Data Analysis: How Quick Have Formula 1 Rivals Closed Gap to Mercedes?

By
at Internationaled.org

Published: April 24, 2014

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Just four races into the 2014 Formula One season, Mercedes has already opened a 97-point gap to its nearest rival, Red Bull, in the Constructors' Championship.

Powered by the best engine in the field, Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg have combined to win all four of those races, with no other team coming within 23 seconds of the lead Mercedes in any race. In fact, the margins between the top Mercedes and top non-Mercedes finishers have remained remarkably consistent all season:



But does that mean the other teams are not closing the gap to Mercedes at all?

To answer that, we need to examine some of the other numbers available. Of course, we do not have access to the teams' advanced telemetry, but Rosberg finished second in China without it, so we should be OK.

The main reason that the overall gap between the Silver Arrows and the rest of the field is not a reliable indicator for our purposes is that Mercedes has generally not needed to push their cars to the maximum during the races. Also, safety cars in Australia and Bahrain artificially closed the gaps.



While we can safely assume that the other teams are going as fast as they can, keeping in mind tyre and fuel management, Mercedes is not. Once they have built a comfortable lead in the races, they have been able to back off and manage the gap without stressing their cars.

So, what data can we use to see whether the other teams are getting closer to Mercedes? Two sets of numbers that should demonstrate the cars at, or near, the limits of their performance are the times from Q3, as well as the drivers' fastest laps from the races.

The following charts compare the gaps between the lead Mercedes and the lead car for Red Bull, Force India and Ferrari—the next three teams in the championship. Each of those teams also represent one of the three engine manufacturers this year: Renault, Mercedes and Ferrari...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Formula 1

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