Rosberg sets second-fastest lap on 51-lap old tyres

2014 Russian Grand Prix lap times and fastest laps

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Strategy in the Russian Grand Prix was shaped by unusually durable tyres, which Nico Rosberg completed almost the entire race distance on.

Having switched to medium compound tyres on his second lap Rosberg was still improving his lap times until the end of the race. He set the fastest lap of the race on the penultimate lap, by which time his tyres were 51 laps old, though it was beaten on the final tour by Valtteri Bottas.

Both the Toro Rosso drivers appeared among the top seven fastest laps, demonstrating the same pace they showed in qualifying. But poor fuel economy meant neither finished in the points.

Unusually, Daniel Ricciardo set two lap times which equalled his quickest of the race to within a thousandth of a second, on the 50th and 53rd (and final) laps.

Russian Grand Prix lap times

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

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

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53
Lewis Hamilton 107.49 105.342 104.933 104.745 104.08 104.184 103.958 103.882 103.817 104.169 103.686 104.17 104.011 103.951 103.742 103.751 103.577 103.768 103.724 103.407 103.594 103.248 103.73 103.701 103.467 104.115 108.275 125.597 103.603 103.619 103.961 103.255 103.426 102.976 103.191 103.771 103.492 102.194 102.805 101.853 102.516 102.795 102.425 102.074 102.277 102.083 102.193 101.606 102.61 102.663 102.984 102.862 103.396
Nico Rosberg 112.669 129.911 105.571 105.34 106.992 104.962 105.338 105.52 104.803 104.927 104.384 104.65 105.202 104.89 104.163 104.037 104.181 104.237 104.691 103.828 104.05 103.775 103.695 103.503 103.76 103.144 103.687 103.704 103.943 104.844 103.155 102.77 103.45 102.67 102.551 102.408 102.088 103.43 103.091 102.784 102.623 102.913 102.458 102.274 102.3 101.972 102.067 101.904 102.27 101.752 101.757 101.36 101.953
Valtteri Bottas 109.127 105.641 105.225 104.652 104.468 104.237 104.147 104.029 103.856 103.994 104.236 104.353 104.46 104.05 104.247 103.94 104.303 104.651 104.209 104.544 104.952 104.878 105.267 105.214 105.325 109.97 126.544 103.952 104.406 105.053 105.515 103.519 103.398 103.787 103.319 103.096 103.615 102.777 102.864 102.535 102.568 102.23 102.806 102.457 101.83 102.192 102.071 101.908 101.544 102.186 101.534 101.592 100.896
Jenson Button 110.056 106.188 105.479 106.121 105.157 105.404 105.064 104.708 105.123 105.298 105.154 105.012 104.792 104.649 104.919 104.644 104.443 104.496 104.455 104.559 104.352 108.573 125.119 104.349 104.034 104.376 104.142 104.112 104.111 103.85 103.972 103.657 103.443 103.533 103.682 103.413 103.271 103.749 103.107 103.189 103.1 102.763 102.739 102.659 102.806 102.969 101.964 102.879 102.272 102.151 102.081 102.338 102.502
Daniil Kvyat 114.272 109.144 106.704 107.599 107.988 106.046 105.533 105.814 105.665 105.504 105.597 105.553 105.633 105.448 105.301 105.16 105.945 105.206 105.271 110.003 128.511 104.582 104.627 105.185 104.734 104.397 104.93 105.009 104.198 104.511 105.073 104.837 104.8 105.262 107.732 105.796 112.507 125.016 105.767 102.882 102.585 103.227 102.206 102.68 102.523 102.361 102.437 102.417 102.208 102.028 102.222 102.022
Daniel Ricciardo 115.016 107.423 107.119 107.149 105.555 106.892 105.843 105.24 105.584 105.891 110.292 126.435 105.599 104.622 104.617 104.694 104.699 104.935 104.069 104.427 104.103 104.681 104.34 104.519 103.955 104.247 104.673 103.819 103.506 104.186 103.989 104.093 104.255 104.072 103.988 103.888 103.808 103.876 104.061 103.754 103.414 103.844 103.661 103.775 103.68 103.396 103.178 103.465 103.14 103.05 103.461 103.528 103.05
Fernando Alonso 110.798 106.579 105.497 105.672 105.226 105.291 105.416 106.113 106.154 105.352 104.886 104.605 104.745 104.729 104.649 104.561 104.697 104.744 104.426 104.236 104.252 104.057 104.152 104.303 109.712 131.323 105.425 104.966 104.68 104.434 104.501 104.48 104.229 103.972 104.057 103.996 104.231 104.075 104.161 103.685 103.462 103.943 103.647 103.75 103.745 103.132 103.43 103.226 103.171 103.078 103.289 103.641 102.179
Kimi Raikkonen 115.606 108.418 106.814 107.229 106.579 106.162 105.656 105.985 105.45 105.63 105.561 105.502 105.727 105.415 105.202 105.023 105.319 104.855 104.629 104.624 104.684 104.581 105.359 104.19 104.303 110.482 125.82 104.624 104.332 104.78 104.797 105.149 104.618 104.789 105.447 105.472 105.254 105.241 103.909 103.743 103.425 103.8 103.466 103.104 102.919 103.224 103.067 103.061 102.934 103.124 103.387 103.333 103.817
Jean-Eric Vergne 112.641 107.195 109.011 108.518 106.662 106.1 105.607 105.592 105.806 105.571 105.673 105.061 105.692 105.399 105.187 104.865 104.603 104.814 104.756 104.858 104.917 105.493 109.664 127.882 104.749 104.84 105.297 105.197 105.063 104.837 105.188 105.127 105.004 105.047 104.735 104.728 104.71 107.067 104.848 104.941 105.916 104.878 104.136 104.119 103.659 104.319 104.158 104.308 104.668 104.016 102.806 105.561 102.55
Sebastian Vettel 114.632 106.956 107.603 106.584 105.834 106.994 105.468 105.181 105.319 105.357 105.219 105.493 105.125 105.11 105.381 105.329 105.069 104.71 104.575 104.58 104.762 104.555 104.137 104.626 104.713 104.517 104.719 104.735 104.782 109.715 127.395 105.052 104.278 103.848 103.842 103.912 103.653 103.78 103.413 103.535 103.325 103.355 103.523 103.841 103.314 103.403 103.35 103.635 102.967 102.698 103.716 102.684 102.63
Kevin Magnussen 113.179 107.292 107.423 105.761 105.579 105.628 105.165 104.981 105.178 105.018 105.176 105.705 104.975 105.111 104.737 104.409 104.286 104.114 104.046 103.927 104.93 104.189 104.072 103.862 104.144 108.931 124.864 103.942 103.989 104.295 104.608 103.873 104.217 104.115 104.095 103.65 103.801 103.72 103.963 103.889 104.102 103.408 103.307 103.076 103.424 103.344 104.223 103.541 103.335 103.755 103.12 103.523 103.363
Sergio Perez 116.827 108.126 107.207 106.792 107.505 106.464 105.921 105.97 105.789 105.634 105.561 105.661 105.897 105.679 105.436 105.281 105.256 105.416 105.484 106.533 105.205 104.731 105.046 104.866 109.071 125.152 104.326 105.342 104.159 104.377 105.064 104.842 104.77 105.316 104.074 103.796 104.19 103.863 104.911 103.556 103.313 103.403 103.441 103.281 103.199 103.133 102.924 103.01 102.943 103.171 103.416 103.264 103.217
Esteban Gutierrez 117.34 108.08 107.314 106.687 107.512 106.769 106.411 106.588 106.705 106.183 106 105.733 106.633 106.629 107.625 105.58 105.828 105.322 105.205 105.35 105.523 105.438 105.402 105.078 105.014 105.183 106.369 105.462 104.848 104.923 107.408 105.306 105.353 105.049 105.053 105.387 106.766 105.681 113.02 127.061 105.969 105.633 104.201 104.287 104.075 104.741 104.243 106.518 104.807 106.383 104.716 104.145
Adrian Sutil 120.924 110.122 109.104 108.868 108.114 107.436 107.994 107.81 107.05 107.068 107.165 111.13 128.122 105.362 105.464 105.559 105.579 106.971 105.95 105.442 105.347 105.077 105.188 106.53 105.216 105.685 105.697 113.17 104.293 104.625 104.858 104.861 104.912 105.346 106.625 105.46 105.401 104.414 104.002 103.929 103.996 103.822 104.115 106.484 104.583 106.365 104.153 104.692 107.18 105.36 106.052 106.365
Romain Grosjean 119.175 108.775 110.575 106.977 107.161 107.295 106.821 106.935 106.414 107.346 107.905 106.395 106.384 106.151 105.886 105.784 105.851 106.823 106.102 110.125 126.535 105.984 106.21 106.035 107.412 106.48 105.969 108.148 105.668 105.682 105.924 105.593 105.586 105.204 105.61 106.671 105.511 106.989 105.663 105.131 106.489 105.081 106.123 104.593 104.891 106.212 104.726 104.51 104.461 104.502 104.718 104.921
Marcus Ericsson 119.903 109.285 109.997 108.004 107.319 107.375 107.572 108.061 107.619 107.089 107.361 106.92 107.042 107.916 106.869 106.327 106.658 106.629 106.254 106.365 106.199 105.902 105.667 105.731 105.865 106.117 112.534 130.13 106.578 109.094 106.184 106.461 106.269 106.006 107.892 107.695 107.499 108.83 106.374 107.794 107.607 108.186 111.575 128.904 104.352 104.413 104.067 103.979 105.265 105.959 106.164
Nico Hulkenberg 118.298 108.099 107.409 106.728 107.058 106.807 108.075 106.359 106.398 106.468 106.341 105.931 107.299 106.984 106.518 105.611 105.808 105.473 105.385 105.11 105.362 105.16 105.339 109.023 124.803 104.644 103.786 104.48 104.154 104.305 103.859 103.544 103.644 103.762 104.433 105.668 103.304 103.231 104.101 104.724 103.13 103.035 102.806 102.841 102.811 103.136 102.966 102.804 102.95 102.685 102.992 103.114 103.298
Felipe Massa 120.434 125.798 105.193 104.601 106.13 105.529 105.216 105.114 104.494 105.344 104.495 104.421 105.121 104.652 104.964 104.074 103.926 103.921 104.229 105.474 105.334 104.824 105.067 104.883 105.111 105.289 110.054 125.082 103.84 103.339 104.372 104.823 104.76 105.244 104.359 103.841 103.867 104.047 105.087 103.387 103.359 103.423 103.371 103.386 103.14 103.181 102.879 103.002 103.101 102.972 103.546 103.151 103.37
Kamui Kobayashi 121.749 110.753 110.169 109.358 110.693 108.936 108.795 108.531 108.899 108.229 107.977 108.199 108.377 107.965 108.081 107.607 107.407 107.659 109.297 107.827 113.892
Max Chilton 122.191 111.585 110.789 115.332 131.378 108.383 108.557 108.268 126.792
Pastor Maldonado 120.537 109.947 109.266 109.085 111.114 109.254 108.367 108.08 107.712 107.688 107.822 107.931 107.724 107.684 108.477 107.268 107.937 107.828 107.138 107.08 111.576 127.496 105.991 108.375 107.287 105.567 106.251 105.794 105.378 105.183 105.092 106.886 107.18 106.87 105.645 104.583 105.66 107.227 104.308 105.665 105.16 104.227 104.231 104.248 108.406 104.189 104.055 106.459 104.033 104.03 104.436 106.361

Russian Grand Prix fastest laps

Each driver’s fastest lap:

Rank Driver Car Fastest lap Gap On lap
1 Valtteri Bottas Williams-Mercedes 1’40.896 53
2 Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1’41.360 0.464 52
3 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1’41.606 0.710 48
4 Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1’41.964 1.068 47
5 Daniil Kvyat Toro Rosso-Renault 1’42.022 1.126 52
6 Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1’42.179 1.283 53
7 Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso-Renault 1’42.550 1.654 53
8 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1’42.630 1.734 53
9 Nico Hulkenberg Force India-Mercedes 1’42.685 1.789 50
10 Felipe Massa Williams-Mercedes 1’42.879 1.983 47
11 Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari 1’42.919 2.023 45
12 Sergio Perez Force India-Mercedes 1’42.924 2.028 47
13 Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull-Renault 1’43.050 2.154 Set on 2 laps
14 Kevin Magnussen McLaren-Mercedes 1’43.076 2.180 44
15 Adrian Sutil Sauber-Ferrari 1’43.822 2.926 42
16 Marcus Ericsson Caterham-Renault 1’43.979 3.083 48
17 Pastor Maldonado Lotus-Renault 1’44.030 3.134 50
18 Esteban Gutierrez Sauber-Ferrari 1’44.075 3.179 45
19 Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault 1’44.461 3.565 49
20 Kamui Kobayashi Caterham-Renault 1’47.407 6.511 17
21 Max Chilton Marussia-Ferrari 1’48.268 7.372 8

2014 Russian Grand Prix

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Image © Daimler/Hoch Zwei

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Keith Collantine
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17 comments on “Rosberg sets second-fastest lap on 51-lap old tyres”

  1. “Unusually, Daniel Ricciardo set two lap times which equalled his quickest of the race to within a thousandth of a second, on the 50th and 53rd (and final) laps.”

    Any ideas if the sector times were very similar (I would be amazed if they were the same), or was it a case of gained in one sector, lost out in the others?

    Regardless, you can’t get more consistent than that XD

    1. Lap 50: 36.351 – 35.704 – 30.995
      Lap 53: 36.175 – 35.722 – 31.153
      So only the middle sector was more or less the same ;-)

      1. Mr win or lose
        13th October 2014, 9:50

        Cool stuff! Where did you find the sector times?

      2. Carlos Furtado das Neves
        14th October 2014, 14:21

        Great info! Can you tell us where did you find this data?
        Thanks.

  2. Very fortuitous for Rosberg, in the end. I don’t think anyone expected the tyres to have almost zero degredation, even with the conservative choice.

    He went from last to second in just over half race distance (good drive!), but without the normal “penalty” of another stop being needed. In any other race this year he’d have faced another fight through the middle-order, which would have made the latter half of the race a bit more interesting!

    1. Well Rosberg didn’t actually go from last to second. When a driver undercuts another we don’t say they went from 15th to 6th, we say they went from 7th to 6th. Nico technically went from 2nd to 4th, but when you factor in his pit issues over 5 second stop, he went from 7th to 4th. Definitely not bad considering the traffic, but not exactly what I’d call a recovery drive, like you said. Plus he caused his crisis, which according to people’s opinions of Bottas in Australia, means it doesn’t count.

  3. Hamilton cruised throughout the race because he didn’t want to tax the engine unnecessarily. Ended up 13 seconds ahead of everyone else.

    Rosberg had to cruise because he had to do whole race on single tyres, and he went *through the field* in little more than half of the race.

    At this stage Mercedes could just skip the qualifying and still finish 1-2 starting from the pit lane.

    1. Rosberg didn’t go “through the field”. He simply made his stop earlier and of course ended back up on roughly the same position after everyone made their stop. Which took about half the race.

      If they really start at the back it’s a lot harder to make it back to the front. Imagine him having to make a stop just after halfway through the race (when he was pushing). Rosberg would have dropped back to P5 behind Magnussen and 20 seconds behind Bottas. He then would have had to overtake several faster cars instead of just waiting for them to pit.

  4. ColdFly F1 (@)
    12th October 2014, 19:59

    Catherham seems to be improving, and Ericsson within the team!

    1. @coldfly I’ve been really impressed with Ericsson ever since Caterham changed their braking system. He has consistently been towards the front of the Caterham/Marussia battle and has at times even troubled the Saubers and the Lotuses. Given that form, it would be somewhat harsh to drop him at the end of the year.

      1. But it wouldn’t be harsh to drop some people from Lotus’ technical department.

  5. I look forward to those who have complained all these years about Pirelli and their fragile tyres. Look what happens when we have zero degridation. What an exciting race!

    I can only imagine how far in front Hamilton could have finished if he wanted to push all the way.

  6. It proves my theory that last year’s controversial Mercedes’ Barcelona test had only one goal: Helping Pirelli to design tires which will suit Mercedes’ cars. Good job Pirelli!

    1. Strange how Merc haven’t looked back since that secret test lol

  7. What I find very interesting, is why did Red Bull keep Vettel out for a stint of 30 laps on soft compound (longest of the top runners), when it was obvious that he was loosing time? One can clearly see that he was pulling away from Dan last few laps of his stint, gap was around 2 seconds when Dan pitted for medium compound. Also, it was easily visible that the medium compound is keeping its performance for a much longer than 23 laps, how much Vettel drove on them. He lost 3 seconds in only last few laps before pitting compared to Dan. When he switched to mediums, he was again faster or equal to Dan, and kept the pace easily to the end. Horner said that “He had that tyre for approximately half the race and, when we pitted for the prime, we expected the prime to have good performance in the second half of the race. But, as it turned out, a new harder tyre had no more performance than an older tyre. So he was only able to do the same times as Daniel.”
    Very strange, considering lap times are showing that he had a pace 1 second per lap stronger than before pitting, indicating that he was losing considerable amount of time by not pitting at least 4-5 laps earlier..
    Team orders in RB? What do you think?

    1. They tried it in a discrete manner, but it didn’t work.

    2. Exactly my thoughts. Vettel could’ve finished higher IMO.

Comments are closed.