2014 Australian Grand Prix lap times and fastest laps

2014 Australian Grand Prix

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Nico Rosberg set the fastest lap of the Australian Grand Prix. But just how much faster are Mercedes than their rivals?

Rosberg’s best lap was less than a tenth of a second quicker than the next fastest, which was set by Valtteri Bottas. But the W05 was clearly capable of lapping much quicker, as the graph below shows.

Rosberg set his fastest time as early as lap 19. Most of his rivals did theirs at the end of the race when the fuel loads had dropped and the track’s rubber levels had built up. So how much quicker could Rosberg have gone?

At the point when Rosberg set his fastest time no one else on track had got within 1.4 seconds off it. It took another 15 laps for anyone to get within a second of it.

Rosberg finished the race with a 24 second lead which he built up in the 41 laps after the Safety Car came in. That’s a gain of 0.58s per lap and it’s clearly Rosberg was managing his pace for much of that time. Mercedes’ true advantage was in the region of a second per lap at Melbourne. The question now is whether that is also the case at other tracks which are more reflective of those the rest of the championship will be contested on, such as Sepang.

But they were untouchable in Melbourne. Tellingly, when Jenson Button asked on the radio for more information about the leading drivers’ pace, he added: “obviously not the Mercedes…”

Australian Grand Prix lap times

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

https://www.racefans.net/charts/2014drivercolours.csv

123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142434445464748495051525354555657
Lewis Hamilton106.128
Daniel Ricciardo103.54997.45996.32195.96696.66595.4895.32495.08895.04595.0696.339135.227142.548140.721134.52595.41594.06693.88393.96994.1493.81693.82694.25894.80495.27794.87395.09994.96895.11395.97695.44896.53995.0395.64695.284113.313102.3694.66994.04493.75493.55793.25193.90293.29293.94294.68395.25593.7493.06693.23193.33593.14993.46893.42593.36793.47594.21
Nico Rosberg102.03897.68795.76594.93995.43894.97795.41794.5594.21794.36495.185134.269149.953141.208134.48693.97694.0493.19592.47893.33192.83993.14493.21393.93693.94194.53995.58895.41694.06994.94694.27295.30594.08893.97993.98194.46495.19115.194101.37593.39493.24393.28692.67292.78694.13793.14893.49892.70492.892.75793.86393.00193.02693.05293.18593.30993.857
Kevin Magnussen105.40297.43597.91796.79696.76695.85795.44695.75295.7495.55596.194136.538135.46140.764134.33495.43394.13994.03594.65494.86794.37494.13194.55194.43995.36895.8696.61496.23196.26495.72795.50595.62695.294.90494.72894.995112.63599.1392.91793.89893.14493.74293.71893.11294.35694.40495.24993.86692.99792.98793.15293.30794.23793.77193.44193.12594.698
Fernando Alonso108.26698.61197.8195.71996.20595.63496.29296.4696.40596.99297.667139.525128.277140.389132.48796.47395.45194.95295.45395.14394.61295.0595.395.29296.05995.79795.78395.64796.27595.83195.37496.1995.94994.077112.82899.97294.37494.5793.99493.95194.09294.52894.35393.44694.01993.8293.81292.98793.5293.46893.84493.66193.07893.23393.34792.61695.034
Jean-Eric Vergne108.80598.57999.42496.85597.59296.35796.26395.79896.09396.35997.041143.494123.534139.749132.01296.65695.52595.41395.05495.07494.85794.75495.46195.38395.67796.2595.97196.08696.01195.89995.7395.943115.005100.41693.86494.16294.64295.09794.95795.01594.79195.00994.23894.37994.35295.1195.82594.73995.0494.85894.75794.38196.36194.67694.48194.36694.931
Nico Hulkenberg106.98698.35996.85696.87896.35296.06396.61896.30696.65196.72896.877136.397130.616141.039133.69796.46294.94395.34595.38894.90394.68895.16195.20995.45795.75595.75995.94795.5495.90195.97195.99396.077115.32699.44494.12395.91395.00694.92594.92994.66194.85794.96994.5994.29694.3394.58694.694.31694.25894.5793.73295.88594.22294.8393.5393.2193.398
Daniil Kvyat109.50398.79799.41797.03796.99296.74596.22895.86295.69196.45797.299150.844121.904135.891131.05797.63596.32295.56995.36795.26595.42395.60696.36195.72996.86195.84895.6696.09596.07695.74295.52295.44895.50395.19295.592115.84399.25792.63493.68993.98793.70493.85494.46194.7395.12995.00594.94695.18994.37494.51694.40294.52994.61594.76894.42795.88395.813
Felipe Massa
Valtteri Bottas109.76698.73798.58496.78695.74794.92595.9695.57395.732156.286122.855118.201100.338116.976126.69198.55195.05195.90395.58295.40694.84694.74194.78595.21195.49794.98195.3395.39995.78595.91395.6495.37295.16994.63895.912115.05499.74593.77994.25193.81993.91993.85894.05794.41994.51894.33994.57893.793.48294.55393.62894.1994.11893.26992.96592.56894.671
Jenson Button110.32898.96898.70597.15697.1296.68696.27196.07995.97996.655117.843120.84121.893140.58132.40296.18495.40295.18195.19495.34194.86594.90795.41395.38595.76395.85695.95995.90896.01495.87195.908113.97199.16293.51594.49794.15794.15794.03693.96594.08293.91893.79793.56993.35893.95493.77593.53993.32693.37393.4493.54993.55193.45393.66893.69293.39193.186
Kimi Raikkonen109.38798.6397.77197.01396.09295.13296.14398.12296.64896.44497.253145.964126.011136.028131.89496.70795.4895.3895.33894.75694.92794.93395.30595.33597.65896.03795.996.0995.26895.49795.81196.0896.10595.0998.352114.28100.69293.89694.04693.76693.88393.93494.14194.17894.50494.49494.95794.49495.14295.25994.39694.54594.80293.92293.74693.69195.036
Sebastian Vettel120.977109.947111.46
Adrian Sutil113.369101.685100.02499.823101.79499.54297.99497.79898.06298.683108.015118.59116.199136.327131.497.60997.58897.36997.43297.12696.83696.98496.51996.7597.21396.56797.28696.95496.64696.87197.27896.97797.26497.544118.752103.37395.06495.27695.03794.56694.56494.80294.86995.12595.20795.17795.19995.00495.57995.23696.3894.93494.62694.59494.62794.743
Kamui Kobayashi
Sergio Perez156.707104.7997.06496.5196.03396.0796.08796.99696.42296.384129.463120.708102.694112.117126.32398.25995.91396.93498.02897.08795.45195.13896.15696.70497.10696.64797.64296.78697.24896.88596.944115.468100.293.36693.52693.99693.68793.95493.85693.60193.97594.01394.17694.25494.48394.25494.99494.68694.92595.39595.09895.32895.46795.81996.0899.29397.436
Max Chilton125.52103.507100.42598.92898.63699.45599.49698.996101.03699.377114.168123.376108.67120.969129.623103.02898.98798.5698.65998.7798.86398.96100.026119.399103.60598.26197.25698.22597.79498.87298.28997.37598.59797.74697.02199.66397.84397.96799.75498.893119.123104.09896.83897.37398.08596.63396.939100.07198.98296.59297.12696.37895.97596.62695.635
Jules Bianchi99.4698.882113.401118.319102.194120.446128.732101.69398.95898.30399.36498.68798.799.007100.02798.27497.50397.728118.244104.07697.10996.2296.80696.48498.30297.69298.22496.81996.30896.66397.30897.13396.937117.075103.45296.14896.26398.30897.63795.28197.30297.15897.02495.61896.42296.79996.83195.702
Esteban Gutierrez161.894105.455100.56797.496.44596.15496.03396.12295.9397.507114.083118.875101.993117.263127.375100.63598.37198.2798.81597.1896.86997.75297.45998.39496.62396.8997.9597.27297.23117.089104.52294.65694.20294.48594.47995.295.20395.13194.50894.77494.48895.72795.40895.60594.70894.59594.78895.09495.29197.3495.60594.82995.67795.11195.8495.795
Marcus Ericsson115.013101.26299.45799.774100.308100.33799.846100.86799.78100.204105.911117.689114.285135.29131.036100.61999.91798.329100.17198.81599.10898.838121.336103.36597.43297.06499.333
Romain Grosjean130.795105.62998.51999.15798.49397.81397.11297.99398.72197.981107.48118.43108.422134.47130.27599.01997.69396.93198.26298.07897.5498.41196.57396.89796.80296.8996.918115.731102.28394.76695.92295.13795.48294.88795.35195.28395.61696.43295.5295.15195.32794.80295.171
Pastor Maldonado116.505100.456100.14199.728100.54899.36999.5998.90998.56398.631107.54118.116115.651135.353131.29798.17197.33298.50897.85697.45398.74598.58499.26197.44497.65997.55998.651100.524118.825

Australian Grand Prix fastest laps

Each driver’s fastest lap:

RankDriverCarFastest lapGapOn lap
1Nico RosbergMercedes1’32.47819
2Valtteri BottasWilliams-Mercedes1’32.5680.09056
3Fernando AlonsoFerrari1’32.6160.13856
4Daniil KvyatToro Rosso-Renault1’32.6340.15638
5Kevin MagnussenMcLaren-Mercedes1’32.9170.43939
6Daniel RicciardoRed Bull-Renault1’33.0660.58849
7Jenson ButtonMcLaren-Mercedes1’33.1860.70857
8Nico HulkenbergForce India-Mercedes1’33.2100.73256
9Sergio PerezForce India-Mercedes1’33.3660.88834
10Kimi RaikkonenFerrari1’33.6911.21356
11Jean-Eric VergneToro Rosso-Renault1’33.8641.38635
12Esteban GutierrezSauber-Ferrari1’34.2021.72433
13Adrian SutilSauber-Ferrari1’34.5642.08641
14Romain GrosjeanLotus-Renault1’34.7662.28830
15Jules BianchiMarussia-Ferrari1’35.2812.80341
16Max ChiltonMarussia-Ferrari1’35.6353.15755
17Marcus EricssonCaterham-Renault1’37.0644.58626
18Pastor MaldonadoLotus-Renault1’37.3324.85417
19Lewis HamiltonMercedes1’46.12813.6501
20Sebastian VettelRed Bull-Renault1’49.94717.4692

2014 Australian Grand Prix

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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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    31 comments on “2014 Australian Grand Prix lap times and fastest laps”

    1. I doubt Rosberg was pushing the car. He could easily build a gap to P2 by going fast under his limit.

      1. His fastest lap was on lap 19, so he was on a very high load of fuel, I reckon he could have done 0.5-1 second quicker if had wanted to extend at around lap 50, but he had no need to and was on medium compound tyres, we have definitely not seen the full power of the Mercedes yet and that seems a bit daunting, if they have even more domination in the bag than Nico showed today, hopefully they can quickly sort out reliability and then they’ll have 2 drivers on the podium.

      2. So tell me, considering the flak that Button constantly get’s about only winning the championship because the Brawn was 1-2 seconds faster than the rest of the field (was never even 7/10ths faster than the field), if Hamilton or Rosberg win the title this year, will their championships also be so easily dismissed?

        1. Probably depends on more than that.Button had a noticeable drop off after the early domination. Apparently people wanted the winner to spread his best moments through the season, even if overall they still had the same number of highlights and lowlights.

        2. No. Why? Because Hamilton already proved himself without such a huge advantage and Rosberg, if he wins it, will do it against a proved champion like Hamilton.

    2. Fastest lap last year by RAI on old tyres (medium I think): 1:29.407

    3. Daniil Kvyat4th fastest impressive

    4. 20 Sebastian Vettel: Red Bull-Renault – 1’49.947 (+17.469)

      Good job, Seb.

      1. Chris (@tophercheese21)
        16th March 2014, 23:34

        @vettel1
        Considering the terrible shape his car was in, it actually isn’t a bad effort! Haha

    5. 37 laps of fuel more than Bottas and still faster, that’s very ominous.

      1. @jamiefranklinf1 True, although in terms of weight that’s quite a bit less than last year!

        1. @KeithCollantine – I had forgotten about that. But still, it works out to about 60 something kilos, which has to make a huge difference.

          1. He could have had his gf in the car and still won – a casual Sunday cruise :-)

            1. And because of the low noise engines we would have been able to hear her screaming all the way;-)

            2. Fiance not gf… ;)
              She looks like she enjoys the limelight.

    6. Leaving aside the Mercs, the rest of the field seems close. I am not sure of RB because of the irregularity but Macca, Ferrari, Williams are more or less on the equal front. Macca>Williams>Ferrari by a very small margin. Force India probably ruined the stats by holding back Alonso. I would have liked to see Ricciardo chased by Magnussen followed by Alonso to see who was consistently faster.

      Wonder how much is the benefit of running in clear air this season.

    7. Mr win or lose
      16th March 2014, 19:32

      Wow… Rosberg drove the fastest lap of the race as early as lap 19?! That’s really cool. Usually drivers burn off some fuel right after the safetycar 1) to build up a gap and 2) to reduce their fuel load a bit more. In lap 24 or so Rosberg switched to “survival mode”, after which he was unable to improve his laptime. Possibly, if he really wanted, he could have driven somewhere in the 1:30s at the end of the race I think.

    8. Is that really correct? Rosberg FLAP on Lap 19? Man, if true, he could have gone more than a second quicker than that…!

      1. I guess without pole, he didn’t need to go for the “satisfaction”

    9. What’s interesting is that lap times were steadly dropping and the effect of fuel saving wasn’t as big as I thought. Good to see that.

      1. steadily ^

      2. There’s another interesting thing: the fastest lap in the race wasn’t too slow compared to quali pace. Rosberg did a low 1.29 in FP3 and a 1.32 in the race. So that’s roughly three seconds. It’s not a lot, I expected it to be a lot bigger due to fuel saving and reliability worries.

    10. It looks like Alonso’s Ferrari had some speed…. only too late.

    11. I said to @mathers after the race that it looked to be like Rosberg was running at less than 80% today, this kind of backs that up. He could easily have gone so much quicker and still won by nearly half a minute, and that was only earned over 40 laps!

      This is very ominous, and if it copies over to the other races I just hope both or neither Merc’s finish the race because if it’s just one they’ll win completely unchallenged bar mistakes or issues.

      1. This shows what you said perfectly, this is very worrying for the rest of the teams, I just hope this track suited the car much more than the rest!

        1. Mr win or lose
          16th March 2014, 20:56

          Albert Park is one of the toughest test for the machinery. The speed differences are usually larger than anywhere else – compare Vettel’s speed advantage in 2011 in Australia to the next race. But that’s probably only true for differences in aerodynamic efficiency. With the current rules, fuel economy is probably the big equalizer and as Albert Park is one of the most fuel-demanding tracks, the performance edge of the Mercedes’ may be even bigger in the next few races.

    12. Chris (@tophercheese21)
      16th March 2014, 23:48

      That is some scary pace from the Mercedes! With that kind of speed, I doubt anyone will catch them.

      Hopefully we’ll see Hamilton and Rosberg in close fights for victories.

      Should be a very exciting season.

    13. Curiously Gian Carlo Minardi has just put his own interpretation of the cars’ performance out in a press release:

      Now it can be useful to analyse the lap times to have a better understanding of the real gap separating the teams’ performance. Rosberg’s Mercedes has been steadily around 1’32’’-1’33’’ low, whereas all other pilots drove around 1’34’’. Just towards the end Fernando Alonso (fifth at finish) drove around 1’32’’ low, getting close to the fastest race lap set by Rosberg (1’32’’478). Surely an encouraging result, even though a correct interpretation is not straightforward: we should know the data about fuel consumption and strategies too. In the current season the learning curve of teams will be very high: therefore, after each race, we can expect substantial evolutions and important adjustments.

      1. I keep trying to remind myself that the learning curve is going to be very steep, especially for the Renault engined teams who’ve done relatively little mileage compared to the likes of Merc and Williams. If not for that fact I would be very worried by Rosberg’s apparent advantage in Melbourne and what it will mean for the racing this season.

    14. Wow. Schumi did 1.24 a whopping 10 years ago. What awesome progress formula 1 has managed…

    15. Something else we can get from this set of times. Subtract the four safety car laps, and then add in another 115.19 to account for Rosberg’s second pit stop, and his average lap time over those 54 racing laps was a 1m 35.075. I suppose I should really add another eight seconds to allow Rosberg to get up to speed after a theoretical non-neutralised pit stop; if so, 1m 35.223s.

      Either way, that’s still faster than Kimi Raikkonen’s average of 1m 36.259s that was good enough for 25 points in 2013.

    Comments are closed.