2012 Spanish Grand Prix fastest laps

2012 Spanish Grand Prix

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Williams used an aggressive strategy to get Maldonado ahead of Alonso, while Lotus saved their best until last.

Spanish Grand Prix lap times

All the lap times by the drivers (in seconds, very slow laps excluded):

https://www.racefans.net/charts/2012drivercolours.csv

123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142434445464748495051525354555657585960616263646566
Pastor Maldonado95.03490.59790.38290.01190.24890.3790.31790.35790.74390.86892.929106.21389.27389.76389.43789.43989.42889.45489.40190.47789.38989.66590.01692.91104.07287.90688.27388.37188.50388.51488.48388.82488.78588.7189.23788.90489.49989.16289.39389.91992.699107.21488.20888.92588.52689.1487.94388.88488.28888.17388.18188.37988.2788.32788.52188.59388.68688.36988.10688.55188.69688.58588.8488.86989.16189.735
Fernando Alonso93.72690.92190.20289.98890.10890.13290.27590.37391.16493.158105.42189.14989.61689.81689.64689.62689.72289.61389.8390.45689.59989.71790.05890.29590.61993.382106.6188.97488.68788.73488.68288.488.50188.53288.80688.89988.99788.78388.94489.36689.38589.91889.18491.56104.39587.3989.49787.42987.72888.11388.18388.5188.6288.31288.17188.51488.47388.79288.49688.78389.00288.89788.94189.47189.45189.598
Romain Grosjean98.39292.42291.51391.05191.39391.14391.06891.16491.39393.255107.64391.3191.09590.48790.61789.19990.2490.02389.89590.0491.15990.94590.60990.47790.82592.996106.89488.96989.43289.83889.59989.21689.36988.9590.24289.09789.20189.72589.60489.21889.72389.05689.28388.7789.21488.87688.94488.91988.67489.03191.58104.86186.2587.03886.8486.9587.04886.6786.71886.4687.01386.75387.05886.97687.67987.852
Kimi Raikkonen96.11990.9890.99490.42790.47590.27290.38990.61790.78390.81293.407106.46389.77589.67489.68689.77990.07989.80390.07890.04689.99790.3790.32590.63590.41590.75793.818106.35989.85588.79488.85289.35888.88789.24388.89988.44788.77389.11589.40488.99589.51589.13589.13489.38689.01289.48590.99193.455103.84386.93887.46387.5387.74487.41787.05787.52187.45187.36287.06687.32388.20387.7987.69287.24587.37287.943
Sergio Perez124.682108.45289.53389.80590.18689.99690.29891.86591.56391.18591.90391.27392.13993.00392.35794.03797.059107.02689.72188.60588.99389.289.53790.2990.37590.07790.27890.06890.55790.390.28790.96590.25790.8391.11893.15994.46
Nico Rosberg97.17591.5691.71991.42791.26791.40291.13291.26593.725107.49691.90391.2490.49590.79290.88191.74391.09490.6390.64890.70691.05693.532106.62990.55590.6591.41690.30991.8590.49990.53390.42689.94490.29489.93690.83389.68989.7290.21490.18292.95105.07388.95288.92688.70688.1588.37888.70488.58488.87188.93288.88588.41689.02788.99389.21889.54889.45889.73189.70191.73590.52590.85191.10692.64791.6992.74
Sebastian Vettel99.37892.29991.93291.26491.29591.2194.014106.83790.97192.3590.64391.50491.39590.20790.45690.57490.82290.76190.61790.47790.94691.51390.30190.33790.55790.85393.096106.65789.36492.45799.08988.90488.98989.18889.4389.46790.00689.42889.43589.70990.60593.828111.289.17789.10688.8988.75489.2588.76188.93788.71588.70788.84588.58388.64188.61889.01189.57488.30688.18289.11189.68988.09989.16487.76888.468
Michael Schumacher98.76492.48791.82791.08991.25391.37791.49291.1891.37993.268106.87892.294
Kamui Kobayashi100.54292.72791.84391.2791.3391.38491.36294.002110.52189.97990.32590.44590.75890.90690.48890.42390.65990.77790.42490.89590.80291.14391.52992.30692.63694.174106.13388.88289.02989.38289.74390.25789.70889.56690.8990.04289.54290.15290.31890.50191.64106.8888.45888.33588.26688.56888.3488.81288.67488.73988.3688.43489.14489.60788.44689.21989.23689.66290.02690.08489.21489.06789.17289.85889.62490.126
Jenson Button100.10492.37192.07491.24491.40391.31591.38791.05793.752107.29891.04591.37291.21390.83690.40290.51390.86190.68490.60290.6790.98691.18390.99391.86594.023106.74888.8490.10790.29390.75990.31590.27390.92690.09390.84290.86290.50194.498106.20591.73288.62489.17189.41489.00489.34688.8989.09689.10189.05988.79688.83289.26189.3189.55389.31189.50589.54590.87289.80290.2290.04790.72290.89491.06290.65592.052
Mark Webber101.88993.31291.87291.55492.13894.893108.42590.74691.11791.11390.67790.83390.68991.78992.5392.56898.688110.95389.1489.63190.04489.43589.51389.81489.6290.38790.84190.33991.99190.05790.3790.62590.58190.86191.05790.8491.2491.43492.3294.021107.45589.21289.4487.85789.01588.69588.76188.57888.59589.26189.08489.60488.78289.08389.16788.65489.03389.72489.1390.16689.30389.19890.37190.49191.322
Paul di Resta102.34893.98992.00391.86391.79392.23891.43892.02594.312107.02890.37190.74991.31391.35291.49992.34290.98390.95591.08990.9591.34491.17493.774109.03790.44690.40890.54890.08290.55990.86391.92790.98391.15690.60690.8891.05891.2890.85192.36293.07791.12193.41105.99788.31388.66789.01789.12589.28789.56389.43389.32191.92589.27889.75789.42689.14889.16389.22589.43389.81991.1589.63990.04190.05691.291
Nico Hulkenberg102.67393.98692.32891.79992.02592.0191.77791.88793.5394.269107.66689.99290.9891.42190.77391.03292.71490.90593.211106.75289.31889.91989.91190.12690.51391.38290.48790.26592.29289.8690.54590.65690.63590.72391.1590.81890.93691.7294.503107.43289.04788.95388.96489.26689.28989.35189.12888.91289.16289.29689.05489.11289.13388.91888.91889.05489.22589.69189.3390.01289.31789.21290.34690.49291.606
Jean-Eric Vergne100.89393.02492.05391.52992.43491.82291.96291.93792.18794.749107.69390.61891.34791.29991.22292.23791.62990.95491.02690.81491.29891.19394.122108.83790.07690.83390.15990.14390.60390.68790.04689.73590.36690.64491.13190.80491.16391.83194.06495.295105.49188.46389.00988.76789.15189.06689.19889.47188.86288.58789.18290.02588.45288.30888.64288.89888.45289.02889.22389.85689.62889.75691.34992.66492.114
Daniel Ricciardo103.14893.82493.01591.93992.10492.09192.80991.92292.00192.24894.414108.49691.17991.2590.64390.82890.81590.63590.91390.51890.78490.95691.01891.50893.553106.50289.61190.06290.49390.57391.45790.78489.689.87890.3890.7691.01291.96696.177105.96790.54489.22189.18388.58789.14589.14788.96689.05488.73788.97389.83489.91690.52688.96189.07689.15688.70789.22289.17295.83589.20989.6191.8290.36190.172
Felipe Massa101.32593.5391.74991.42892.3791.90391.94792.03192.15594.439108.33690.6891.07191.37291.14192.07691.94990.82791.11990.79491.22991.391.45490.77790.6990.58791.25194.25103.661105.15188.58588.73789.34389.35989.71189.58889.67590.80391.88491.80990.23589.70589.50789.4291.728108.34588.44889.07789.6389.51389.51191.63289.34689.7389.64489.33489.24489.389.31391.4489.40889.58790.31290.31991.233
Bruno Senna104.15293.99893.57392.37792.33892.06692.19392.41992.31991.82292.61392.879
Vitaly Petrov104.56494.57393.2892.87192.40292.36992.36192.60192.80296.082113.2190.80491.72591.84992.53491.45391.84990.97991.55391.57192.90193.0392.30692.55692.78492.8692.83195.805110.46390.47792.15190.37690.25890.11390.24590.38190.47593.25991.14590.87491.23991.30491.61994.251109.03689.35289.70388.77388.99889.12389.55189.08888.77388.81889.07589.05989.00789.34989.52489.7989.67890.48791.00991.25991.618
Heikki Kovalainen103.59293.85193.11992.26992.95892.16492.2392.31292.21192.12392.53491.60196.429109.82291.50691.10790.90190.84691.09291.00191.01391.1191.74591.3691.72991.96896.649110.94290.5690.99490.83791.27490.91692.7491.26192.74590.690.83691.25391.0191.17291.01796.638107.69588.77789.05689.26790.2389.06588.71588.9489.02489.07689.01288.98990.39489.21289.46889.48289.40689.38589.73290.24690.49491.352
Charles Pic106.17998.31994.07493.92693.78494.03693.1594.99993.90294.24393.91693.13993.59593.44795.709110.88191.98792.10992.12792.08291.68691.63391.88991.96493.90692.0794.61111.07391.13691.22891.29291.46891.42891.464115.726
Timo Glock105.22495.39994.29393.29893.08393.07193.16293.8393.40894.18594.74593.63994.10396.215110.82791.92291.65891.74992.00892.50491.96992.35492.08591.82492.26394.688111.05591.31391.19891.03491.36292.19391.05791.3491.41791.35691.5191.77292.35691.5791.76291.62292.0892.11392.43393.03795.71109.0589.59989.80190.07589.82589.76893.17694.60492.74290.33690.01389.94689.73291.3489.80389.86591.07
Pedro de la Rosa106.61795.84194.33393.58493.60193.63994.08995.07294.62297.845112.64192.64394.23593.21993.01294.32193.66993.69896.775112.7192.35392.50295.33294.84892.97592.95393.25396.71494.44897.27896.15796.18194.17294.48697.531110.84891.45792.01392.14592.00793.45992.11794.15192.08992.52392.43693.69492.46992.60694.64198.381115.87991.38490.72292.61390.9790.74792.42491.16590.99491.34191.66991.887
Narain Karthikeyan107.07996.5394.19293.96593.94194.25596.63194.7894.85395.09597.844111.81193.07693.42192.90393.20393.13993.21596.03393.281101.16796.91
Lewis Hamilton105.47193.04692.4392.36591.30591.92291.11491.55691.65891.22790.77290.93191.31494.026108.64190.74791.44490.8591.04191.00390.96691.33791.38591.31590.58190.45191.03291.85590.12490.21690.28490.44490.95990.95493.839107.20789.66490.65191.12990.64489.61289.91989.64789.52389.43589.34189.08589.17589.11188.91888.92589.05489.40789.27989.31789.21689.16589.16988.99889.37789.52889.80590.83390.0291.08892.438

It’s clear from Maldonado and Alonso’s lap times that Williams were confident in their ability to pit earlier than Ferrari and make the tyres last longer.

Maldonado’s final stint was a cool-headed piece of driving. Having used the Williams’ superior speed to good effect at the beginning of the second stint to jump ahead of Alonso, in his third stint after passing Raikkonen he maintained a steady pace while Alonso tried to attack.

With eight laps to go Maldonado asked a little more of the tyres and Alonso was unable to match his pace. Meanwhile Raikkonen was flying, and had the race been a lap longer he surely would have finished second.

Lotus expected to know within the first laps whether they were quick enough to challenge to win, and it emerged that they probably didn’t. Both Lotus drivers ran used soft tyres in their second stint, but these didn’t provide the lap time advantage they hoped for.

But by shortening Raikkonen’s final stint they were almost able to bring him in contention for victory.

“We didn’t have the pace to win today, that much was clear after the first stints,” said director of trackside operations Alan Permane. “We tried to push our stints out and be quick at the end. We were, and it nearly paid off.”

Grosjean’s last stop came even later than Raikkonen’s, and he took 24 seconds out of the leaders over the final 14 laps.

Spanish Grand Prix fastest laps

Romain Grosjean became the fifth different driver to set fastest lap this year. It was the second time Lotus have set fastest lap during a race.

Here’s each driver’s fastest lap:

RankDriverCarFastest lapGapOn lap
1Romain GrosjeanLotus-Renault1’26.25053
2Kimi RaikkonenLotus-Renault1’26.9380.68850
3Fernando AlonsoFerrari1’27.3901.14046
4Sebastian VettelRed Bull-Renault1’27.7681.51865
5Mark WebberRed Bull-Renault1’27.8571.60744
6Pastor MaldonadoWilliams-Renault1’27.9061.65626
7Nico RosbergMercedes1’28.1501.90045
8Kamui KobayashiSauber-Ferrari1’28.2662.01645
9Jean-Eric VergneToro Rosso-Ferrari1’28.3082.05854
10Paul di RestaForce India-Mercedes1’28.3132.06344
11Felipe MassaFerrari1’28.4482.19847
12Daniel RicciardoToro Rosso-Ferrari1’28.5872.33744
13Sergio PerezSauber-Ferrari1’28.6052.35520
14Jenson ButtonMcLaren-Mercedes1’28.6242.37441
15Heikki KovalainenCaterham-Renault1’28.7152.46550
16Vitaly PetrovCaterham-Renault1’28.7732.523Set on 2 laps
17Nico HulkenbergForce India-Mercedes1’28.9122.66248
18Lewis HamiltonMcLaren-Mercedes1’28.9182.66850
19Timo GlockMarussia-Cosworth1’29.5993.34949
20Pedro de la RosaHRT-Cosworth1’30.7224.47254
21Michael SchumacherMercedes1’31.0894.8394
22Charles PicMarussia-Cosworth1’31.1364.88629
23Bruno SennaWilliams-Renault1’31.8225.57210
24Narain KarthikeyanHRT-Cosworth1’32.9036.65315

2012 Spanish Grand Prix

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Image © Williams/LAT

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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13 comments on “2012 Spanish Grand Prix fastest laps”

  1. Bizarre that the car with the fastest lap (by over a second!) that had no technical issues, only managed to finish 3rd and 4th. What a strange season this is

    1. I think most teams should strip down their front wings like Grosjean, there is a second to be found!!!! :)

  2. substructure
    14th May 2012, 4:13

    5 different fastest laps too! This season is great fun…

  3. Grosjean’s front was wrecked on both sides still he puts a fastest lap in the end. Front wing over rated? :)

  4. I think the lap chart suggests that Hamilton might have been able to match the pace of the front runners under identical tyre situations. If you compare the end of the second stint of Alonso and Hamilton, you see both drifting in the low 1m30s (with Alonso having a few laps more fuel onboard but a few laps less on his tyres).

    With that in mind, I think the fastest way to cover the final 30 laps would have been to make another pit stop. Hamilton might have been able to do a series of mid-to-low 1m28s rather than the tentative 1m29s he was putting in, and then win even more time over his own schedule with a fresh set of tyres for the final, say, 13 laps, when his lap times were creeping back towards the 1m30s. Just look at how much faster Raikkonen is in the final stint! He wins about 2 seconds per lap on Hamilton for about 18 laps long, that’s a huge amount of time!

    Of course, there are one or two downsides to making an extra stop:
    – I do not remember seeing Hamilton being stuck in traffic when he came out of the pits at the beginning of his final stint, other than him passing the two Toro rossos, so I don’t know why he was so slow in the first laps of his final stint. Just compare Maldonado laps and Hamilton’s laps from the starts of their respective third stints:
    Maldonado, lap 26-29: 27.91, 28.27, 28.37, 28.50
    Hamilton, lap 37-40: 29.66, 30.65, 31.13, 30,66
    If those laps were planned as ‘bringing the tyres in slowly, then that cost him around 10 seconds! Maybe he was just stuck behind a Force India or something, I don’t remember. The effect was that he came out way behind Rosberg, rather than ahead of him.
    – He had no new tyres left after his second stop, so he would not have benefitted from a late stop as much as Raikkonen and Grosjean did.
    – Given McLaren’s current hot streak of operational errors, visits to the pits ought to be minimized.

    Of course, I could be wrong and the McLaren just didn’t have the pace today to compete with Ferrari and Williams, but the first part of the race suggested that did.

    1. first part of the race suggested he was passing much slower cars with a much faster car. after his first stop, he was back in the race for a top 5 finish i thought, especially as a couple top cars fell out and cars infront of his were slower in qualifying, but he did nothing great after that apart from reovertaking slower cars, i think he could have finished top 5 with the right strategy, not leaving 30 laps for the final set of tyres.

      1. Top 5 finish for Hamilton? How? Compare the Hamilton lap times with the Vettel lap times. Vettel was consistently faster and finished 6th.

        1. Yeah, there is such denial regarding Hamilton this weekend. He did have a good race and maybe should win A Sympathy Award. While Vettel had a more impressive race all things considering. (But nothing to compare to top 4)

  5. Spanky Speed
    14th May 2012, 10:41

    It’s quite remarkable that Grosjean as well as Räikönnen improved their lap-times by 1.5-2s after their last tyre change (hard to hard). The same happened in Bahrain. Looks like the Lotus performs the better the lighter it gets. If it continues like this I predict Lotus will claim the constructors championship. They will continue to score high with BOTH cars. Ferrari as well as RB both have the problem of a too large performance spread between the two cars/drivers. Let’s see if McLaren can get their act together.

    In Bahrain Vettel was the only other driver who matched Le Lotus lap times. The same happened again in the last laps of the Spanish GP.

  6. What strikes me is that Maldonado set his fastest lap on only lap 26 and it was still good enough for the 6th fastest of the race. The Williams has some serious pace, you’d have expected many drivers to beat that time on lower fuel nearer the end of the race. Also shows what a good job Pastor did to take the lead during the pit stop phase.

    1. For those who want, interesting time at http://www.fia.com/en-GB/mediacentre/f1_media/Pages/timing.aspx
      Funny to see that Kovalainen fastest sector time are very closed (if not beter for sector 3) than Hamilton fastest sectors and the RedBull have a decent speed during race

  7. Fastest lap by over 1s? Wow. They must be frustrated, knowing they have the fastest car out there but not being able to apply it when it matters.

    Petrov scored his fastest lap twice too, I bet watching side by side videos of that would be pretty interesting.

  8. It’s amazing how Felipe is consistently 1 sec off his teammate in quali and now in the fastest lap of the race as well!

    Hats off to Felipe for his consistency. Being off the pace by the same large margin requires talent as well..

Comments are closed.