Mercedes’ crushing dominance was the theme of the year again but 2016 also saw F1’s ever-growing calendar reach new heights.
Reliability
Formula One’s highly complex V6 hybrid turbo power units aren’t yet as reliable as the normally aspirated V8s they replaced. But in 2016 they got much closer to achieving that level.
This was despite the arrival of a new team in the shape of Haas. Unsurprisingly the newcomers did not reach the chequered flag as often as their rivals. However their technical failure rate of 14.29% was not that far above the average and represents an excellent first effort.
Sourcing the maximum possible hardware from Ferrari undoubtedly paid off for the fledgling squad, who bagged the majority of their points during the first two races of the year when others were still experiencing teething trouble.
The power unit regulations remain largely unchanged for next season which might lead us to expect further gains in reliability. However the relaxing of restrictions on development could lead manufacturers to push their rate of progress even harder, leading to more failures.
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Winners
Pole positions
Mercedes’ stranglehold on the series over the last three years is unmistakably clear in the data above. Only once have their two drivers failed to take pole position in each of the last three seasons.
This season at least featured more different winners than the last two, though between them they won fewer races. The last three Mercedes-dominated seasons have seen fewer different winners per year than was the case when Red Bull held the upper hand (2010-13) and when Ferrari were at their peak (2000-04).
Drivers, teams and races
Are schedules of 20 races or more going to be the norm from now on? The 2017 F1 calendar features 20 rounds at present as the German Grand Prix will not take place next season.
However with the French Grand Prix set to return in 2018 and Formula One’s new buyers Liberty Media keen to boost the schedule yet further, even longer calendars may prove inevitable.
The 2016 season in statistics
Review the stats highlights from each race during 2016:
- Rosberg ends longest-ever wait for championship
- Rosberg has a 90% chance of title victory
- One more win will clinch title for Rosberg
- Rosberg can become champion at this weekend’s race
- The four slow starts which cost Hamilton dearly
- Hamilton retains best reliability rate of any champion
- Mercedes’s second chance to equal longest winning streak
- Honda claim first fastest lap since 1992
- Hamilton makes rare podium run from outside top 20
- Hamilton on course to equal Prost this year
- Schumacher’s Hungary record falls to Hamilton
- Hamilton closes on British GP wins record
- Hamilton claims 250th British win
- Williams hit record speeds on and off the track
- Hamilton closes on Schumacher with fifth Canada win
- Ferrari’s Monaco win drought reaches 15 years
- Verstappen smashes youngest F1 winner record
- Mercedes poised to equal wins record
- Rosberg joins Vettel, Schumacher and Ascari on six-in-a-row
- Rosberg becomes eighth driver to win five in a row
- Rosberg extends career-best winning streak
2016 F1 season review
- The complete F1 Fanatic 2016 season review
- Your favourite F1 drivers and teams of 2016
- ‘Well done Baku’? No, it was 2016’s worst race
- F1 Fanatic’s must-read highlights of 2016
- Watch the top ten non-F1 races of 2016
Eric (@fletch)
24th December 2016, 12:41
Merry Christmas all!
erikje
24th December 2016, 15:17
Statistically that’s not likely.
But i to wish you the best.
Michael (@freelittlebirds)
24th December 2016, 23:58
Ha-ha! Merry Christmas!!!
BasCB (@bascb)
26th December 2016, 7:09
:-o
Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
24th December 2016, 13:47
1994 had 46 DRIVERS?! really?! wow…!
pastaman (@)
24th December 2016, 15:11
And only 14 teams? I’m confused
Leo B
24th December 2016, 16:27
Michael Schumacher Benetton B194-Ford Cosworth
Damon Hill Williams FW16, FW16B-Renault
Gerhard Berger Ferrari 412T1, 412T1B
Mika Hakkinen McLaren MP4/9A-Peugeot
Jean Alesi Ferrari 412T1, 412T1B
Rubens Barrichello Jordan 194-Hart
Martin Brundle McLaren MP4/9A-Peugeot
David Coulthard Williams FW16, FW16B-Renault
Nigel Mansell Williams FW16, FW16B-Renault
Jos Verstappen Benetton B194-Ford Cosworth
Olivier Panis Ligier JS39B-Renault
Mark Blundell Tyrrell 022-Yamaha
Heinz-Harald Frentzen Sauber C13-Mercedes
Nicola Larini Ferrari 412T1
Christian Fittipaldi Footwork FA15-Ford Cosworth
Eddie Irvine Jordan 194-Hart
Ukyo Katayama Tyrrell 022-Yamaha
Eric Bernard Ligier JS39B-Renault, Lotus 109-Mugen/Honda
Karl Wendlinger Sauber C13-Mercedes
Andrea de Cesaris Jordan 194-Hart, Sauber C13-Mercedes
Pierluigi Martini Minardi M193B, M194-Ford Cosworth
Gianni Morbidelli Footwork FA15-Ford Cosworth
Erik Comas Larrousse LH94-Ford Cosworth
JJ Lehto Benetton B194-Ford Cosworth, Sauber C13-Mercedes
Michele Alboreto Minardi M193B, M194-Ford Cosworth
Johnny Herbert Benetton B194-Ford Cosworth, Ligier JS39B-Renault, Lotus 107C, 109-Mugen/Honda
Olivier Beretta Larrousse LH94-Ford Cosworth
Pedro Lamy Lotus 107C-Mugen/Honda
Jean-Marc Gounon Simtek S941-Ford Cosworth
Alessandro Zanardi Lotus 107C, 109-Mugen/Honda
David Brabham Simtek S941-Ford Cosworth
Mika Salo Lotus 109-Mugen/Honda
Roland Ratzenberger Simtek S941-Ford Cosworth
Franck Lagorce Ligier JS39B-Renault
Yannick Dalmas Larrousse LH94-Ford Cosworth
Philippe Adams Lotus 109-Mugen/Honda
Domenico Schiattarella Simtek S941-Ford Cosworth
Bertrand Gachot Pacific PR01-Ilmor
Ayrton Senna Williams FW16-Renault
Hideki Noda Larrousse LH94-Ford Cosworth
Paul Belmondo Pacific PR01-Ilmor
Philippe Alliot Larrousse LH94-Ford Cosworth, McLaren MP4/9A-Peugeot
Aguri Suzuki Jordan 194-Hart
Taki Inoue Simtek S941-Ford Cosworth
Jean-Denis Deletraz Larrousse LH94-Ford Cosworth
Andrea Montermini Simtek S941-Ford Cosworth
Boomerzoomer (@boomerzoomer)
24th December 2016, 21:47
Wow Johnny Herbert (!) the official F1 nomad, 1994. Maybe he was fiendlier than good?
Biggsy
24th December 2016, 22:12
Just as amazingly, three teams had six different drivers each!
Lotus, Simtek and Larousse each had six different drivers during the season!
Cookie Monster
24th December 2016, 15:47
Lots of driver changes in that year:
Tiago
24th December 2016, 16:27
A few injuries by accidents inside and outside track, races ban to some drivers (3 races ban, could mean different drivers starting for each gp), and a lot of changes in the final of year
Peter
24th December 2016, 14:28
Interesting statistics!
One remark however regarding the reliability:
Not every techical failure is related to the power unit. This year a lot of retirements were due to problems with the brakes (Haas) or suspension (Toro Rosso). Just curious how that influences the reliability figures compared to previous years…
Leo B
25th December 2016, 11:15
Here’s some more stats on reliabilty:
2015 (20 cars, 19 races):
Total km completed by all cars in all sessions: 243408
Total km completed by all cars in free practice sessions: 116237
Total km completed by all cars in all races: 99391
2016 (22 cars, 21 races):
Total km completed by all cars in all sessions: 321405
Total km completed by all cars in free practice sessions: 167398
Total km completed by all cars in all races: 123593
Now calculate the averages per car (km divided by number of races and number of cars) and the year-on-year percentage:
(2015 | 2016 | growth percentage)
Total km/car: 641 | 696 | +8.5%
Practice km/car: 306 | 363 | +18.7%
Race km/car: 262 | 268 | +2.3%
So race reliability is up a bit (note that this figure makes no distinction between technical and non-technical retirements), but the big rise in completed km’s was in practice. This shows that teams are much more confident that the practice laps won’t negatively influence their races.
Finally, it has to be said that in 2016 teams had 1 more engine available.