<p>Formula One managing director Ross Brawn has defended a controversial algorithm-based fastest driver ranking as a fascinating exercise that stands up to scrutiny, despite some social media scorn.</p>.<p>The sport published a top 20 on Tuesday using machine learning technology from Formula One's official partner Amazon Web Services (AWS) and analysing 40 years' worth of data.</p>.<p>The late Brazilian great Ayrton Senna was declared the fastest based on single-lap performance when compared to team mates, with Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton second and third.</p>.<p>The top 10 also included lesser lights Heikki Kovalainen and Jarno Trulli.</p>.<p>"What we set out to do here was just to try and identify who we thought was the fastest driver -- a driver who has demonstrated his speed over one lap and not necessarily his racing prowess or his results," Brawn told reporters on a video call on Wednesday.</p>.<p>"There’s been one or two surprises but when you delve into it, there’s a certain amount of sense," added Brawn, who never worked with Trulli and Kovalainen.</p>.<p>"Someone who worked with Jarno who I know very well said that if grands prix were five laps long, he’d win every race because his speed was phenomenal over a very short period," added Brawn.</p>.<p>Former Ferrari race engineer Rob Smedley, who worked with Trulli at Jordan and helped AWS on the fastest driver project, agreed.</p>.<p>"He was incredibly quick. But not great on a Sunday," he said of the Italian, whose only win was in Monaco -- the slowest race on the calendar -- from pole position with Renault in 2004.</p>.<p>Smedley also revealed he had been contacted by about half the current field and a several ex-drivers.</p>.<p>"I’m popular in a few places but predominantly unpopular at the minute with most of the people on the grid," he added.</p>.<p>Brawn said any ranking would always be controversial because there was no definitive way to compare eras with different cars and tracks.</p>.<p>"We’ve extrapolated this and we’re quite proud of it and I think it stands scrutiny and it’s controversial and we will get lots of debate around it and maybe we will refine it," he said.</p>.<p>"I don’t think people are laughing at it. I think it’s caused plenty of debate. I think once you understand the methodology then people will start to understand." </p>
<p>Formula One managing director Ross Brawn has defended a controversial algorithm-based fastest driver ranking as a fascinating exercise that stands up to scrutiny, despite some social media scorn.</p>.<p>The sport published a top 20 on Tuesday using machine learning technology from Formula One's official partner Amazon Web Services (AWS) and analysing 40 years' worth of data.</p>.<p>The late Brazilian great Ayrton Senna was declared the fastest based on single-lap performance when compared to team mates, with Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton second and third.</p>.<p>The top 10 also included lesser lights Heikki Kovalainen and Jarno Trulli.</p>.<p>"What we set out to do here was just to try and identify who we thought was the fastest driver -- a driver who has demonstrated his speed over one lap and not necessarily his racing prowess or his results," Brawn told reporters on a video call on Wednesday.</p>.<p>"There’s been one or two surprises but when you delve into it, there’s a certain amount of sense," added Brawn, who never worked with Trulli and Kovalainen.</p>.<p>"Someone who worked with Jarno who I know very well said that if grands prix were five laps long, he’d win every race because his speed was phenomenal over a very short period," added Brawn.</p>.<p>Former Ferrari race engineer Rob Smedley, who worked with Trulli at Jordan and helped AWS on the fastest driver project, agreed.</p>.<p>"He was incredibly quick. But not great on a Sunday," he said of the Italian, whose only win was in Monaco -- the slowest race on the calendar -- from pole position with Renault in 2004.</p>.<p>Smedley also revealed he had been contacted by about half the current field and a several ex-drivers.</p>.<p>"I’m popular in a few places but predominantly unpopular at the minute with most of the people on the grid," he added.</p>.<p>Brawn said any ranking would always be controversial because there was no definitive way to compare eras with different cars and tracks.</p>.<p>"We’ve extrapolated this and we’re quite proud of it and I think it stands scrutiny and it’s controversial and we will get lots of debate around it and maybe we will refine it," he said.</p>.<p>"I don’t think people are laughing at it. I think it’s caused plenty of debate. I think once you understand the methodology then people will start to understand." </p>