What was the fastest F1 car ever built ? | FerrariChat

What was the fastest F1 car ever built ?

Discussion in 'F1' started by Formula 1, Dec 9, 2007.

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  1. Formula 1

    Formula 1 Formula 3

    Feb 20, 2005
    1,525
    Does anyone know what F1 car had the highest top speed in all of F1 history ?
     
  2. BMW.SauberF1Team

    BMW.SauberF1Team F1 World Champ

    Dec 4, 2004
    14,425
    FL
    Pizza boy at Monza in 2004.

    It was at 369.9 km/h, which is 229.845 mph.
     
  3. Remy Zero

    Remy Zero Two Time F1 World Champ

    Apr 26, 2005
    23,476
    KL, Malaysia
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    MC Cool Breeze
    i thought it was Montoya?
     
  4. R2112

    R2112 Formula 3

    Oct 15, 2006
    2,422
    TX
  5. Senna1994

    Senna1994 F1 World Champ

    Nov 11, 2003
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    Anthony T
    I remember Nelson Piquet hitting 223 MPH on the front straight in practice at the French GP at Paul Ricard in the Brahbam BMW Turbo one year, I think it was a BT-54.
     
  6. Mr Payne

    Mr Payne F1 Rookie

    Jan 8, 2004
    2,878
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    Payne
    I believe Montoya had the fastest lap ever recorded in 05 at Monza during Friday testing. That's why it's unofficial. This is from memory, I could be wrong.
     
  7. menoy

    menoy F1 Rookie

    Mar 12, 2005
    2,661
    PL
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    MRodziewicz
    That link doesn't tell the full story - they eventually got

    - 397.360kph (246.908mph) average from two runs over 1mile
    - 397.481kph (246.983mph) (average from two runs?) over 1km
    - >400kph on one of the runs
     
  8. ferraridude615

    ferraridude615 F1 Veteran

    May 4, 2006
    5,836
    Texas
    The Honda F1 team put up 400+ kph at Bonneville Salt Flats last year in a super low downforce, FIA-legal F1 car.
     
  9. senna21

    senna21 F1 Rookie

    Jul 2, 2004
    3,334
    Los Angeles, CA
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    Charles W
    Yea, F1 cars are made for down force with a flat bottom, CART cars (used to be at least) are made for speed with tunnels. With downforce comes drag and the CART cars have a much lower drag coefficient. If you take a look at the Honda top speed car you’ll see that they did away with just about everything to get that speed.
     
  10. Daytonafan

    Daytonafan F1 Rookie

    Oct 18, 2003
    2,748
    Surrey, England
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    Motor sport magazine in the UK ran and article about the fastest GP cars of each year a few months back. By average lap times over a whole season the fastest GP car of all time is the Ferrari F2004. With the subsequent rule changes (tyres and downforce in 05 and 2.4 V8's 2006 onwards) almost all the 2004 race lap records still stand. The interesting question would be if the 2004 regulations were still current how fast would the cars be now?
     
  11. Daytonafan

    Daytonafan F1 Rookie

    Oct 18, 2003
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    Matthew
    2003 or 2004 (not sure which) Monza Montoya set a 162 (and change) mph qualifying lap in the low fuel run off to decide the order the cars ran in the one shot qualifying. That stands as the fastest officially recorded F1 Lap.
     
  12. Whisky

    Whisky Three Time F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Jan 27, 2006
    31,836
    In the flight path to Offutt
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    The original Fernando
    To me, the question would be how fast would a 1982 or 83 turbocar go before all the aero restrictions and flat bottoms came into play. Then I'd wonder about the rest of the 80's turbocars. In 82, and 83, the BMW turbo was rumored to have nearly 1,200 horse with turbo, and interestingly, if you broke the turbo, that car only had 91 horse.
     
  13. GoFerrari28

    GoFerrari28 Formula 3

    Jun 16, 2004
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    Jeff Spicoli
    Didn't Gilles race a de-winged 126C against an Italian Air Force F-104 Starfighter? I seem to remember pictures of that.
     
  14. DMC308

    DMC308 F1 Rookie

    Aug 19, 2006
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    #15 DMC308, Dec 11, 2007
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  15. TheBigEasy

    TheBigEasy F1 World Champ
    Consultant

    Jun 21, 2005
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    Ethan Hunt
    Yes, it's parked at the Fiorano track, I have a picture of it on another computer.
     
  16. DMC308

    DMC308 F1 Rookie

    Aug 19, 2006
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    #17 DMC308, Dec 11, 2007
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  17. Remy Zero

    Remy Zero Two Time F1 World Champ

    Apr 26, 2005
    23,476
    KL, Malaysia
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    MC Cool Breeze
    Thanks for sharing ;)
     
  18. TurboFreak650

    TurboFreak650 Formula 3

    Jul 10, 2004
    2,419
    Atlanta, GA
    For the longest time Keke Rosberg's 160 mph lap from the Turbo '80s was the fastest of all. The mind boggles to think what F1 could do with modern day turbos!! :D
     
  19. TurboFreak650

    TurboFreak650 Formula 3

    Jul 10, 2004
    2,419
    Atlanta, GA
    This is an excellent question I've never seen answered to date, given teh secrecy surrounding F1. There is no doubt that the BMW or one of the 1200+ HP McLaren-Honda Turbos with the right aero and gearing setup would top 250 mph with ease and with stunning acceleration. They couldn't rev nearly as high back then (a mere 11 to 12,000 rpm), but with huge HP like that, you don't need to!
     
  20. Necx0

    Necx0 Karting

    Dec 13, 2007
    182
    Australia
    Full Name:
    Scott
    Agreed, if they hadn't banned ground effect cars, that combined with the power of the turbo engines and modern tyre development would mean the cars would be stunningly fast.

    The same can be said for the current era cars. Imagine if we still had V10's, track hadn't been narrowed in 94, slick tyres still allowed etc. etc.
     
  21. GoFerrari28

    GoFerrari28 Formula 3

    Jun 16, 2004
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    Jeff Spicoli
    Well, look at the speeds that the LeMans prototypes were hitting in the 80's with turbos and ground effect cars that were much more slippery than F1 cars; you are right and I don't think aero wise the F1 cars were too far behind the LMP cars speed and downforce wise had ground effects not been banned.
     
  22. Daytonafan

    Daytonafan F1 Rookie

    Oct 18, 2003
    2,748
    Surrey, England
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    Matthew
    F1 racing mag asked Williams about designing the ultimate F1 car without current rule restrictions a couple of years ago. They actually would have stayed with a 3.0 V10 rather than a turbo for more flexible power. The car also had 6 wheels (four driven at the back, and full ground effects. The computer model indicated it would be 10 -15 seconds a lap quicker round Silverstone than a then current (V10) car. However the limitation would be the driver as they would be having to sustain over 5G's on cornering. Even with fighter pilot style G suits that would be almost impossible after 2 hours of racing.
     

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