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Why are lap times calculated with car already moving?


alpha6164
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This may sound really stupid but I always wondered many pro/official videos I see when they are figuring out lap time of a said car shows the car already speeding down the track and the timer starts when they cross the start line. It doesnt look like there is any specific rules or regulations that you maintain a certain speed as you cross the line and the accelerate. Wouldnt it change lap times dramatically if I cross the line doing 50mph vs someone else at 60mph cause then the faster car is going to reach the next corner faster? I just wonder why the lap times arent calculated from a standing start like how Top Gear used to do for their track that the time would start with the cars taking off from standing still.

 

I am hope I am not looking over something to sound really stupid here lol

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This may sound really stupid but I always wondered many pro/official videos I see when they are figuring out lap time of a said car shows the car already speeding down the track and the timer starts when they cross the start line. It doesnt look like there is any specific rules or regulations that you maintain a certain speed as you cross the line and the accelerate. Wouldnt it change lap times dramatically if I cross the line doing 50mph vs someone else at 60mph cause then the faster car is going to reach the next corner faster? I just wonder why the lap times arent calculated from a standing start like how Top Gear used to do for their track that the time would start with the cars taking off from standing still.

 

I am hope I am not looking over something to sound really stupid here lol

 

You usually need warmed up tires to get a fast proper lap. Its also safer. Your out lap is never going to be your fast lap.

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Typically they are flying laps, where youre trying to go as fast as possible out of the last turn to start the timed lap.

 

A fixed start speed would also favor high hp cars vs momentum cars. The whole point is to click off a lap representative of doing sequential laps on a track.

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You usually need warmed up tires to get a fast proper lap. Its also safer. Your out lap is never going to be your fast lap.

 

I def understand needing a warmed up car and tires but that can easily be done doing a few laps coming

To a dead stop at start line and then starting the lap time. I am not talking about a track event/race but when for example magazine such as Motortrend does their lap at Willow with Randy Probst the timer starts when he is already moving.

 

How can they say this car is faster than another when there is no way to figure out at what speed the car crosses the start line ? Is it not correct if two identical cars with same driver same time if they attacked the track with one car crossing the starting line 10mph faster than its twin car and everything else went identical that the faster car at starting line would have the lower time ?

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They all go as fast as they can. As em said, think multiple laps...

 

Yeah, over time you'll hit a brick wall with lap times.

 

My guess with the Motor Trend split screen is that they are using the best runs for each car.

 

And judging cars strictly by the out lap would not be right.

 

If analyzing a car head to head matters that much, then a lot of the analysis that these magazines offer can be insightful (i.e. speed into each corner, lateral g, etc).

 

You can also isolate the lap time between the exit of corner 1 and right before the final corner, and that will almost always be about the same regardless of how fast the car initiates the lap at the start/finish line.

 

IMO, the purpose of a lap time is to be biased more for how a car handles and brakes than outright power. A flying lap does not do anything for dynamics, only benefits extra hp.

 

So in that context, I feel the flying lap has little bearing on the results.

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Now it makes sense the way you guys explained it. I guess being used to seeing Stig do laps threw me off lol

Yeah, the stig lap thing is actually the worst comparison for car to car. 1/4 mile sure, but circuit is all about the true fast lap.

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Yeah, the stig lap thing is actually the worst comparison for car to car. 1/4 mile sure, but circuit is all about the true fast lap.

 

 

Yes the standing start thing that stig uses is really just for fun as it includes a drag race to the first corner and as we know some really fast cars are not good at drag races and vice versa, its the same thing for qualifying lap times in racing.

 

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Yeah, the stig lap thing is actually the worst comparison for car to car. 1/4 mile sure, but circuit is all about the true fast lap.

 

:iamwithstupid:

 

Nothing quite like a flying lap to get the blood pumping!

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