How to make the next round of reg changes genuinely the fastest cars ever

[Roland Ehnström]

This thread is a bit strange. Kimi already did a 1:18.6 at Barcelona in pre-season testing: That's 3.4 seconds faster than last year's pole time and 3.2 seconds faster than the lap record on the current configuration of the track (from 2008, during the V8 era).

As has already been stated, already last year the pole time at Albert Park was 6 tenths faster than the 2004 pole (V10), and 3 tenths faster than the outright race lap record (also from 2004). This year the cars are easily 3 seconds faster in qualifying trim, so the qualifying record will be absolutely shattered, and even the race race record is in jeopardy (despite the fact that they had refuelling in 2004!).

The 2017 cars are the fastest F1 cars ever, by a long way.

[Roland Ehnström]

You can tell just how far off the current cars are from being the fastest ever by watching Montoya's pole lap at Monza from 2004:



It absolutely rockets out of the corners. I reckon the current crop of cars would need another 200bhp and a bigger diffuser to match that kind of speed. I wonder how far off being undrivably quick a 2004 car built to 1992 aero regs would have been?

First of all Montoya was on pole in 2005, not 2004. Second, his time was 1:21.0. The 2016 pole was 1:21.1...

This year's pole will shatter both Montoya's pole lap from 2005, and Barrichello's incredible 1:20.0 from 2004, even with the higher kerbs.

[Godius]

This thread is a bit strange. Kimi already did a 1:18.6 at Barcelona in pre-season testing: That's 3.4 seconds faster than last year's pole time and 3.2 seconds faster than the lap record on the current configuration of the track (from 2008, during the V8 era).

As has already been stated, already last year the pole time at Albert Park was 6 tenths faster than the 2004 pole (V10), and 3 tenths faster than the outright race lap record (also from 2004). This year the cars are easily 3 seconds faster in qualifying trim, so the qualifying record will be absolutely shattered, and even the race race record is in jeopardy (despite the fact that they had refuelling in 2004!).

The 2017 cars are the fastest F1 cars ever, by a long way.

I don't think race records will be in jeopardy because of fuel management. Look at Vettel his race simulation on thursday:

[Roland Ehnström]

Depends. That race simulation was done with a very long final stint (when the fuel level is lower) on medium tires. If someone choses to (or is forced to) run a different strategy with a short final stint on softs, the fastest lap will be a lot faster. The race lap record on the current configuration of Circuit de Catalunya is 1:21.670 from 2008 (with refuelling). In his race simulation, Vettel did a 1:23.4 on 23 lap old mediums with fuel for another 10 laps in the car. It's close - we probably won't see the race lap record broken, but it is in jeopardy.

It's also interesting to not that every lap of that race simulation was well below the fastest lap of anyone in the 2016 race (1:26.948), except the 1:29 towards the end which is obviously irrelevant (the following lap was 5 seconds faster).

[Wass85]

Teams are worried that there will be excessive fuel management this year, I can't see many lap records being broken.

[gdogg371]

Last year's cars to my eye anyway do not look anywhere near as fast out of the corners at places like Monza.

[Godius]

f1technical: Concerns about the fuel consumption

[cplchanb]

f1technical: Concerns about the fuel consumption

well I guess now the only real way to have an entire race of pushing the limit is to reintroduce refueling.
Even with the most economical of engines the increased drag and downforce has made these cars much more thirstier.

[Roland Ehnström]

Last year's cars to my eye anyway do not look anywhere near as fast out of the corners at places like Monza.

Sorry to sound blunt, but it doesn't matter how it looks to you, the fact is that the 2016 cars in qualifying trim were very very close to the 2004-2005 cars in pure laptime in qualifying mode, and most of that time was made up on the straights. The V10's sure sounded gloriously, but they didn't accelerate any faster than the V6 hybrids we have now, believe it or not.

As for race trim, that's a slightly different story with the restriction in fuel consumption and no refuelling allowed, but that's not really the cars being slower, rather a question of sporting rules (rather than technical rules).

[Gaz.]

Last year's cars to my eye anyway do not look anywhere near as fast out of the corners at places like Monza.

A lot of that is down to the cameras, aspect ratio and TV transmissions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGXsqlZTn1c

[zac510]

I really don't get this obsession that some people have with pushing 100% of the race. In no team sports do people run 100% of the time. They need to run when they're attacking or defending, but not inbetween. Even in a marathon they have to pace themselves. Only in 100m or 200m sprints do they pace themselves and that's the equivalent of drag racing.

The real dumbest thing about wanting "pushing for 100% of the race" is that it's an impossible goal. Desiring something that's impossible is just a lost cause.

[ChrisDanger]

Last year's cars to my eye anyway do not look anywhere near as fast out of the corners at places like Monza.

A lot of that is down to the cameras, aspect ratio and TV transmissions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGXsqlZTn1c

Also the sound of that screaming V10 has a profound psychological effect.

[SoCalWJS]

I believe that this years F1 Car will set some incredible times and be plenty quick. The changes to the regs that I would like to see would make it easier to have good passing. Don't know for sure how hard it will be to pass this year, but a lot of people are expressing their concerns about it. Seems that every year there are major changes, one Team figures the new regs out better than everybody else and it gets boring. The field tightens up a bit late in the year as they get used to them, then the following seasons get even closer.

Then they change the regs again and the story starts over.

[Godius]

This year the cars are easily 3 seconds faster in qualifying trim, so the qualifying record will be absolutely shattered, and even the race race record is in jeopardy (despite the fact that they had refuelling in 2004!).

The 2017 cars are the fastest F1 cars ever, by a long way.

You were right. Vettel completed his race in: 1:24:11.672 which is faster than the previous race time record from 2004: 1:24:15.757

[Juzh]

This year the cars are easily 3 seconds faster in qualifying trim, so the qualifying record will be absolutely shattered, and even the race race record is in jeopardy (despite the fact that they had refuelling in 2004!).

The 2017 cars are the fastest F1 cars ever, by a long way.

You were right. Vettel completed his race in: 1:24:11.672 which is faster than the previous race time record from 2004: 1:24:15.757

1 less race lap due to an extra formation lap. Adjusted it was the 3rd fastest race ever, a fraction behind 2007 race.