(Original author: DrivenByData)
The data set, which records more than 300,000 lifts in 22 Grands Prix races in 2021, is an indirect indicator that reflects the limits to how much the team has used its power units (more specifically, the internal combustion engine ICE) throughout the season.
Running an engine at a higher RPM creates more internal friction and generates more heat that the fleet of heat must handle with its cooling solutions. In addition, running at higher revs inevitably leads to more wear, which shortens the life of the engine.
Regulations on fuel flow favor maximized power/torque in the lower RPM range, as this will allow fuel flow to be used more efficiently, which is why we see very few "caps" above 12,500 RPM.
The horizontal bar represents the median upshift RPM for each vehicle/rider, while the vertical bar histogram represents the frequency distribution over the display range.
Key points:
1) Mercedes, especially Hamilton, have been upshifting at higher engine speeds than rivals throughout the season. This is no surprise in terms of reliability, and eventually Hamilton launched 5 ICE units and Bottas opened 6.
However, since fuel flow limits are often the limiting factor, Mercedes is able to operate at much higher revs than Honda/Red Bull, which proves the efficiency of Mercedes PU.
2) Surprisingly, in this indicator, Perez ranks P3 while Verstappen is only P18, there is a huge difference between Red Bull Racing.
One possible hypothesis is that Verstappen has been operating in "engine protection" mode for most of the season, especially earlier in the season, and that he has the ability to extend the life of the engine as long as possible.
Verstappen and Red Bull's efforts to "save" with this method were erased by losing an engine in the #F1 British Grand Prix accident, forcing him to continue extending the life of the powerplant, eventually completing the season with just 4 engines.
3) Even in this indicator, Haas ranks last. Again just speculation, it makes sense for Haas to keep their engines in many of the games this season. One of the reasons is the cost, the engine is expensive, especially if you won't get points anyway.
Another reason is that for many of the games this season, perhaps not all of them, Haas has not been able to earn points based on results. That leaves only one scoring possibility: completing each race and hoping for 10 drivers DNF, and Mick is close to achieving that goal at the #F1 Hungarian Grand Prix.
Author Disclaimer: The source of this data is unofficial. Therefore, the accuracy and/or completeness of the data cannot be guaranteed. However, summarizing across a large sample should offset or at least significantly reduce potential errors and inaccuracies.