The 2017 Formula 1 cars are about 3 seconds a lap quicker than last year’s cars. That said, the cars from the previous F1 season were in no slouch either, as Sergio Perez demonstrated during the Mexican GP.
Perez driving a Force India F1 car hit 370 km/hr (229.90 mph) on the front straight. The fact that he was in the slipstream of the car ahead did help gain speed. Add to that reduced drag from the DRS meant Sergio could build up even more speed.
Sergio Perez clocked 370 kph in 2016 in a car with a complicated aero kit, DRS, KERS boost and a bit of slipstream. Despite all this, Sergio couldn’t beat the ultimate top speed ever recorded in an F1 car. Juan Pablo Montoya’s 2005 Italian GP record of 372.6 km/hr (231.523 mph) remains unbeaten to this day.
It will be interesting see if the 2017 F1 car can get any closer to beating Montoya’s top speed record.