2010 to 2020: How have the fastest times changed?

Lap times from winter testing at the Circuit de Catalunya are often not representative of the true pace of the car, however, it is interesting to see how they have changed since 2010.

It is no surprise Formula 1 cars are getting faster and faster with advances in technology and knowledge. Every year we see the records on circuits being broken, even times that were set down in older eras that were almost considered unbeatable.

These trends are also present during winter testing and it is clear how far they have come in the last ten years.

Valtteri Bottas topped the timesheets in 2020 with a time of 1: 15.732 almost five seconds faster than Lewis Hamilton in his McLaren managed in 2010. He set the fastest time of 1: 20.472. The sport is now seven seconds quicker than the first test of the hybrid era in Barcelona. That will take some getting used to next year with the new regulations.