The Veyron outputs 1001hp at 6000RPM.The
Rs4?s 4.2 l engine has 420 hp @7800rpm and 430Nm at 5500, 90% of which is available from 2250 to 7600rpm;this means it has about 387 Nm@ 6000 (a little more, because the torque curve is?curve, not flat, with a peak at 5500 then, descending left and right to 90% at 2250 and 7600, so when it passes the 6000rpm mark it is above 90%,say 390Nm ) which is 333 Horsepower at 6000.If you had a V16 made of these two V8s, you?d get 666 horses (The power of Christ compels you !).In a W configuration and without 0.4 liters (8 instead of 8.4=4.2*2) less than that. So, of total power, the turbos weigh about 40%.
When the molecules of gas are more thermally agitated than optimal (higher temperature), at the same turbo pressure you get less molecules of gas and more space between them; which means less Oxygen to burn and, in turn, less power.Depending on how hot it was, the McLaren stood a pretty good chance. Also,the lower mass helped the F1 accelerate better at lower speed and its drag coefficient is 0.32 compared to Bugatti?s is 0.41(with the wings up) + lower frontal area gave it the edge at high speed(where aerodynamic drag is most important).Veyron?s advantage: POWEEER!!!
With the Veyron in slippery mode(Cd=0.36),we would have seen a much bigger gap at the end; the first hundreds of meters would have been the same.
If the race took place at higher altitude and lower temperature, or just higher altitude, the opposite would have happened(same (as optimal) power for Veyron, less for Mclaren).
