Fastest ever GP?

esorniloc · 11 Sep 2003, 07:16 (Ref:714717)

OK, in Hungary the record for youngest winning driver driver went, but what is the chance that on Sunday the fastest ever World championship GP goes?

(I know the all time record from 1937 isn't going to be broken). The fastest ever GP was in 1971 at Monza, with an winning speed of 150.755 MPH (Peter Gethin's record).

Last years Monza GP had a winning speed of 149.8 MHP, but with other teams can challenge this year and push more?

This is about the only current circuit where this can happen.

ASCII Man · 11 Sep 2003, 07:28 (Ref:714727)

In 1971 there were no chicanes and you could go flat out for much, much longer than today.
But i think that record will be broken this weekend.

twig · 11 Sep 2003, 07:36 (Ref:714736)

didnt they come quite close to the record last year?

I remember that was what Ferrari were chasing

ASCII Man · 11 Sep 2003, 07:39 (Ref:714740)

There's no real way to get that record unless they race the old layout.

If they did that they would have an average of around 170-180 mph instead of just 150.

Redlake27 · 11 Sep 2003, 07:44 (Ref:714745)

Ferrari would have got it last year, both both cars backed off after the pit stops.

This year it should go!

Mal · 11 Sep 2003, 07:57 (Ref:714756)

Providing there are no safety cars then with three competitive teams this year the race should be flat out right through and therefore the record should fall

paulzinho · 11 Sep 2003, 09:47 (Ref:714829)

Quote:

Originally posted by esorniloc

(I know the all time record from 1937 isn't going to be broken). .

Which one was that then?

**Adam43** · 11 Sep 2003, 10:45 (Ref:714878)

A race at Avus?

Obviouslynot a World Championship (in modern terms) Grand Prix, but was it a Grand Prix?

JGM · 11 Sep 2003, 18:27 (Ref:715424)

The only time that the German GP was held at AVuS was in 1959. The fastest race ever held there was the final of the AVuS-rennen in 1937 when Hermann Lang won in a Mercedes-Benz at an average speed for the race of 162.60 MPH. There have been faster races in Europe and, surprisingly, in the light of the recent Champ Car races on ovals in Europe the fastest races ever are still the 'Monzanapolis' events of the mid-fifties when the American Indy cars came over to compete against Europe's fastest cars on the banked Monza circuit. The fastest of these races was a heat won by Jim Rathman in 1958 at an average speed of 167.40 MPH. He was driving a 'Zinc Leader Card Special'.

**Adam43** · 11 Sep 2003, 18:32 (Ref:715426)

So the '37 race wan't a GP? Surely there wasn't another that year.

That '58 race speed was very impressive. Mmmmm Monza.

There are too many full course yellows nowadays for the oval racing and not enough races in Europe for that to be broken.

Miss Hardt · 11 Sep 2003, 23:16 (Ref:715724)

The last year's race was pretty boring, except for the beginning. Anything would be a nice change.

Jordi · 11 Sep 2003, 23:16 (Ref:715725)

Last year's CART 500 at Fontana was the fastest 500-miler ever, at 197.995 mph (Vasser). Is that the fastest ever for open-wheel cars?

JGM · 12 Sep 2003, 17:34 (Ref:716707)

The Fontana race was the fastest circuit race ever held for any type of car.

Jordi · 12 Sep 2003, 18:41 (Ref:716795)

Thanks for the confirmation, JGM. Montoya was 4 tenths off the record today; not surprising.

Bleu · 14 Sep 2003, 07:05 (Ref:718142)

If I counted right, the time needed to break the record is 1 hour 15 minutes 55,777 seconds. (I used the track length of 5793 metres)

Last year's winning time was little over 1h 16 minutes, so I think it will be broken, if there is not SC period during the race.

Compared to last year, Malaysia race was 1 minute and 50 seconds faster this year, and Imola race little less than minute faster. Other races are not comparable, because of track layout changes, SC periods, or weather.

Nürburgring was slowed a little, but still this year's race was 25 seconds faster.

alfasud · 14 Sep 2003, 13:26 (Ref:718404)

According to my calculations, Michael Schumacher's race win was an average speed of 247.585 km/h x 0.6214 = 153.85 mph, an F1 record.

EERO · 14 Sep 2003, 13:28 (Ref:718408)

Just announced on Speed, Fastest Ever.

**Adam43** · 14 Sep 2003, 13:40 (Ref:718421)

ITV says not (so probably is).

**Adam43** · 14 Sep 2003, 13:47 (Ref:718430)

I reckon alfasud is right with that.

alfasud · 14 Sep 2003, 13:52 (Ref:718441)

Interesting that ITV says not a record, because I'm sure we (New Zealand) get the same feed as ITV.... which is where I got the 247.585 km/h.

**Adam43** · 14 Sep 2003, 13:55 (Ref:718443)

I checked the results and even double checked the race track length. Seems right (as long as that figure is correct).

Maybe ITV looked at last year's results. They were just building up to the GP weekend conclusion - Champion League football on Wednesday night.

JGM · 14 Sep 2003, 20:01 (Ref:718797)

This seems to be a race of all the records. Schumacher's fastest lap of 1-21.832 was the fastest ever lap record in F1 at just over 158 MPH. He also apparently posted a top speed on the pit straight of 368 KPH which is 228.675 MPH - probably the fastest speed ever recorded for a F1 Car in a race.

**Adam43** · 14 Sep 2003, 20:27 (Ref:718814)

Quote:

Originally posted by JGM
He also apparently posted a top speed on the pit straight of 368 KPH which is 228.675 MPH - probably the fastest speed ever recorded for a F1 Car in a race.

I wonder if that was when he got the tow from the Sauber.

avsfan733 · 15 Sep 2003, 01:32 (Ref:719018)

thats faster than the pole speed for the IRL if anyone cares

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