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

1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132333435363738394041424344454647484950515253
Lewis Hamilton107.49105.342104.933104.745104.08104.184103.958103.882103.817104.169103.686104.17104.011103.951103.742103.751103.577103.768103.724103.407103.594103.248103.73103.701103.467104.115108.275125.597103.603103.619103.961103.255103.426102.976103.191103.771103.492102.194102.805101.853102.516102.795102.425102.074102.277102.083102.193101.606102.61102.663102.984102.862103.396
Nico Rosberg112.669129.911105.571105.34106.992104.962105.338105.52104.803104.927104.384104.65105.202104.89104.163104.037104.181104.237104.691103.828104.05103.775103.695103.503103.76103.144103.687103.704103.943104.844103.155102.77103.45102.67102.551102.408102.088103.43103.091102.784102.623102.913102.458102.274102.3101.972102.067101.904102.27101.752101.757101.36101.953
Valtteri Bottas109.127105.641105.225104.652104.468104.237104.147104.029103.856103.994104.236104.353104.46104.05104.247103.94104.303104.651104.209104.544104.952104.878105.267105.214105.325109.97126.544103.952104.406105.053105.515103.519103.398103.787103.319103.096103.615102.777102.864102.535102.568102.23102.806102.457101.83102.192102.071101.908101.544102.186101.534101.592100.896
Jenson Button110.056106.188105.479106.121105.157105.404105.064104.708105.123105.298105.154105.012104.792104.649104.919104.644104.443104.496104.455104.559104.352108.573125.119104.349104.034104.376104.142104.112104.111103.85103.972103.657103.443103.533103.682103.413103.271103.749103.107103.189103.1102.763102.739102.659102.806102.969101.964102.879102.272102.151102.081102.338102.502
Daniil Kvyat114.272109.144106.704107.599107.988106.046105.533105.814105.665105.504105.597105.553105.633105.448105.301105.16105.945105.206105.271110.003128.511104.582104.627105.185104.734104.397104.93105.009104.198104.511105.073104.837104.8105.262107.732105.796112.507125.016105.767102.882102.585103.227102.206102.68102.523102.361102.437102.417102.208102.028102.222102.022
Daniel Ricciardo115.016107.423107.119107.149105.555106.892105.843105.24105.584105.891110.292126.435105.599104.622104.617104.694104.699104.935104.069104.427104.103104.681104.34104.519103.955104.247104.673103.819103.506104.186103.989104.093104.255104.072103.988103.888103.808103.876104.061103.754103.414103.844103.661103.775103.68103.396103.178103.465103.14103.05103.461103.528103.05
Fernando Alonso110.798106.579105.497105.672105.226105.291105.416106.113106.154105.352104.886104.605104.745104.729104.649104.561104.697104.744104.426104.236104.252104.057104.152104.303109.712131.323105.425104.966104.68104.434104.501104.48104.229103.972104.057103.996104.231104.075104.161103.685103.462103.943103.647103.75103.745103.132103.43103.226103.171103.078103.289103.641102.179
Kimi Raikkonen115.606108.418106.814107.229106.579106.162105.656105.985105.45105.63105.561105.502105.727105.415105.202105.023105.319104.855104.629104.624104.684104.581105.359104.19104.303110.482125.82104.624104.332104.78104.797105.149104.618104.789105.447105.472105.254105.241103.909103.743103.425103.8103.466103.104102.919103.224103.067103.061102.934103.124103.387103.333103.817
Jean-Eric Vergne112.641107.195109.011108.518106.662106.1105.607105.592105.806105.571105.673105.061105.692105.399105.187104.865104.603104.814104.756104.858104.917105.493109.664127.882104.749104.84105.297105.197105.063104.837105.188105.127105.004105.047104.735104.728104.71107.067104.848104.941105.916104.878104.136104.119103.659104.319104.158104.308104.668104.016102.806105.561102.55
Sebastian Vettel114.632106.956107.603106.584105.834106.994105.468105.181105.319105.357105.219105.493105.125105.11105.381105.329105.069104.71104.575104.58104.762104.555104.137104.626104.713104.517104.719104.735104.782109.715127.395105.052104.278103.848103.842103.912103.653103.78103.413103.535103.325103.355103.523103.841103.314103.403103.35103.635102.967102.698103.716102.684102.63
Kevin Magnussen113.179107.292107.423105.761105.579105.628105.165104.981105.178105.018105.176105.705104.975105.111104.737104.409104.286104.114104.046103.927104.93104.189104.072103.862104.144108.931124.864103.942103.989104.295104.608103.873104.217104.115104.095103.65103.801103.72103.963103.889104.102103.408103.307103.076103.424103.344104.223103.541103.335103.755103.12103.523103.363
Sergio Perez116.827108.126107.207106.792107.505106.464105.921105.97105.789105.634105.561105.661105.897105.679105.436105.281105.256105.416105.484106.533105.205104.731105.046104.866109.071125.152104.326105.342104.159104.377105.064104.842104.77105.316104.074103.796104.19103.863104.911103.556103.313103.403103.441103.281103.199103.133102.924103.01102.943103.171103.416103.264103.217
Esteban Gutierrez117.34108.08107.314106.687107.512106.769106.411106.588106.705106.183106105.733106.633106.629107.625105.58105.828105.322105.205105.35105.523105.438105.402105.078105.014105.183106.369105.462104.848104.923107.408105.306105.353105.049105.053105.387106.766105.681113.02127.061105.969105.633104.201104.287104.075104.741104.243106.518104.807106.383104.716104.145
Adrian Sutil120.924110.122109.104108.868108.114107.436107.994107.81107.05107.068107.165111.13128.122105.362105.464105.559105.579106.971105.95105.442105.347105.077105.188106.53105.216105.685105.697113.17104.293104.625104.858104.861104.912105.346106.625105.46105.401104.414104.002103.929103.996103.822104.115106.484104.583106.365104.153104.692107.18105.36106.052106.365
Romain Grosjean119.175108.775110.575106.977107.161107.295106.821106.935106.414107.346107.905106.395106.384106.151105.886105.784105.851106.823106.102110.125126.535105.984106.21106.035107.412106.48105.969108.148105.668105.682105.924105.593105.586105.204105.61106.671105.511106.989105.663105.131106.489105.081106.123104.593104.891106.212104.726104.51104.461104.502104.718104.921
Marcus Ericsson119.903109.285109.997108.004107.319107.375107.572108.061107.619107.089107.361106.92107.042107.916106.869106.327106.658106.629106.254106.365106.199105.902105.667105.731105.865106.117112.534130.13106.578109.094106.184106.461106.269106.006107.892107.695107.499108.83106.374107.794107.607108.186111.575128.904104.352104.413104.067103.979105.265105.959106.164
Nico Hulkenberg118.298108.099107.409106.728107.058106.807108.075106.359106.398106.468106.341105.931107.299106.984106.518105.611105.808105.473105.385105.11105.362105.16105.339109.023124.803104.644103.786104.48104.154104.305103.859103.544103.644103.762104.433105.668103.304103.231104.101104.724103.13103.035102.806102.841102.811103.136102.966102.804102.95102.685102.992103.114103.298
Felipe Massa120.434125.798105.193104.601106.13105.529105.216105.114104.494105.344104.495104.421105.121104.652104.964104.074103.926103.921104.229105.474105.334104.824105.067104.883105.111105.289110.054125.082103.84103.339104.372104.823104.76105.244104.359103.841103.867104.047105.087103.387103.359103.423103.371103.386103.14103.181102.879103.002103.101102.972103.546103.151103.37
Kamui Kobayashi121.749110.753110.169109.358110.693108.936108.795108.531108.899108.229107.977108.199108.377107.965108.081107.607107.407107.659109.297107.827113.892
Max Chilton122.191111.585110.789115.332131.378108.383108.557108.268126.792
Pastor Maldonado120.537109.947109.266109.085111.114109.254108.367108.08107.712107.688107.822107.931107.724107.684108.477107.268107.937107.828107.138107.08111.576127.496105.991108.375107.287105.567106.251105.794105.378105.183105.092106.886107.18106.87105.645104.583105.66107.227104.308105.665105.16104.227104.231104.248108.406104.189104.055106.459104.033104.03104.436106.361

Russian Grand Prix fastest laps

Each driver’s fastest lap:

RankDriverCarFastest lapGapOn lap
1Valtteri BottasWilliams-Mercedes1’40.89653
2Nico RosbergMercedes1’41.3600.46452
3Lewis HamiltonMercedes1’41.6060.71048
4Jenson ButtonMcLaren-Mercedes1’41.9641.06847
5Daniil KvyatToro Rosso-Renault1’42.0221.12652
6Fernando AlonsoFerrari1’42.1791.28353
7Jean-Eric VergneToro Rosso-Renault1’42.5501.65453
8Sebastian VettelRed Bull-Renault1’42.6301.73453
9Nico HulkenbergForce India-Mercedes1’42.6851.78950
10Felipe MassaWilliams-Mercedes1’42.8791.98347
11Kimi RaikkonenFerrari1’42.9192.02345
12Sergio PerezForce India-Mercedes1’42.9242.02847
13Daniel RicciardoRed Bull-Renault1’43.0502.154Set on 2 laps
14Kevin MagnussenMcLaren-Mercedes1’43.0762.18044
15Adrian SutilSauber-Ferrari1’43.8222.92642
16Marcus EricssonCaterham-Renault1’43.9793.08348
17Pastor MaldonadoLotus-Renault1’44.0303.13450
18Esteban GutierrezSauber-Ferrari1’44.0753.17945
19Romain GrosjeanLotus-Renault1’44.4613.56549
20Kamui KobayashiCaterham-Renault1’47.4076.51117
21Max ChiltonMarussia-Ferrari1’48.2687.3728

2014 Russian Grand Prix

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Image © Daimler/Hoch Zwei

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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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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.