F1 cars slower than season before?

[johnaachen]

Has there ever been a season where F1 cars were slower at the same circuit than the year before? If so when, why and by how much?

That should keep you anoraks busy!

[Mr_Thyroid]

1997 - 1998. Intoduction of grooved tyres and narrowing of the width of the cars.

[Sam.F]

1994 - 1995 was a big step down in aero with the ride heights being raised significantly amongst other things...

For example:

The 1994 pole in Interlagos was Senna on a 1:15.962, while in 1995 Hill was on pole with 1:20.081.

The 1994 pole at Aida was 1:10.218 (Senna), while 1995 pole was 1:14.013 (Coulthard)

1994 pole at Monaco was 1:18.560 (Schumacher), while Hill was on pole with a 1:21.952 in 1995.

Unfortunately you can't compare a lot of the quali laps from those two years because there were a lot of changes at certain circuits (chicanes added at Imola, taken away at Spa, Catalunya for example). If I remember correctly, though, they were actually quicker in 1995 quali trim at Adelaide so it wasn't strictly every *single* track they were slower!

[stifler]

1960-1961

2.5 litres down to 1.5 litres.

They had made the speed up after a few years though, as the engines all went backwards and the chassis designs leapt ahead.

[SamHH]

Going by the actual question: any year when it rained and it hadn't rained at that circuit the year before.

Not going by the question: 1952, but that was because they didn't use F1 cars for the championship that year.

[Alfa_75_Steve]

Can't remember too much about stuff 20 years ago - but weren't the 1989 cars slower than the 1988 cars? (3.5 N/A vs 1.5 Turbos?)

I know the turbos had silly power and the 1988 N/A cars were dog slow.

[scoobydude]

Full boost turbos to restricted boost turbos (1985-1986) I think. 1.5 ltr turbo to NA cars (1988-1989).

[Johnny Rocco]

As an aside, which F1 circuit has changed the least down the years such that comparative lap times would have some meaning?

[oyster]

Johnny Rocco said:

As an aside, which F1 circuit has changed the least down the years such that comparative lap times would have some meaning?

Monaco I suspect - although the chicane coming out of the tunnel seems to change regularly, as does Ste Devote

[williamp]

Monza?

[scoobydude]

Johnny Rocco said:

As an aside, which F1 circuit has changed the least down the years such that comparative lap times would have some meaning?

Silverstone

[Alfa_75_Steve]

scoobydude said:

Johnny Rocco said:

As an aside, which F1 circuit has changed the least down the years such that comparative lap times would have some meaning?

Silverstone

Suppose it hasn't changed for a few years - but it's a shame we can't compare full-boost turbo lap times with modern N/A V8 times on the old, super-quick track layout.

[SamHH]

scoobydude said:

Johnny Rocco said:

As an aside, which F1 circuit has changed the least down the years such that comparative lap times would have some meaning?

Silverstone

Silverstone has changed loads:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silverstone_Circuit#C...

[stifler]

Fairly recently discussed, but the only real way to compare the cars from different eras is to look to the pomeroy index (google it). This compares lap times year on year for the different cars over tracks that don't change. When the track layout gets changed, the index looks at a different track.