Mercedes restore their pace advantage in the race

2015 Italian Grand Prix lap times and fastest laps

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[interactivecharts]At their home race Ferrari ran Mercedes closer than expected for pole position, but normal service resumed in the race.

Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen got within three-tenths of a second of Lewis Hamilton in qualifying, and displaced the other Mercedes of Nico Rosberg, having been more than twice as far behind on Friday.

However in the race Hamilton had much the same pace advantage over Vettel he had enjoyed on Friday. In the closing stages of the race Hamilton was told to up his pace as Mercedes feared they might receive a time penalty for a tyre pressure infringement, and he produced the fastest time of the day five laps from home.

2015 Italian Grand Prix lap times

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

https://www.racefans.net/charts/2015drivercolours.csv

123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142434445464748495051525354555657585960616263646566676869
Lewis Hamilton89.68988.03388.35188.54288.06587.80487.7887.97587.85988.04188.188.17388.11588.12388.50188.51988.23988.31788.14488.30888.37588.45488.1388.12288.17792.707108.05187.79687.62887.67987.54487.6987.6587.34987.12586.8987.88587.4187.55587.5687.57887.47787.6287.58287.59387.43287.23386.67287.03686.98587.0588.49387.482
Kimi Raikkonen100.58990.86691.12190.87290.53989.91289.25389.27489.25289.38289.24689.49689.08189.27589.19589.34689.32789.25789.30688.90789.33389.29589.35589.24389.18589.37890.07695.303109.16988.28188.68688.22287.74888.03488.54287.9488.10788.2688.388.20787.99487.71387.58487.8787.74487.98388.07988.22288.05488.50288.60188.55788.485
Sebastian Vettel91.21688.61188.68688.3588.53588.31888.49588.6288.69888.59888.61888.61988.67288.68888.71688.64388.87288.98689.05789.57289.26489.11989.70689.4393.946108.93788.28887.54888.00388.10387.69687.66187.76587.65688.23387.83287.60788.00487.61587.88287.61587.39487.3987.50987.73887.39187.59187.49287.6987.71187.59387.37688.375
Nico Rosberg94.17289.14989.06888.45889.01288.86988.97289.27589.20488.95288.75788.91689.09490.9289.72689.4789.46493.566107.82488.28688.66288.4688.35388.20687.77187.92588.92188.31788.07887.65687.78287.83287.94187.54488.05387.75387.61187.55987.48987.50287.33887.39487.06787.30287.53687.31187.13887.18687.26887.523
Felipe Massa92.48689.14188.85988.97688.77888.74488.8288.74189.05189.11388.99789.08189.41689.50889.81689.80889.86689.80594.307109.33988.46388.62888.48988.50788.52388.49788.43788.64388.36988.19487.87488.02888.13288.00888.21588.11488.20388.33188.24888.45288.34888.1588.0787.97988.24588.32288.24388.74988.48288.36888.35488.48889.518
Valtteri Bottas92.98389.44889.04288.83189.07388.85788.8988.97288.88888.98989.36688.97789.15790.51689.46189.51989.55589.62589.8389.91889.88194.504109.99588.83488.488.41888.51388.35888.16288.17988.16988.22188.18188.14588.02788.07988.10288.16988.10388.13888.2958887.82587.72687.65787.78287.59687.86287.52587.77788.36588.35489.445
Sergio Perez93.85290.67189.88289.39389.01189.05589.54889.30889.43689.31889.58489.3889.38689.55789.70589.59889.5689.78289.60490.33989.89389.9594.177109.34988.31288.72488.88290.31588.9988.61688.77388.61988.54288.63789.1488.58288.49688.77888.83988.7688.37588.37488.24888.29188.31888.1488.29888.42288.26689.98489.5689.01589.837
Romain Grosjean95.106
Nico Hulkenberg97.65890.15389.64389.74389.49889.45189.56189.58989.62789.69789.77489.71889.89889.80989.9189.92589.89194.255108.87489.28189.59589.57889.56189.73489.59189.31189.4889.28389.35889.20388.96589.14289.87489.20589.01188.91389.00889.17389.09589.1289.11289.07288.94589.06689.04189.18389.23289.19489.1289.15289.79290.441
Pastor Maldonado139.892
Felipe Nasr104.315112.05189.94390.02390.18290.1190.07290.13290.27190.73190.29190.47489.92490.24990.01890.01490.56790.36890.15690.37490.08390.09791.06495.356111.1590.72289.13189.86288.83888.99489.44689.41989.22189.31689.05188.84890.13290.51890.63389.14889.00588.67588.71488.95788.88788.92888.91589.11792.11989.36988.65389.97
Marcus Ericsson98.00490.42889.98989.90989.66689.4389.46889.69689.6389.93189.81989.7589.67889.65189.78189.7989.81389.85589.92395.843110.11988.51689.08889.22489.16488.96888.93989.11788.96389.56789.86889.21188.9689.15689.02889.04289.02688.68389.08288.96389.1489.25289.01389.11288.82489.17489.18489.33689.0489.30990.21189.917
Will Stevens100.84193.992.44792.25192.1469292.15492.22492.68892.54792.66392.3792.99792.65393.11792.44892.64392.3993.64492.55792.68793.66792.34792.06992.37397.214117.24491.4494.1991.22791.57491.5191.7391.74693.10291.56292.67891.92591.4191.28991.5393.73592.01991.38191.3493.32391.6791.29791.51991.10791.098
Roberto Merhi102.68693.64293.16192.7792.71592.66692.85892.93492.78793.60792.64992.55993.83292.87692.99192.83793.89792.53693.56792.49792.53892.35292.59792.43592.90693.65798.716114.19891.31191.32991.54192.09492.86891.45291.70992.06492.32591.81391.67292.14592.9191.73193.24291.91392.05391.76991.88191.88791.60392.73493.265
Jenson Button98.32691.50691.19291.21391.01191.4293.11191.90291.63491.65491.14791.13191.14591.26291.70792.64991.43191.191.0390.95991.0391.12290.81591.5994.944109.86390.98590.30190.74490.08789.95989.95489.76691.87990.0491.89190.29990.71390.48290.68890.01490.02289.87989.84590.02389.96690.02289.91490.08591.73690.13389.784
Fernando Alonso99.6793.34392.55491.72391.82891.61991.62391.73491.95891.61791.45792.18691.28291.63891.67691.32291.5892.02791.41192.40391.2691.14191.88990.98291.06191.77491.04595.756110.2989.48890.12789.62889.82289.90289.52989.45789.61190.20289.589.44789.57789.28589.46689.36989.81597.715118.419
Carlos Sainz Jnr99.01691.73891.28190.87590.94291.42791.01590.51290.38795115.71188.80190.42389.32289.6589.39489.05389.22989.10989.28889.26789.18289.09588.7888.83289.86489.07888.79989.73794.084108.4587.68488.02888.02787.52487.59288.16187.5188.21487.68587.687.71488.01587.9688.29288.20588.13488.25488.35888.17288.45388.327
Daniil Kvyat100.89392.55891.36991.06990.6390.1291.33990.59590.79290.68290.06189.95990.00490.35990.17990.38690.02389.83789.69489.78889.65989.77789.89991.35289.9690.30894.698108.68588.54588.27988.35888.43688.31588.79688.42288.76988.6188.65788.23188.3388.33388.38188.48788.4588.5690.16488.56389.23388.68788.49588.8188.99
Daniel Ricciardo99.75491.44791.93591.48890.37190.79391.4390.37390.3490.1789.99790.28490.05190.10189.83189.86589.79189.78589.88389.99789.7989.84389.43189.64489.22589.54689.53690.40490.38593.879108.64288.2788.61888.69288.4788.37188.5288.5288.28588.14288.0988.15688.1788.35688.16488.14488.09788.52289.99988.06588.13788.209
Max Verstappen106.853104.91690.14789.84489.58989.57489.82389.26989.84689.81489.59589.66489.76989.89890.56191.25889.88389.58994.118110.90589.1689.04589.07788.96789.90989.13689.15288.79588.71688.99889.22188.78692.978109.27387.3987.65187.91187.61987.58987.69987.71587.47287.86387.67990.3890.02587.94887.9987.6587.98187.93988.488

2015 Italian Grand Prix fastest laps

Each driver’s fastest lap:

RankDriverCarFastest lapGapOn lap
1Lewis HamiltonMercedes1’26.67248
2Nico RosbergMercedes1’27.0670.39543
3Sebastian VettelFerrari1’27.3760.70452
4Max VerstappenToro Rosso-Renault1’27.3900.71835
5Carlos Sainz JnrToro Rosso-Renault1’27.5100.83838
6Valtteri BottasWilliams-Mercedes1’27.5250.85349
7Kimi RaikkonenFerrari1’27.5840.91243
8Felipe MassaWilliams-Mercedes1’27.8741.20231
9Daniel RicciardoRed Bull-Renault1’28.0651.39350
10Sergio PerezForce India-Mercedes1’28.1401.46846
11Daniil KvyatRed Bull-Renault1’28.2311.55939
12Marcus EricssonSauber-Ferrari1’28.5161.84422
13Felipe NasrSauber-Ferrari1’28.6531.98151
14Nico HulkenbergForce India-Mercedes1’28.9132.24136
15Fernando AlonsoMcLaren-Honda1’29.2852.61342
16Jenson ButtonMcLaren-Honda1’29.7663.09433
17Will StevensManor-Ferrari1’31.0984.42651
18Roberto MerhiManor-Ferrari1’31.3114.63929
19Romain GrosjeanLotus-Mercedes1’35.1068.4341
20Pastor MaldonadoLotus-Mercedes2’19.89253.2201

2015 Italian Grand Prix

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Author information

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 “Mercedes restore their pace advantage in the race”

  1. Who’s 139.892 and 95.106? Number drivers? LOL, I never knew numbers can be people’s names.

  2. For me, this weekend has illustrated the magnitude of Mercedes influence in F1 right now, and to think it all started with a few tires blowing up a few years ago! It is what is. I guess we just have to wait for their ‘dominance’ to end

    1. You seem to be implying that they cheated, which conflicts with the facts.

      1. They cheated alright. I dunno which one you are talking about tho.

  3. I think quali flattered Ferrari, and despite Toto’s claims that Mercedes hadn’t detuned Hamilton’s engine (which Rosberg disputed anyway), I believe that new power unit is a massive improvement over the old spec and was only run with enough grunt to guarantee them pole yesterday.

    FP1 demonstrated the potential of the new power unit, and I expect Mercedes to continue to just turn it up enough to guarantee they stay in front.

    I hope Red Bull get a Merc engine next year as I think it’s the only way we’ll see a serious challenge to Mercedes’ current dominance.

    1. @sparkyamg I hope Ferrari and Mclaren get Mercedes engines too, for the show! :P

    2. LOL…if Merc gives Red Bull engines, it will be the 2015 engine, guaranteed.

  4. Think it is pretty obvious now that Mercedes didn’t have lewis Hamiltons engine running at full power for qualifying yesterday. Honda renault and Ferrari are gonna have to get plenty of work done in the winter to close this gap down cos it’s getting bigger.

  5. Anyone know why Torro Rosso did 2 stops? Max Verstappen was on Ferrari pace for the last stint, on softs I’m assuming?

    1. I haven’t read anything about their strategy though, it appears that given the scheduled heavy grid penalties they opted to go for 2 option stints plus 1 short prime stint as an alternative strategy before the qualifying session; Sainz went out only once on used soft tyres in Q2, saving two sets of soft tyres for the race. In race, Sainz M(10)-S(20)-S(22) / Verstappen S(19)-M(14)-S(19).

  6. Never mind Hamilton’s pace. It was painful enough watching Nico with an old spec & 5 race-weekend-old engine, on-off brake cooling issues and on 7-lap older tyres being noticeably faster than a Ferrari with a newest engine onboard. Ferrari getting closer to Mercedes? Nope, it’s not happening.

    1. @shena I have to say I didn’t think about it that way until reading your post but it does seem there is still quite a gap to close. However, Ferrari still have some development tokens left, and going by Sergio Marchionne’s impressive interview on sky sports f1, it sounds as though they’re approaching their development sensibly and cunningly so don’t write them off yet

      1. @3dom While I believe Marchionne is a very pragmatic guy as they say and would love to buy his optimistic view I’d be careful to take his words about their plan at face value. After all according to his comment in the early season Ferrari were supposed to make a big progress by Monza and properly pressure Mercedes and it didn’t happened as we witnessed. He may have been right but we cannot forget Mercedes are progressing as much, if not more than them.

      2. Ferrari still have 4 tokens left to use this season and Honda also have 4, Renault meanwhile still have 12 to spend I think.

        The large winter break is going to prove crucial before the start of the 2016 season, Martin Brundle is commenting that both Ferrari and Mercedes have indicated with the tokens available over the winter period the critical parts of the engines can be more or less redesigned.

        2016 also sees the introduction of certain components being frozen in specification for the remainder of the formula. Mercedes are clearly ahead having completed their 2015 engine development program already using all tokens with seven races left this year to evaluate and prepare for the 2016 changes (a further 25 tokens).

        Ferrari should find additional performance with their remaining tokens, ignoring Honda it’s Renault who are in a mess with twelve tokens remaining from their 2015 allocation and only 7 races left to implement.

  7. What happened to Verstappen on lap 2? He didn’t pit. Yet, he has had a very slow lap. About 15 seconds slower than Sainz Jr.

    1. He served his drive-through penalty.

    2. Drive-through penalty.

Comments are closed.