What was the quickest/fastest period in F1?

The F2004 is widely regarded as the fastest F1 car of all time.

 

I would agree that the last of the V-10s were probably faster around a lap than anything before or since.

In a straight line, though, I wonder how close the late '60s cars, before wings began adding downforce and drag, would come. I think I read that when Jochen Rindt was killed in 1970 at a pre-chicane Monza, and in a Lotus 72 running without wings, he was clocked at 210 mph before entering the breaking zone in the Parabolica where apparent front half-shaft failure resulted in the fatal crash.

 

+1

Not to forget that BMW and Honda i think, had the most powerful engines in 2004. 900+ bhp IIRC.

 

Hockenheim circuit underwent massive rebuilding in 2002. In 2001 though, it featured REALLY long straights, hence the top speed. -> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hockenheimring (OK, it's wikipedia but what the heck...)

Ciao, Jens

 

I have no evidence either way but surely the active suspension ground effect turbo cars would have been the fastest : Williams Honda Mansell era type things

 

Aero in those days was not as advanced as today, so not sure they are the fastest... the Turbos are the most powerfull - BMW Brabham 1400BHP in qualifying trim... 1000 for the race!

I would think that the late 90's and early 2000's are some of the fastest times... although 1992 stands out as the year of the most sophisitcated F-1 Car ever... active suspension, fully auto gearboxes, abs, etc....

 

i think the f2004 is the quickest round a lap but i think the bmw from that time was superior in terms of straightline speed.

that thing was seriously powerful.

 

Can someone get trap speeds for cars going around the 130R turn at Suzuka?

IIRC, Senna (early 90's Mclaren) would take the turn at 315km/h. This was factoring tires, engine power, aerodynamics, downforce etc; all these allow the car to achieve a high stable speed around the turn.

What did the F2004 car hit around the same turn?

 

Didn't Rosberg have the fastest ever lap at Silverstone? It was something like 163 MPH. And that was back in the mid 80's.

 

I had heard they were well over 1000bhp

 

Completely different track then then it is now (or the mid 90s-2000 for that matter). Back then it was a lot of straight lines with something that vaguely resembled slowing down, hence the higher speeds .

 

The F2005 engine was very close to 1000hp, could maybe be a tiny bit over but not by much.

I wonder how quick a car like the F2004 would be on full slicks.

 

Thats why I mentioned this. All the mighty tracks have been slowed. And many are no longer used, so to pick a time period of quickest cars is really not possible.

 

Hell yeah! Back then, Woodcote was *flat*

I guess it was around 1980/81 - I was working inside the circuit so we had access everywhere, anytime and Brabham (with Bernie) had hired it for a private test - We decided to go over the bridge and have a "look see" in the pits.

Problem was, there were what I can only describe as a bunch of heavies on the bridge and they wouldn't let us in! So, we went out to Stowe & Club to watch - NPK was *not* lifting! We decided that if a skirt stuck he wouldn't stop until he reached Stowe school.....

Cheers,
Ian

 

I would say the mid 2000's to now. The power of now is far more 'efficient' compared to the turbo era. If you placed a 2005 Ferrari/Williams V10 in one of the 1400+ hp cars they would be quicker I would say.

 

That is seriously fast. But i highly doubt the F2004 hit 315 km/h at the 130R. I think it was slower.

 

Gotta respectfully disagree there....

Power is power - all else being equal more power = quicker.

Put one of those 1400hp turbo monsters into todays cars and they'd be quicker - They're much more aerodynamically efficient - How else are they getting comparable times with not much more than 1/2 the horses?

Cheers,
Ian

 

Acutally Honda last V10 motor which was used in Suzuka was producing over 1000BHP.

 

Quicker...or faster? My thinking is that with the advancement in braking and handling, the modern cars are much quicker. In terms of total power e.g., top speed, I have to believe the turbo era cars were way more capable.

 

Indeed. And they're generating, what, ~800HP today.

Put a 1400HP motor into one of 'em, and they'll be faster & quicker IMO.

Cheers,
Ian

 

BMW's "Megatron" in the 80s had incredibly stupid power, but those were different times in terms of chassis capabilities too.

I believe F1 cars are at the brink of what mankind is physically capable of operating in a race for 1.5hrs. Any more than what we have now in terms of sustained Gs, braking, and forward acceleration.......it's staggering to think of it substantially quicker really.