More statistics and analysis from the F1 Data Junkie - All the action from the Hungarian Grand Prix in one handy graph
Published by Mr. C
It's been more than twelve months since we caught up with the F1 Data Junkie and his in depth analysis of McLaren's live telemetry. In the interim the man has continued to push the boundaries of Formula 1 statistics, so much so that it's about time we highlighted more innovations that can help us better understand motorsport in 2011.
Strategic thinking
Following along with free practice this season has proven to be a rather unrewarding experience - often sessions come and go with little action to speak of and few conclusions worth drawing. However, a little post session analysis, looking in detail at tyre runs and fuel corrected times, can provide a much more meaningful guide as to who might be struggling early on in a weekend and how sets of rubber compare.
When it comes to races there's even more scope for visualising how the action unfolded. By far my favourite graph is the following overview of all drivers' positions throughout a race.
Orange circle - Grid position / Black circle - Finish position / Tick mark - Position at end of first lap
When it comes to recording our F1 Debrief show, this kind of clean overview of every driver in the field is invaluable for spotting who had a good weekend and who was struggling. Felipe Massa for example clearly had an eventful race in Hungary, whilst Sébastien Buemi's meteoric opening lap and subsequent climb through the field immediately stands out for discussion.
Additionally, with so much action going on at the front of the field this season, often trawling through data after a race weekend is the only way to get a handle on what happened further down the field.
Playing the percentages
F1 Data Junkie's blog is a treasure trove of charts and graphs. If you're in any way interested in obtaining a deeper understanding of Formula 1, I highly recommend spending time looking back through all the archives.
I particularly love the lesson in how to drive turns 13 and 14 (the Wall of Champions) in Canada. Also, be sure to see this colourful review of the European Grand Prix - a whole series of charts arguably more interesting than the race itself.
If motorsport data is your thing, make sure the F1 Data Junkie blog is on your reading list and follow Tony on Twitter. Every race weekend uncovers yet more points of interest above and beyond what you usually see on television.
