F1 cars already beating lap time predictions for Buddh circuit

2011 Indian GP FP1 analysis

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Adrian Sutil was first driver out at the start of practice

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

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

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    Keith Collantine
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    8 comments on “F1 cars already beating lap time predictions for Buddh circuit”

    1. 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.

      1. 1:17 was barely possible in the videogame, so I highly doubt it’ll hit that this weekend.

      2. I think Red Bull are sandbagging!

    2. all depends on grip levels, the track is still too dusty.

      1. We should see rapid improvements in lap time by Sunday.

    3. 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.

    4. 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.

    5. 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.

    Comments are closed.