What speeds do Formula One cars reach?
The Grand Prix with the highest average speed in history was the 1971 Italian Grand Prix, won by Peter Gethin in a BRM at an average speed of 242.615 kph (150.754 mph) on the Monza circuit which at the time did not have any chicanes (interestingly, a recent computer simulation suggested that current Formula One cars would achieve an average speed of well over 300 kph – 190 mph – on the original circuit). In 2000, the fastest Grand Prix was the German, won by Rubens Barrichello (Ferrari) at an average of 215.340 kph (133.806 mph). The highest straight line speed recorded during a Grand Prix in the 2000 season was set by David Coulthard (McLaren-Mercedes), at 361.8 kph (221.1 mph), during the Italian Grand Prix. 31.
