How would a turbo era F1 car compete with a modern F1 car on a lap?

Question

Would they be similar in pacce? Some turbo era cars had 1000+ bhp in qualifying spec+ slick tyres but would the more aerodynamicly efficent F1 cars of the milenium be faster?

Answer 1

Not even close.

It's how fast you go round corners that counts the most.

For example a 300bhp modern BTCC car is quicker around Thruxton than an 600bhp RS Cosworth and Thruxton is flat out.

F1 vs GP bikes is a good example of what cornering and braking ability counts for.

Of course those cars weren't exactly low on downforce and with modern tires they would be even quicker but modern F1 cars are more sophisticated in all the details.

Like the time it takes to change gears, there's just no comparison.

Lap times may have been kept in check but cornering forces especially in high speed corners and on the brakes have risen.

Cars of the turbo era drove on much quicker tracks, no track has remained the same since then and Montreal mentioned above had a different lay out, especially at the last part of the lap, the run down to the last chicane.

Direct comparisons are thus not possible, although I wouldn't mind if they were.

In the fiddly tracks of today those cars would be at a big disadvantage.

Answer 2

If you look at lap times and take into account that there aren't any circuits being used this season in the exact same configuration as 1988 or earlier, then the turbos would appear to be about 10 seconds off the pace. I've looked at circuits which have changed the least, compared the fastest turbo lap to the fastest lap of 1989, and then compared that fastest lap to the most recent one (2007 or 2008). The circuits I used for comparison were Hungaroring, Monza, Montreal and Spa. Spa and the Hungaroring were actually the circuits on which the turbos were closest (bearing in mind that the turbo version of the Hungaroring, used for the last time in 1988, was MUCH slower, with an additional chicane); they were further off the pace at Monza and Montreal...this would appear to show that it's not necessarily absolute downforce which gives the modern F1 car the additional speed, but how the car reacts under heavy braking from high speed (because in Hungary you just don't have a slow corner after a fast straight, and in Spa there are only two; at Monza there are 3 very heavy braking areas and in Montreal there are four).

Answer 3

The modern cars would beat them,the early turbo cars suffered with horendous *lag* which meant no power no power then bang and then all over in a flash.

Answer 4

I think that a modern car would easily be quicker due to the increased corner speeds due to the additional downforce.

In Canada for comparison :

Pole lap in 1986 : Nigel Mansell - 1:24.118 in a Williams Honda.

Fastest lap during qualifying this year : Lewis Hamilton - 1:16.909