Whilst going through some of the data I’m collecting for the research on both my TCF and SC projects a couple of things stood out. There were also a number of interesting figures which I would not have predicted off the top of my head. There is nothing to be read into the following points but I thought I’d share them.

The sample I am using is from the start of the 2007 season which means it includes 62 races and a total of 3770 laps! In those races we have seen……

1. 20 retirements due to engine failures.
2. 26 cars classified but didn’t see the chequered flag (NOTE: This is important if you are the person who kept throwing money into the market earlier this season expecting all cars who fail to reach the finish line to be ‘not classified’ !)
3. 39 Safety car appearances in 26 different races.
4. By far the lowest number of cars to be classified was in the season opener at Melbourne in’08. Only 8 cars were classified…..of which 6 actually made it to the finish line (16 cars failed to finish  – see the video above).
5. 89 Collisions resulting in a retirement.
6. None of the races have seen all the cars be classified. 4 races have seen only 1 retirement.
7. 58 retirements as a result of cars who ‘spun off’
8. The highest number of SC appearances was in Monaco this year with it having to surface 4 times.
9. Catalunya has a surprisingly high rate of retirements with 8 in 07, 9 in 08, 6 in 09, 5 in 10 and 3 safety car appearances over the 4 years (2 races). Not bad for a track that’s tested on all winter and supposedly one of the boring races.
10. 14 brake failures causing an early bath.
11. At Monza in 07 and 08 there were only 1 and 2 retirements respectively yet the safety car made an appearance in both. In 09 there were 6 retirements but no safety car.
12. 5 punctures causing retirement.
13. 24 Gearbox failures meaning retirement.
14. Montreal witnessed 10 failures in 07 and 7 failures in 08 whilst seeing the safety car deployed in both races. ‘10 had 5 retirements and no safety car (I know that caught a few people by surprise, me included!).
15. Singapore has seen a safety car in every race (lets not go there…)

I’m still working hard on the figures but it’s going to take time. Will report back soon – good luck if you are trading/betting on this weekends race.