SUMMARY
- Despite evolution of F1 cars, the top-speed record remains unbroken after over two decades.
- Lewis Hamilton currently holds the record for highest average speed over an entire lap.
Formula 1 has experienced many fast cars and skillful and talented drivers on the circuit. Many legendary drivers have driven their respective F1 cars to high speeds on the track. The likes of Lewis Hamilton, Kimi Raikkonen, and many more have recorded their best average lap times but still do not touch the fastest and the highest speed in the history of Formula 1.
The F1 cars are designed to be as fast as they can be around the corners so that they can accelerate away as soon as possible after cutting a corner. The cars are engineered to be inclined more towards acceleration rather than achieving a break-neck top speed.
To get an idea, in 2020, Lewis Hamilton set the record for the fastest average lap at Monza, securing pole position in his W11 on a 1min 18.887sec at an average speed of 164.267mph over the lap, but that still does not make it the fastest speed ever recorded.
This F1 driver holds the top-speed record
The highest top speed ever recorded in the history of Formula 1 was by a Columbian racing driver, Juan Pablo. He first drove in Formula One with the Williams team in the 2001 season and secured his maiden victory in that year’s Italian Grand Prix. Pablo qualified on pole position seven times in the 2002 championship and won two races in the 2003 season that put him third in the World Drivers’ Championship in both years.
Pablo holds the record for the highest top speed ever in Formula 1, set during the 2005 Italian Grand Prix. During the race, his MP4-20 achieved a staggering speed of 231.52mph. Pablo led the race from the pole position and checked his second win of the 2005 season with Mercedes-McLaren.
Pablo’s top speed has been recorded officially by the authorities of Formula 1 and is considered to be the fastest ever an F1 car has ever gone during a race in the circuit of Formula 1. Before 2005, Pablo had already been in the books of record breakers when he took the pole position for the Italian Grand Prix with the fastest-ever qualifying lap in the history of Formula One. Averaging 161mph, Montoya took Keke Rosberg’s record.
Why Valtteri Bottas isn’t the record holder despite easing past Montoya’s top speed
Williams claims that Valtteri Bottas broke Juan Pablo’s highest top speed record in 2005 unofficially and said that the Finn’s car achieved a staggering speed of 234.9mph during the practice for the 2016 European Grand Prix. The top speed is not officially recorded as it was not during the official race, hence the record for the highest top speed ever recorded remains with Juan Pablo to this day.
Even the 2006 Honda holds the record for the fastest F1 car of all time, but there are several factors at play with the car in question. Honda’s record attempt with the 2006 RA106 by former FIA medical car driver Alan van der Merwe brought Honda’s exclusive F1 car to the Bonneville Salt Flats and left its mark on the record books.
This car was almost similar to the production model Monza, but this record-breaking car had an unrestricted V10 engine, and stability fins instead of the typical rear wing, and was specifically designed to tackle the salt flats. It was equipped with tires.