Lap times tumble at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve

2011 Canadian GP FP1 analysis

June 10, 2011 at 6:09 pm by
12 comments
Nico Hülkenberg, Force India, Montreal, 2011

Nico Hülkenberg, Force India, Montreal, 2011

The F1 cars lapped the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve 2.5 seconds quicker than they did in last year’s first practice session.

But with a slippery track, differing tyre compounds and some teams not using their DRS in the first session, it’s difficult to draw conclusions about how competitive each of the cars are at this early stage.

Here’s all the data from first practice in Canada.

Longest stint comparison

  • Several drivers used the development medium compound tyre in the first practice session, which is not available to them on Saturday and Sunday, meaning it won’t be until the next session that we get a useful indication of how well the tyres are lasting

http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/charts/2011drivercolours.csv

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Sebastian Vettel 82.171 79.957 78.952 78.852 81.986
Mark Webber 80.798 80.007 80.144 79.589 79.702 80.882 79.207 79.288 79.245 79.256
Lewis Hamilton 82.305 81.668 84.194 80.424
Jenson Button 80.241 80.158 78.848 81.728 78.266
Fernando Alonso 80.127 79.548 78.904 79.332 80.011 80.27
Felipe Massa 78.043 77.238 85.577 76.926 85.836 78.353 78.647
Michael Schumacher 82.298 80.377 80.582 98.291 80.312 78.821 92.803 80.048
Nico Rosberg 76.239 76.002 80.685 79.243 79.733 75.591 87.994
Nick Heidfeld 82.284 81 91.458 80.099 82.669 84.155 79.188 79.015 90.901
Vitaly Petrov 81.417 79.529 78.506 82.426 84.035 79.854 78.971 78.906
Rubens Barrichello 82.831 81.998 83.563 76.99 83.554 78.583 77.649
Pastor Maldonado 87.125 85.769 84.018 82.14 81.535 79.77 93.247 79.688
Nico Hülkenberg 83.421 87.596 80.063 79.611 79.024
Paul di Resta 83.779 81.195 80.386 79.742 89.103 86.137 79.975 79.183
Kamui Kobayashi 83.938 81.694 84.857 80.471 81.637
Sergio Perez 90.638 80.94 79.685 79.244 92.201 78.877 81.45 84.643 78.237 77.662 88.731 77.81
Daniel Ricciardo 85.488 82.776 81.817 82.077 83.421 80.558 80.824 80.772 80.389 82.316 80.354 80.358 80.351
Jaime Alguersuari 81.007 79.639 79.938 79.653 79.154 82.878 78.846 80.805 78.705 78.52 81.233 78.458 78.697
Heikki Kovalainen 79.797 79.671 89.94 79.422 86 83.075 87.11
Jarno Trulli 87 82.669 82.953 81.94 81.362 86.007 81.071 82.59
Narain Karthikeyan 83.255 86.955 81.494 81.33 80.839 88.982 84.355 84.092 82.454
Vitantonio Liuzzi 83.6 85.757 81.877 81.644 81.168
Timo Glock 83.146 81.986 80.795 86.605 81.511
Jerome d’Ambrosio 90.167 88.206 85.613 87.347 83.87 83.185 92.731 83.5 82.465

Ultimate lap times

An ultimate lap time is a driver’s best three sector times added together.

  • The McLaren drivers in particular seem not have had particularly clear laps. Lewis Hamilton was seen cutting the final chicane during one effort
Car Driver Car Ultimate lap Gap Deficit to best
1 8 Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1’15.581 0.010
2 5 Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1’16.139 0.558 0.000
3 7 Michael Schumacher Mercedes 1’16.373 0.792 0.176
4 4 Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1’16.374 0.793 0.302
5 6 Felipe Massa Ferrari 1’16.481 0.900 0.177
6 3 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1’16.573 0.992 0.269
7 11 Rubens Barrichello Williams-Cosworth 1’16.990 1.409 0.000
8 9 Nick Heidfeld Renault 1’16.996 1.415 0.449
9 15 Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 1’17.289 1.708 0.005
10 14 Nico Hülkenberg Force India-Mercedes 1’17.327 1.746 0.222
11 17 Sergio Perez Sauber-Ferrari 1’17.662 2.081 0.000
12 2 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1’17.750 2.169 0.070
13 10 Vitaly Petrov Renault 1’18.156 2.575 0.350
14 19 Jaime Alguersuari Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1’18.374 2.793 0.084
15 1 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1’18.634 3.053 0.218
16 18 Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1’18.648 3.067 0.000
17 12 Pastor Maldonado Williams-Cosworth 1’18.898 3.317 0.034
18 16 Kamui Kobayashi Sauber-Ferrari 1’19.023 3.442 0.554
19 21 Jarno Trulli Lotus-Renault 1’19.177 3.596 0.097
20 20 Heikki Kovalainen Lotus-Renault 1’19.225 3.644 0.197
21 25 Jerome d’Ambrosio Virgin-Cosworth 1’19.838 4.257 0.000
22 23 Vitantonio Liuzzi HRT-Cosworth 1’19.941 4.360 0.019
23 24 Timo Glock Virgin-Cosworth 1’20.363 4.782 0.157
24 22 Narain Karthikeyan HRT-Cosworth 1’20.839 5.258 0.000

Complete practice times

  • Nico Rosberg’s fastest time compares to the best time in this session last year – which was also held in dry, warm conditions – by Jenson Button, of 1’18.127
  • With the drivers yet to use the super-soft tyres, and track evolution usually quite pronounced at Canada, the lap times could get much quicker
  • Last year’s pole position time was 1’15.105 by Lewis Hamilton
  • The quickest lap of the current configuration was set by Ralf Schumacher in 2004: 1’12.275
Car Driver Car Best lap Gap Stint lap At time Laps
1 8 Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1’15.591 6/7 84 32
2 5 Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1’16.139 0.548 4/5 71 27
3 7 Michael Schumacher Mercedes 1’16.549 0.958 5/6 90 30
4 6 Felipe Massa Ferrari 1’16.658 1.067 3/3 92 26
5 4 Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1’16.676 1.085 2/3 91 20
6 3 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1’16.842 1.251 3/3 91 19
7 11 Rubens Barrichello Williams-Cosworth 1’16.990 1.399 4/7 88 28
8 15 Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 1’17.294 1.703 2/6 82 26
9 9 Nick Heidfeld Renault 1’17.445 1.854 2/4 89 28
10 14 Nico Hülkenberg Force India-Mercedes 1’17.549 1.958 3/4 83 20
11 17 Sergio Perez Sauber-Ferrari 1’17.662 2.071 10/12 88 27
12 2 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1’17.820 2.229 3/3 69 30
13 19 Jaime Alguersuari Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1’18.458 2.867 12/13 86 31
14 10 Vitaly Petrov Renault 1’18.506 2.915 3/8 85 15
15 18 Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1’18.648 3.057 5/5 45 35
16 1 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1’18.852 3.261 4/5 54 8
17 12 Pastor Maldonado Williams-Cosworth 1’18.932 3.341 5/5 72 20
18 21 Jarno Trulli Lotus-Renault 1’19.274 3.683 6/6 75 29
19 20 Heikki Kovalainen Lotus-Renault 1’19.422 3.831 4/7 87 30
20 16 Kamui Kobayashi Sauber-Ferrari 1’19.577 3.986 1/2 91 26
21 25 Jerome d’Ambrosio Virgin-Cosworth 1’19.838 4.247 5/6 90 31
22 23 Vitantonio Liuzzi HRT-Cosworth 1’19.960 4.369 3/4 69 23
23 24 Timo Glock Virgin-Cosworth 1’20.520 4.929 4/4 92 21
24 22 Narain Karthikeyan HRT-Cosworth 1’20.839 5.248 5/9 80 27

Speed trap

  • The numerous long straights mean the effect of DRS is especially pronounced at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve
  • Vitaly Petrov was fastest through the speed trap in last year’s race, hitting 324.7kph. He was one of five drivers to go quicker than that this morning
# Driver Car Engine Max speed Gap
1 10 Vitaly Petrov Renault Renault 329.1
2 9 Nick Heidfeld Renault Renault 329 0.1
3 12 Pastor Maldonado Williams Cosworth 327.6 1.5
4 15 Paul di Resta Force India Mercedes 326.2 2.9
5 14 Nico Hülkenberg Force India Mercedes 325.8 3.3
6 11 Rubens Barrichello Williams Cosworth 324.5 4.6
7 19 Jaime Alguersuari Toro Rosso Ferrari 324.1 5
8 18 Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso Ferrari 323.6 5.5
9 17 Sergio Perez Sauber Ferrari 320.7 8.4
10 21 Jarno Trulli Lotus Renault 320.5 8.6
11 1 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull Renault 320.1 9
12 20 Heikki Kovalainen Lotus Renault 320 9.1
13 6 Felipe Massa Ferrari Ferrari 319.7 9.4
14 24 Timo Glock Virgin Cosworth 319.6 9.5
15 2 Mark Webber Red Bull Renault 319.4 9.7
16 5 Fernando Alonso Ferrari Ferrari 319.4 9.7
17 25 Jerome d’Ambrosio Virgin Cosworth 319.2 9.9
18 22 Narain Karthikeyan HRT Cosworth 317.7 11.4
19 7 Michael Schumacher Mercedes Mercedes 317.6 11.5
20 23 Vitantonio Liuzzi HRT Cosworth 317.4 11.7
21 8 Nico Rosberg Mercedes Mercedes 317.4 11.7
22 16 Kamui Kobayashi Sauber Ferrari 317.1 12
23 3 Lewis Hamilton McLaren Mercedes 315.5 13.6
24 4 Jenson Button McLaren Mercedes 314.6 14.5

2011 Canadian Grand Prix

Browse all 2011 Canadian Grand Prix articles

Image © Force India F1 Team

Read more: 2011 Canadian Grand Prix | 2011 F1 season | Adrian Sutil | Felipe Massa | Fernando Alonso | Ferrari | Force India | Heikki Kovalainen | HRT F1 | Jaime Alguersuari | Jarno Trulli | Jenson Button | Jerome d'Ambrosio | Kamui Kobayashi | Lewis Hamilton | Lotus | Mark Webber | McLaren | Mercedes Grand Prix | Michael Schumacher | Narain Karthikeyan | Nick Heidfeld | Nico Rosberg | Pastor Maldonado | Paul di Resta | Red Bull | Renault | Robert Kubica | Rubens Barrichello | Sauber | Scuderia Toro Rosso | Sebastian Vettel | Sebastien Buemi | Sergio Perez | Timo Glock | Virgin Racing | Vitaly Petrov | Vitantonio Liuzzi | Williams

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12 comments on Lap times tumble at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve

  1. Megawatt Herring said on 10th June 2011, 18:21

    Glad to see Lotus very close to the midfield, makes me wonder what their car would be like if they had kers. Looking forward to this race despite the 9am thermodynamics exam I have on Monday morning.

    Reply

  2. Jacob said on 10th June 2011, 18:21

    Wow, why are McLaren so far down in the speed traps? KERS problems?

    Reply

    • bosyber said on 10th June 2011, 18:25

      Or maybe a low engine mode, lots of fuel, and some other component-conserving to exaggerate the extra amount of drag they already have from added downforce (not using DRS, for example).

      I would think they can go faster, but then again, so can Red Bull I think. I wonder if that fastest time of Ralf will be broken in qualifying!

      Reply
      • Avatar Image

        BasCB (@bascb) said on 10th June 2011, 18:32

        I think you are right on the McLaren and Red Bulls.

        And I think that fastest time might be beaten. Most cars had not done running on other tyres then the testing mediums (makes sense on a track not rubbered in) and were not pushing yet.
        So I am not yet gambling on it, but we will know after FP2 if the times really come down fast enough.

        ReplyReport user

    • Adam said on 10th June 2011, 18:29

      No DRS.

      Lots more to come from them.

      Reply

  3. dj said on 10th June 2011, 18:36

    Wait until they lay down some more rubber…times are going down…if the rain holes off

    Reply

  4. Damon said on 10th June 2011, 18:37

    I really don’t understand Renault. They’ve always emphatically fastest at the speed traps (taken into account that the Renault is not the strongest engine).
    Shouldn’t they drive with more wings – more aerodynamical grip to make up in all ares of the track(s) where they lose time to cars that lap faster than them despite less top speed?

    Reply
  5. Avatar Image

    Fixy (@fixy) said on 10th June 2011, 18:47

    Last year’s pole position time was 1’15.105 by Lewis Hamilton
    The quickest lap of the current configuration was set by Ralf Schumacher in 2004: 1’12.275

    I think the pole will be faster than last year’s but slower than the lap record.

    ReplyReport user
  6. Avatar Image

    AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner) said on 10th June 2011, 22:39

    Now, I know it’s only practise, but for a circuit where McLaren are thought to have a significant advantage, their straight line speed leaves a lot to be desired.

    ReplyReport user

  7. DC said on 11th June 2011, 17:33

    too right AT, you’ve hit the nail on the head….as per usual, sir. STOP.

    Reply

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