kobayashi | 104.367 | 103.304 | 99.284 | 97.388 | 96.047 | 94.982 | 99.29 | 98.634 |
Sergio Perez | 105.239 | 102.881 | 100.378 | 99.367 | 99.149 | 96.112 | 95.348 | |
Sebastien Buemi | 91.034 | 92.898 | 89.966 | 89.571 | 89.219 | 89.351 | ||
Jaime Alguersuari | 97.402 | 94.314 | 92.911 | 91.904 | 91.436 | 91.299 | ||
Karun Chandhok | 95.166 | 94.498 | 93.148 | 92.788 | 92.566 | 92.487 | ||
Jarno Trulli | 97.012 | 99.268 | 94.745 | 93.305 | 92.803 | 92.639 | ||
Narain Karthikeyan | 94.758 | 94.113 | 104.852 | 99.386 | 100.684 | 108.552 | 96.986 | 97.456 |
Daniel Ricciardo | 93.928 | 95.209 | 97.578 | 95.041 | 96.821 | 98.874 | 96.8 | |
Timo Glock | 101.91 | 98.012 | 96.919 | 96.633 | 97.855 | 95.345 | ||
Jerome dAmbrosio | 103.657 | 100.487 | 101.459 | 99.312 | 98.497 |
Ultimate lap times
An ultimate lap is a driver’s fastest three sector times combined.
Car | Driver | Car | Ultimate lap | Gap | Deficit to best | |
1 | 3 | Lewis Hamilton | McLaren-Mercedes | 1’26.836 | 0.000 | |
2 | 2 | Mark Webber | Red Bull-Renault | 1’26.978 | 0.142 | 0.450 |
3 | 1 | Sebastian Vettel | Red Bull-Renault | 1’27.142 | 0.306 | 0.274 |
4 | 4 | Jenson Button | McLaren-Mercedes | 1’27.361 | 0.525 | 1.033 |
5 | 14 | Adrian Sutil | Force India-Mercedes | 1’27.924 | 1.088 | 0.781 |
6 | 7 | Michael Schumacher | Mercedes | 1’28.221 | 1.385 | 0.310 |
7 | 6 | Felipe Massa | Ferrari | 1’28.310 | 1.474 | 0.334 |
8 | 18 | Sebastien Buemi | Toro Rosso-Ferrari | 1’28.427 | 1.591 | 0.792 |
9 | 8 | Nico Rosberg | Mercedes | 1’28.538 | 1.702 | 0.004 |
10 | 15 | Paul di Resta | Force India-Mercedes | 1’28.918 | 2.082 | 0.782 |
11 | 10 | Vitaly Petrov | Renault | 1’29.183 | 2.347 | 0.522 |
12 | 16 | Kamui Kobayashi | Sauber-Ferrari | 1’29.355 | 2.519 | 0.000 |
13 | 9 | Bruno Senna | Renault | 1’29.693 | 2.857 | 0.106 |
14 | 17 | Sergio Perez | Sauber-Ferrari | 1’29.827 | 2.991 | 0.305 |
15 | 19 | Jaime Alguersuari | Toro Rosso-Ferrari | 1’30.273 | 3.437 | 0.293 |
16 | 11 | Rubens Barrichello | Williams-Cosworth | 1’30.332 | 3.496 | 0.035 |
17 | 12 | Pastor Maldonado | Williams-Cosworth | 1’30.369 | 3.533 | 0.300 |
18 | 21 | Jarno Trulli | Lotus-Renault | 1’30.818 | 3.982 | 0.000 |
19 | 20 | Karun Chandhok | Lotus-Renault | 1’32.085 | 5.249 | 0.402 |
20 | 24 | Timo Glock | Virgin-Cosworth | 1’32.638 | 5.802 | 0.133 |
21 | 23 | Daniel Ricciardo | HRT-Cosworth | 1’32.639 | 5.803 | 1.289 |
22 | 22 | Narain Karthikeyan | HRT-Cosworth | 1’33.748 | 6.912 | 0.365 |
23 | 25 | Jerome D’Ambrosio | Virgin-Cosworth | 1’34.765 | 7.929 | 1.031 |
24 | 5 | Fernando Alonso | Ferrari | 1’35.899 | 9.063 | 0.000 |
Complete practice times
- While the soft tyre gave good performance the hard seems excessively durable. Pirelli’s Paul Hembery admitted it could last three race distances at the track. Expect teams to minimise running on this tyre in the race.
Car | Driver | Car | Best lap | Gap | Stint lap | At time | Laps | |
1 | 3 | Lewis Hamilton | McLaren-Mercedes | 1’26.836 | 4/4 | 92 | 21 | |
2 | 1 | Sebastian Vettel | Red Bull-Renault | 1’27.416 | 0.580 | 7/7 | 74 | 23 |
3 | 2 | Mark Webber | Red Bull-Renault | 1’27.428 | 0.592 | 6/8 | 74 | 26 |
4 | 4 | Jenson Button | McLaren-Mercedes | 1’28.394 | 1.558 | 5/5 | 67 | 23 |
5 | 7 | Michael Schumacher | Mercedes | 1’28.531 | 1.695 | 2/5 | 72 | 22 |
6 | 8 | Nico Rosberg | Mercedes | 1’28.542 | 1.706 | 6/6 | 92 | 28 |
7 | 6 | Felipe Massa | Ferrari | 1’28.644 | 1.808 | 1/6 | 79 | 21 |
8 | 14 | Adrian Sutil | Force India-Mercedes | 1’28.705 | 1.869 | 6/6 | 73 | 23 |
9 | 18 | Sebastien Buemi | Toro Rosso-Ferrari | 1’29.219 | 2.383 | 5/6 | 69 | 24 |
10 | 16 | Kamui Kobayashi | Sauber-Ferrari | 1’29.355 | 2.519 | 6/6 | 83 | 29 |
11 | 15 | Paul di Resta | Force India-Mercedes | 1’29.700 | 2.864 | 8/8 | 72 | 24 |
12 | 10 | Vitaly Petrov | Renault | 1’29.705 | 2.869 | 5/5 | 66 | 21 |
13 | 9 | Bruno Senna | Renault | 1’29.799 | 2.963 | 3/5 | 69 | 20 |
14 | 17 | Sergio Perez | Sauber-Ferrari | 1’30.132 | 3.296 | 5/6 | 91 | 25 |
15 | 11 | Rubens Barrichello | Williams-Cosworth | 1’30.367 | 3.531 | 4/4 | 77 | 20 |
16 | 19 | Jaime Alguersuari | Toro Rosso-Ferrari | 1’30.566 | 3.730 | 5/5 | 63 | 18 |
17 | 12 | Pastor Maldonado | Williams-Cosworth | 1’30.669 | 3.833 | 4/6 | 63 | 21 |
18 | 21 | Jarno Trulli | Lotus-Renault | 1’30.818 | 3.982 | 5/5 | 74 | 21 |
19 | 20 | Karun Chandhok | Lotus-Renault | 1’32.487 | 5.651 | 6/6 | 74 | 23 |
20 | 24 | Timo Glock | Virgin-Cosworth | 1’32.771 | 5.935 | 4/4 | 93 | 23 |
21 | 23 | Daniel Ricciardo | HRT-Cosworth | 1’33.928 | 7.092 | 1/7 | 82 | 27 |
22 | 22 | Narain Karthikeyan | HRT-Cosworth | 1’34.113 | 7.277 | 2/8 | 82 | 30 |
23 | 25 | Jerome D’Ambrosio | Virgin-Cosworth | 1’35.796 | 8.960 | 4/4 | 92 | 19 |
24 | 5 | Fernando Alonso | Ferrari | 1’35.899 | 9.063 | 1/1 | 54 | 3 |
Speed trap
# | Driver | Car | Engine | Max speed | Gap | |
1 | 18 | Sebastien Buemi | Toro Rosso | Ferrari | 320.3 | |
2 | 19 | Jaime Alguersuari | Toro Rosso | Ferrari | 320.2 | 0.1 |
3 | 17 | Sergio Perez | Sauber | Ferrari | 318.3 | 2 |
4 | 7 | Michael Schumacher | Mercedes | Mercedes | 317.6 | 2.7 |
5 | 8 | Nico Rosberg | Mercedes | Mercedes | 317.5 | 2.8 |
6 | 16 | Kamui Kobayashi | Sauber | Ferrari | 317.4 | 2.9 |
7 | 11 | Rubens Barrichello | Williams | Cosworth | 317 | 3.3 |
8 | 10 | Vitaly Petrov | Renault | Renault | 315.8 | 4.5 |
9 | 9 | Bruno Senna | Renault | Renault | 315.7 | 4.6 |
10 | 12 | Pastor Maldonado | Williams | Cosworth | 315.6 | 4.7 |
11 | 6 | Felipe Massa | Ferrari | Ferrari | 315.6 | 4.7 |
12 | 3 | Lewis Hamilton | McLaren | Mercedes | 315.6 | 4.7 |
13 | 15 | Paul di Resta | Force India | Mercedes | 315.6 | 4.7 |
14 | 14 | Adrian Sutil | Force India | Mercedes | 315.5 | 4.8 |
15 | 4 | Jenson Button | McLaren | Mercedes | 314.7 | 5.6 |
16 | 5 | Fernando Alonso | Ferrari | Ferrari | 314.3 | 6 |
17 | 2 | Mark Webber | Red Bull | Renault | 312.5 | 7.8 |
18 | 1 | Sebastian Vettel | Red Bull | Renault | 312.3 | 8 |
19 | 25 | Jerome D’Ambrosio | Virgin | Cosworth | 309.8 | 10.5 |
20 | 24 | Timo Glock | Virgin | Cosworth | 309.4 | 10.9 |
21 | 20 | Karun Chandhok | Lotus | Renault | 307.7 | 12.6 |
22 | 22 | Narain Karthikeyan | HRT | Cosworth | 307.6 | 12.7 |
23 | 21 | Jarno Trulli | Lotus | Renault | 307.6 | 12.7 |
24 | 23 | Daniel Ricciardo | HRT | Cosworth | 307.6 | 12.7 |
2011 Indian Grand Prix
Image © Force India F1 Team
sumedh
28th October 2011, 10:35
Pirelli had said 1:27s, Red Bull had said 1:17s as the estimated lap time. I guess, we are going to get 1:22s, 1:23s for qualifying.
PJ (@)
28th October 2011, 11:09
1:17 was barely possible in the videogame, so I highly doubt it’ll hit that this weekend.
Bullfrog (@bullfrog)
28th October 2011, 20:59
I think Red Bull are sandbagging!
Dev (@dev)
28th October 2011, 11:54
all depends on grip levels, the track is still too dusty.
Fixy (@)
28th October 2011, 14:44
We should see rapid improvements in lap time by Sunday.
BasCB (@bascb)
28th October 2011, 14:01
I think I will have to adjust the pole time in my predictions to fit better! Its still pretty hard to tell anything, although the Red Bull looks planted again, the McLaren will probably be as close as they were in Korea and Ferrari will be fighting for the podium places again.
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
28th October 2011, 16:59
Wow, that chart is all over the place!
Fair play to Pirelli for their tyre choice, it was always going to be a bit of a gamble.
TED BELL
28th October 2011, 19:46
I really like this circuit. Far better than I imagined. I think the race will be very exciting due in part to how the track has some decent elevation changes and where those changes are at was well planned. A few corners show that when on the edge, it is easy to loose it. The pace in session two will be hard to match on race day, can’t see how they could keep up the pace, especially with what is being said about the hard tires. In the end it seems like REDBULL will be best suited for long runs even though McLaren has shown that it also has plenty of speed. Where did Massa come from today?? Made me think WOW.
Looks like the status quo will remain the same, those at the top will stay there and those at the bottom will have their own special race seeing who can be the best of the bunch. I would love to see an HRT get into the top ten this race. It is also important for Force India to get a top ten. That would go along way to promote and secure the future of this event. Best new track since Abu Dahbi.