Fastest ever F1 car

[TopGun]

I was wondering what would be the fastest F1 car of all time around a particular circuit. Would it be the latest cars as they employ the latest permissible technology, would it be the previous generation with more driver aides or perhaps even a car from the turbo era?

 

Any candidates?

[Arizona]

Well, the lap record at Spa was set by Vettel this season, before that it was held by Raikkonen, set in 2004.

 

The fastest average race speed was set at Monza, in 2003.

[gaz]

The problem is that very few circuits on the F1 calendar have stayed in their exact original configuration without being Tilke-ised, so its hard to compare laptimes. Everytime the layout changes, laptimes should be wiped.

 

I'd bet the late 80's cars with turbos and wide tyres would be as quick as the early/mid 90s cars with active suspension and TC, along with modern-era cars.

[Al de Man]

1937 Bernd Rosemeyer 171.78mph

 

http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/forum/topic.php?id=1259

[Ponty]

I think it's generally accepted that the F2004 Ferrari was the peak, speed wise, of F1. It utterly dominated the fastest year of F1 that we're ever likely to see.

[OLYMPIC]

I wonder if there is any footage of modern era cars being totally maxed out in a straight line,and what would of been the fastest.

[Son of Bob]

Flat out top speed is massively hindered by all the aero stuff on F1 cars. If you removed all the wings and aids they would be much quicker in a straight line. Trouble is they'd be about as stable as a 747 with one wing!

[OLYMPIC]

Flat out top speed is massively hindered by all the aero stuff on F1 cars. If you removed all the wings and aids they would be much quicker in a straight line. Trouble is they'd be about as stable as a 747 with one wing!

 

Would be fun to watch though.

[Ponty]

Look for something on YouTube involving Honda F1's land speed record attempt. They removed the rear wing and substituted a single, central, vertical fin, for stability. I believe they hold the record for fastest combustion-powered, open-wheeled car.

[jawillwill]

My next door neighbour's Honda Civic got up to about 198mph when we had a drag race along the dual carrigeway bit on the A246 on Christmas day. He's put in an application to join the F1 next season.

[John Boy Saint]

Look for something on YouTube involving Honda F1's land speed record attempt. They removed the rear wing and substituted a single, central, vertical fin, for stability. I believe they hold the record for fastest combustion-powered, open-wheeled car.

This is what Ponty is referring to:

 

 

Since Tuesday, van der Merwe and the team have broken FIA class world records three times over, ending up with an average speed of 397.360kph [246.908mph] over two runs of the Bonneville flying mile.

 

Not so great when you consider that Peugeot rocked up at Le Mans 24 hour race in 1988 with a car designed to exceed 400kph down the 3.7 mile Mulsanne Straight (before Ballestre buggered it up). They achieved 407kph - 252mph, the car survived 59 laps as to set the record they had taped up most of the air vents, Peugeot were happy as it grabbed the fastest car down the Mulsanne headlines and they knew that the car was not a race winner.

[Colinjb]

This is what Ponty is referring to:

 

 

 

 

Not so great when you consider that Peugeot rocked up at Le Mans 24 hour race in 1988 with a car designed to exceed 400kph down the 3.7 mile Mulsanne Straight (before Ballestre buggered it up). They achieved 407kph - 252mph, the car survived 59 laps as to set the record they had taped up most of the air vents, Peugeot were happy as it grabbed the fastest car down the Mulsanne headlines and they knew that the car was not a race winner.

 

Considering that F1 cars are hardly the most aerodynamic of devices though it's still a fantastic effort. Open wheel cars will never have the same speed potential as their enclosed wheel cousins.

[Ponty]

Well said, Colin.

 

It's a real reason why the Virgin F1 car has the potential to be a complete turnip, too. They designed the Acura ALMS car with solely CFD technology, foregoing a wind-tunnel and they seem to think that they can do the same with an F1 car. I think they'll be unpleasantly surprised when they discover how poor open-wheels are in turbulence.