2014 Belgian Grand Prix Fastest Lap Shows New-Generation F1 Cars Getting Quicker

By
at Internationaled.org

Published: August 27, 2014

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They came close in Bahrain. Lewis Hamilton or Nico Rosberg might have done it in Canada, but for Mercedes reliability issues. Then, it finally happened last weekend in Belgium—the fastest race lap, set by Rosberg, was quicker than the fastest lap at the 2013 Belgian Grand Prix.

At the beginning of the season, all the talk was about how quiet and efficient the new Formula One power units were. Lost among the lack-of-noise complaints, though, was the fact that the new hybrid V6 engines actually produce more power than their louder V8 predecessors.



For example, the top speed recorded on the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve's long straight at the 2014 Canadian Grand Prix was 347.1 kilometres per hour, by Williams' Felipe Massa. In 2013, the two Saubers of Nico Hulkenberg and Esteban Gutierrez led the way through the speed trap at 321.6 kilometres per hour.

But along with the increase in power for 2014 came a decrease in aerodynamic grip, meaning the new cars are not as quick through slow- and medium-speed corners.

In March, after the Australian Grand Prix, I wrote that, "In September, the grand-prix circus returns to Monza, where speed is king and downforce is an afterthought. By then, if not before, it would not be surprising to see lap times similar to—or faster than—last year's."

Mercedes executive director Toto Wolff agreed, saying, "These cars are going to go quicker than the old ones in a couple of races," per Andrew Benson of the BBC.

Here are the race-by-race gaps between the 2013 and 2014 fastest laps. The Austrian Grand Prix is not included, as it was not on the calendar last season (although, in case you are interested, the fastest lap this year was 3.805 seconds off the best time from 2003, the last time the race was run).

Also missing is the German Grand Prix, which was run at Hockenheim this year but the Nurburgring in 2013, making a compar...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Formula 1

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