Just how fast is Hispania Racing?

Back to the future with HRT

At the Japanese Grand Prix Bruno Senna's fastest lap in qualifying was 6.5 seconds off pole position. That is a very significant gap considering the established teams were separated by just 2.3 seconds, and that a GP2 or Formula Nippon car could almost manage the same time.

Senna's lap in Japan was 1:37.270. The last time that lap would have been good enough for pole position in a Grand Prix at Suzuka was 21 years ago in 1989. The rules have changed a lot in that time so it's not fair to suggest that HRT is two decades off the pace, but it does mean that a 2010 Hispania F110 is as fast around Suzuka as a 1990 McLaren MP4/5B.

With that in mind, it's interesting to compare this year's HRT laptimes with those produced in years gone by.

MONACO (circuit revised 2003 - Rascasse)

2003 Minardi - 1:18.425
2010 HRT - 1.18.509
1985 Lotus - 1:20.450*
2010 GP2 Car - 1:20.476

HUNGARORING (circuit revised 2003 - turns 1 and 14)

2003 Minardi - 1:25.579
2010 HRT - 1:26.391
2010 GP2 - 1.27.864
2010 Acura ARX-01 - 1:32.431

MONZA (circuit revised 2001 - first chicane)

2001 Minardi - 1:26.218
1984 Brabham - 1:26.584**
2010 HRT - 1:26.847
2010 GP2 Car - 1:30.269
2008 Peugeot 908 - 1:31.470

SUZUKA (circuit revised 2003 - 130R and chicane)***

2001 Minardi - 1:36.410
1990 McLaren - 1:36.996
2010 HRT - 1:37.270
2010 Formula Nippon - 1:38.917

*The changes to Rascasse in 2003 knocked a few seconds off the overall laptime, so the HRT is very similar in pace to the impressive Lotus 97T from 1985.
**Not a fair comparison given the Lesmo corners and first chicane are now slower, but an interesting observation none-the-less.
***The subtle changes to Suzuka in 2003 made the circuit slightly quicker, although the impact on laptimes was very minor.

It's interesting to note that at most circuits, Bruno Senna is producing laptimes similar to those of his uncle 20 years earlier. On the morning of Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix he demonstrated Ayrton's 1985 Lotus, and if he had been on a tighter circuit he might have been better off staying in it!

Hispania's times in the upcoming Brazilian Grand Prix will be fascinating because the Interlagos layout hasn't changed at all since 1991. With two decades of perfectly comparable data it will be interesting to note how rule changes have impacted the speed of Grand Prix cars over time, and where Hispania's drivers fall into the picture.

Posted by Martin Porter. - Follow him on twitter @mpondaweb.

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Last Comment Posted »

• really interesting - not a great article for potential sponsors to read... if any exist

  the thing is, engine power is now down but modern levels...
  by Jimmy@enterF1
  [ click here to read in full ]