Formula 1 cars will smash the lap record at Mugello when they race there later this year, Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto expects following his team’s pre-season test at the track.
The Ferrari-owned circuit will hold its first ever world championship race in September. The record for the 5.245-kilometre, 14-turn course is held by Rubens Barrichello, who set it in 2004.Barrichello lapped the circuit in 1’18.704, an average speed of 239.911kph, in a Ferrari F2004 with a V10 engine. F1 teams fell well short of that benchmark when they last visited the track for a test in 2012, Romain Grosjean setting the quickest time with a 1’21.035 in his Lotus-Renault V8.
However Binotto said Ferrari were easily able to set comparable lap times to the lap record when they tested at the track last month using a two-year-old car. “We did a very similar lap time with full tank, not pushing, et cetera. So I’m pretty curious to see when we set the pole, I’m pretty sure it will be a record.”
Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc praised the circuit, which Ferrari owns, following their test, said Binotto.
“The two drivers were very happy because of the circuit, because of the type of circuit, so they enjoyed their day in Mugello,” he said. “It’s a very quick track, high speed corners, it will be demanding for tyres on the cars, on the drivers.”
“But it would be very demanding because of the fast corners. I think there is not a single slow corner. They are all fast corners.
“So it’s quite interesting to see all the Formula 1 cars of today of going through there. We are used to seeing Moto GP there but I think that Formula 1 is at least 20 seconds faster than a Moto GP in such a circuit. I think it will be amazing.”
The event will be named the Tuscan Grand Prix Ferrari 1000 as it is set to coincide with Ferrari’s 1,000th appearance in a world championship round, providing they start every race between now and the race in September.
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Chaitanya
26th July 2020, 11:15
If both lap records fall it will be either Mercedes or RBR who will take new that.
Mashiat (@mashiat)
26th July 2020, 11:21
It’s very generous of you to even put Red Bull in the same level as Mercedes.
Chaitanya
26th July 2020, 12:33
During late race they can gamble with one of rider on fresh set of tyres and go for fastest lap in turn challenging race lap record.
Tifoso1989 (@tifoso1989)
26th July 2020, 15:43
The fastest overall lap times in normal conditions are set in Q3.
Chaitanya
27th July 2020, 10:36
Race lap record will be set during race not during qualifying.
Asanator (@asanator)
28th July 2020, 14:28
@chaitanya The current lap record quoted as Barrichello’s wouldn’t have been set during a race weekend either.
The Stig Indonesian Cousin
26th July 2020, 15:57
For the love of god not Merc,i can’t blame for their success, but this domination it’s getting tiresome
baasbas
26th July 2020, 11:24
Yes… some cars will
OEL F1 (@oel-f1)
26th July 2020, 11:46
“So I’m pretty curious to see when we set the pole, I’m pretty sure it will be a record.”
Binotto is confident Ferrari will turn around this season very quickly?
Rockgod (@rockgod)
26th July 2020, 15:31
Maybe his definition of “we” includes the current generation of F1 cars and drivers as whole as opposed to just his own team.
Andrew
26th July 2020, 16:04
I believe you nailed it there, we as in the series we not Ferrari.
Josh
26th July 2020, 16:31
We race as One
anon
26th July 2020, 11:56
If the event Barrichello set that time in was only a demonstration event, then isn’t it incorrect to say it is the lap record?
My understanding is that an official lap record can only be set during an official race event. Rubens’s lap might be an unofficial benchmark, but it shouldn’t be an official record.
anon
26th July 2020, 12:22
Expanding on that point, the Mugello circuit itself does actually explicitly state that Rubens’s lap is an “unofficial time” – the official lap record is stated on their website as being a 1m38.361s lap by Zanardi during a Formula 3000 race held there in 1991. https://mugellocircuit.com/en/the-circuit/records
bosyber (@bosyber)
26th July 2020, 16:10
I suppose one could expect that to be smashed as well then anon :-)
Stephen Crowsen (@drycrust)
26th July 2020, 19:21
So whoever is first to lap the circuit in Q1 gets to hold the official F1 lap record. If Williams were to make sure they’re first in the queue when the pit lane lights go green they could be holding the lap record … well maybe for a few seconds anyway.
Glennb
26th July 2020, 23:53
So whoever is first to lap the circuit in Q1 gets to hold the official F1 lap record.
No.
A lap record must be set during the race. Not practice or qualifying, testing, tooling around etc. Outside of a sanctioned race any “lap record” would be considered a track record.
Josh
26th July 2020, 16:41
I don’t think they are “demonstration laps” like we see today. Full blown testing had not been outlawed in 2004 yet.
Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
26th July 2020, 12:33
Just a thought. Having a look at the track map in comparision with modern tracks which were given the Tilke-treatment, you can see all flowing corners, one after the other, and there’s nothing in there which is a sharp angle. Ever since he did Bahrain, he’s got an obsession with harpins and sharp “pointy” corners. Yet drivers praise Mugello, Imola, Zandvoort, even Portimao… Spa, Silverstone, Suzuka…
If a Tilke track was a cookie cutter, you’d not be able to eat a cookie without cutting half your fingers…
S
26th July 2020, 12:59
Drivers may praise these more traditional style circuits because they get to drive on them.
F1 viewers, on the other hand, will not be treated to the same privilege and will be stuck watching F1 cars follow each other with several seconds between each one. No overtaking except on the main straight under DRS assistance.
Tilke’s company only designs circuits and circuit facility upgrades.
The FIA updates its circuit Grade Certification system for improved safety and various other features. Circuit owners choose from multiple circuit designs. Fans call for faster racing cars. Racing series push for more aerodynamically dependent cars to satisfy their customers – with the obvious (to some of us, anyway) associated consequences.
Blaming Tilke for all that seems kinda short-sighted or uninformed, to me…
Jose Lopes da Silva
26th July 2020, 16:20
Maybe we could slowly get to the point that Tilke is doing a good job and that we should look elsewhere to look for the blame of boring races.
By some people standards, Imola races in 2005 and 2006 were boring, and yet they would have been impossible to perform if DRS was in place back then.
Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
26th July 2020, 18:20
I’m not blaming Tilke 100%, but their track do share responsability for the lame racing we see sometimes. Or are you going to tell me that Abu Dhabi is the best track they could’ve possibly ever designed? The island was empty, they could’ve done anything they wanted.
You’re telling me it’s short-sighted or uninformed yet you say traditional circuits, for the viewers, offer just F1 cars following each other without overtaking. Tell me how that’s different to the modern tracks…
Stephen Crowsen (@drycrust)
26th July 2020, 19:39
Tilke designs tracks to the customers requirements. If he didn’t he wouldn’t get very many contracts. The fact he keeps getting contracts means his customers are happy.
Jose Lopes da Silva
26th July 2020, 21:33
So we’re gradually agreeing that all tracks, classic or modern, provide processions. Nothing to do with Tilke. We would need different cars.
Maybe we need a radical revolution, like turning it into a spec series, or following that wacky suggestion of rotating drivers through all teams throughout the season.
RL
26th July 2020, 15:12
I’m glad this is most likely to be a “one-off”, in that the novelty of a new circuit will exist in the minds of plenty, and some might even not be bothered by the fact it is a circuit lacking in overtaking opportunities.
Maybe some of us will be entertained by how the Mercedes will turn certain corners into straights, like in Hungary…
Andrew
26th July 2020, 16:08
It will be an interesting event but probably not so much a great race. It’s an amazing track with flow even in Forza. But great flow in the track makes for good GT or even prototype racing, but it’s terrible for F1 if you want cars passing all the time. The wash will make some of the long corners impossible to follow and get that great draft, or even DRS, because you’ll have to take a worse line or drop back.
That said, qualifying should be crazy to watch and possibly better than the race.
Josh
26th July 2020, 16:41
Full blown testing had not been outlawed in 2004 yet, so they were using Mugello for testing very often during the entire year. Mind you, it was for testing purposes. That unofficial record might not be an absolute display of pace for the F2004, it would have been a good indication of great possibilities. The F2004 was the fastest F1 car until this current generation showed up, 12 years of records standings. I would love to see that F2004 on the current tires to see a real comparison.
zomtec (@zomtec)
26th July 2020, 16:46
Silverstone is a circuit with a lot of high speed corners but still the last race(s) were fun to watch due to many good battles. So I don’t see the point of rubbish race as cars can’t follow each other.
S
27th July 2020, 3:26
Silverstone has much longer straights than the recent calendar additions.
And they can’t follow through the medium/high speed corners there either, they just have enough space on the straights to make up for the loss in the corners.
David BR (@david-br)
26th July 2020, 20:54
Mercedes cars will smash the lap record at Mugello when they race there later this year.
Ferrari will be looking not to be lapped as their major achievement for the weekend.