2017 F1 cars 20mph quicker through fastest corners than last year

Data released by F1's tyre supplier Pirelli after the Singapore GP shows a dramatic increase in the speed cars are able to carry through some of F1's most famous high-speed corners, like Pouhon at Spa-Francorchamps and Turn 3 at Barcelona.

Silverstone's Copse remains the fastest proper corner in F1, with top speeds this year's registered at 290km/h (180mph) - which is 30km/h (18.6mph) faster than last year.

There have been similar leaps at Barcelona's Turn 3 (22.4 mph) and Turn 9 (18.6 mph) and Pouhon at Spa which has jumped 36km/h (22mph).

Pirelli cornering speeds comparison

The aim of the new wider and faster cars for 2017 was to allow cars to lap around five seconds faster than in 2015 around the Barcelona circuit.

That target was delivered, and analysis of lap times shows that there have been marked leaps forward over 2016 pace at certain venues where the increase in downforce and grip has come into its own.

The biggest qualifying gain from last year was at the Belgian Grand Prix, where Lewis Hamilton's 2017 pole position time was 4.191 seconds quicker than Nico Rosberg managed last year.

However, if the lap time comparison is measured over a kilometre length, it is the shorter Hungaroring track where the biggest leap was seen - showing a 0.831s gain per kilometre of circuit.

Excluding Monza, which was affected by rain, the smallest gain of the season came in Bahrain - where the high drag from the 2017 cars allied to different weather conditions limited the step to just 0.724s this year compared to 2016.

Qualifying fastest lap comparison

*European Grand Prix in 2016
*Italian Grand Prix qualifying took place in wet conditions

In terms of the fastest race laps, there have been some even bigger gains.

The fastest race lap in Belgium was more than five seconds quicker than 2016, while done on a per kilometre basis it is Monaco that has come out on top.

Fastest laps times comparison