F1 super-clipping nightmare at Suzuka: 130R loses over 50 km/h despite full throttle. Suzuka’s iconic 130R corner highlights the limits of modern F1 regulations.

A historic circuit under scrutiny

There was significant curiosity heading into this race weekend to understand how the new generation of Formula 1 cars would perform at one of the most iconic circuits on the calendar: Suzuka. Alongside Spa-Francorchamps, the Japanese track is widely regarded as one of the drivers’ favorites, a circuit where the talent of true champions naturally comes to the surface.

However, these new cars have at least partially compromised the spectacle of one of the most beloved and feared corners in Formula 1: the legendary 130R.

Over 50 km/h lost while staying flat out

It was already known that the straight leading into the ultra-fast left-hander before the Triangle chicane would trigger the so-called “super-clipping” phenomenon on these cars. This refers to the situation where the car slows down despite the driver keeping the throttle fully pressed.

Now, following the conclusion of FP2, real data reveals exactly how much speed each car loses when approaching this corner and in the section immediately after it.

Onboard footage from Max Verstappen provides a clear illustration of the issue: despite remaining flat out throughout, the Dutch driver reaches a peak speed of 324 km/h on the straight before gradually slowing down to 269 km/h by the braking point.

These are striking figures that do little to enhance the spectacle of Formula 1, especially when compared to past eras where the challenge was to take this section flat out—or close to it—and push braking to the absolute limit into the following chicane.

The data now confirms an average speed loss of around 55 km/h between peak velocity and the braking point after 130R.

The car that appears to suffer the least from clipping is Audi, with Nico Hulkenberg losing 46 km/h and Gabriel Bortoleto around 51 km/h. The rest of the grid fluctuates between 52 and 58 km/h lost, clearly demonstrating how this behavior is largely dictated by the nature of these cars rather than differences between teams.

Negative outliers include Aston Martin, to some extent Williams, and especially Alpine. Pierre Gasly loses as much as 64 km/h between peak speed and the short straight following the corner leading into the braking zone, while Franco Colapinto drops an even more significant 70 km/h.