Qualifying Differentials

	Marcel Borsboom, Netherlands

Atlas F1 is going to keep an eye on the battle between team mates throughout the season by race and overall averages (again). The measurement is simple. We compare the intra-team difference in seconds on Saturday. Some may say compensation must be given in the favouritism between the number one and two seats within the team. We, on the other hand, do not grant that pardon. For better or worse, our analyses will be on the perfect world of egalitarian status in intra-team rivalry. With 14 qualifying sessions completed for 1999, the differentials are on a roll. Let's see which drivers deserve bragging rights. Europe Notables Herbert. The European Grand Prix proved to be Johnny's race every which way you look at it. Of course, he will probably remember most his third and well deserved win, but we'll also remember that weekend as the one where Herbert outqualified teammate Barrichello. Ok, so it was only by a tenth of a second, but none the less - outqualifying is outqualifying. And when the driver also then outraces - not to mention wins - over his teammate, you could definitely say he had a good weekend's work... Hakkinen. Just as Mika Hakkinen managed to wipe off the average qualifying differential between himself and Coulthard, and move to the lead between the two, in came Europe and David reversed the balance back to his favour! With two races to go to the end of the season, the suspense is at its height - will Hakkinen manage to salvage the balance back, or will he forever go down in the books as the driver who most outqualified his teammate and still was behind him in the averages. The average gap between teammates in the Nurburgring was 0.580s. This, compared to the average gap in Italy, which was 0.458; 0.381 secs in Belgium; Hungary's half a second; Germany's 0.588sec; 0.511sec in Austria; Britain's 0.463 seconds; France's 2.514sec; Canada's 0.588sec; Spain's 0.471sec; 0.671sec in Monaco; 0.601sec in San Marino; 0.446sec in Brazil; and 0.922sec in Australia. The race for the Qualifying Differential Master is heating up. Hang on to your seat - in two more races we'll know who's hot and who's not!

Marcel Borsboom	© 1999 Atlas Formula One Journal.
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