Formula 1 2014: Round 17 - US Grand Prix

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Click the track to watch Pirelli preview the Circuit of the Americas

Did you know that 10 different circuits in the United States have staged an F1 world championship round - but only six of those have hosted a US Grand Prix? Or that seven drivers in the current field have led at least one lap on American soil, but only two - Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel - have actually won?

Circuit: Circuit of The Americas

Circuit length: 5.513 km

Number of corners: 20 (9 right, 11 left)

DRS zones: 2

Race laps: 56

Race distance: 308.405 km

2014 tyre compounds: soft, medium

Circuit lap record: 1m 39.347s - Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull, 2012

First world championship US Grand Prix: 1959, Sebring (won by Bruce McLaren, Cooper-Climax)

Number of US Grands Prix: 35 (Watkins Glen - 20; Indianapolis - 8; Phoenix - 3; Austin - 2;
Sebring, Riverside - 1)

Additional Formula One Grands Prix in the US:* 18 (Long Beach - 8; Detroit - 7; Las Vegas - 2; Dallas - 1)
*Not including the Indianapolis 500, which was officially a world championship round between 1950 and 1960.

Safety car record in Austin: 1 in 2 races

Longest US Grand Prix: 1960 Riverside (2h 28m 52.2s)

Shortest US Grand Prix: 2005 Indianapolis (1h 29m 43.181s)

Last year's pole position in Austin: 1m 36.338s, Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull

Last year's podium: 1 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull), 2 - Romain Grosjean (Lotus), 3 - Mark Webber (Red Bull)

Most US Grand Prix appearances (current field): 10 - Jenson Button; 8 - Fernando Alonso, Kimi Raikkonen; 6 - Felipe Massa; 4 - Nico Rosberg; 3 - Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel

Most US Grand Prix wins (driver): 5 - Michael Schumacher; 3 - Jim Clark, Graham Hill; 2 - Jackie Stewart, Carlos Reutemann, James Hunt, Ayrton Senna, Lewis Hamilton; 1 - Bruce McLaren, Stirling Moss, Innes Ireland, Jochen Rindt, Emerson Fittipaldi, Francois Cevert, Ronnie Peterson, Niki Lauda, Gilles Villeneuve, Alan Jones, Alain Prost, Mika Hakkinen, Rubens Barrichello, Sebastian Vettel

Most US Grand Prix wins (constructor): 9 - Ferrari; 8 - Lotus, McLaren; 3 - BRM; 2 - Tyrrell; 1 - Cooper, Matra, Brabham, Williams, Red Bull

Most US Grand Prix wins (engine manufacturer): 11 - Ford; 9 - Ferrari; 4 - Climax, BRM; 3 - Honda, Mercedes; 1 - Renault

Most US Grand Prix pole positions (driver): 4 - Michael Schumacher; 3 - Graham Hill; 2 - Stirling Moss, Jack Brabham, Jim Clark, Mario Andretti, Jackie Stewart, James Hunt, Ayrton Senna, Sebastian Vettel; 1 - Jochen Rindt, Jacky Ickx, Ronnie Peterson, Carlos Reutemann, Niki Lauda, Alan Jones, Bruno Giacomelli, Gerhard Berger, Kimi Raikkonen, Rubens Barrichello, Jarno Trulli, Lewis Hamilton

Most US Grand Prix pole positions (constructor): 8 - Lotus; 7 - Ferrari, McLaren; 2 - Cooper, BRM, Brabham, Tyrrell, Red Bull; 1 - Williams, Alfa Romeo, Toyota

Most US Grand Prix pole positions (engine manufacturer): 11 - Ford; 7 - Ferrari; 5 - Climax; 3 - Honda; 2 - BRM, Mercedes, Renault; 1 - Repco, Alfa Romeo, Toyota

Number of US GP wins from pole: 16 from 35 (46 percent); one from two in Austin

Lowest US GP winning grid position: 10th (Bruce McLaren, Cooper/Climax, at Sebring in 1959)

Laps led in US Grands Prix (current field): 95 - Sebastian Vettel; 81 - Lewis Hamilton; 30 - Felipe Massa; 18 - Kimi Raikkonen; 15 - Jenson Button; 2 - Fernando Alonso, Romain Grosjean

Laps led in Austin (current field): 95 - Sebastian Vettel; 15 - Lewis Hamilton; 2 - Romain Grosjean

Most US GP podium places (current field): 2 - Felipe Massa, Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso, Sebastian Vettel; 1 - Kimi Raikkonen, Romain Grosjean

Number of American drivers to have started at least one Grand Prix: 38

Best F1 finish by an American driver: 1st (by five different drivers - Mario Andretti, Dan Gurney, Phil Hill, Peter Revson, Richie Ginther)

Best finish by an American driver on US soil: 1st (Mario Andretti, in the USA West Grand Prix at Long Beach, 1977)

Percentage of 2014 season complete: 84 percent

Maximum number of world championship points still available to a single driver: 100

Significant running sequences going into this weekend: Mercedes - 8 consecutive front-row starts; Renault - 116 consecutive races in the points as an engine manufacturer; Daniel Ricciardo - 14 consecutive points finishes; Mercedes - 8 consecutive pole positions; Lewis Hamilton - 4 straight Grand Prix victories

Fascinating fact: Bruce McLaren, Jochen Rindt and Emerson Fittipaldi are among a number of well-known drivers to have claimed their breakthrough F1 wins in United States Grands Prix. Of the current grid, though eight different drivers have led at least one lap, only Lewis Hamilton (2007 and 2012) and Sebastian Vettel (2013) have triumphed on US soil.

Potential record breakers: After dominating in Russia, Mercedes have now scored nine one-two finishes this year. They need just one more over the remaining three races to tie McLaren's record from 1988, and two more to eclipse it.

Turbo history: If a Ferrari-powered car wins the race it will be the first Ferrari turbo win since the 1988 Italian Grand Prix.

Session Times:

Thursday 30th October
16:00 to 16:45 – F1: Driver Press Conference (Sky Sports F1)
21:00 to 22:00 – F1: Preview (BBC Radio 5 Live)

Friday 31st October
10:00 to 10:15 – Gear Up for USA (Sky Sports F1)
14:45 to 16:50 – F1: Practice 1 (Sky Sports F1)
14:55 to 16:35 – F1: Practice 1 (BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra)
18:45 to 21:00 – F1: Practice 2 (Sky Sports F1)
18:55 to 20:35 – F1: Practice 2 (BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra)
21:00 to 21:45 – F1: Team Press Conference (Sky Sports F1)
23:00 to 00:00 – The F1 Show (Sky Sports F1)

Saturday 1st November
14:45 to 16:15 – F1: Practice 3 (Sky Sports F1)
14:55 to 16:05 – F1: Practice 3 (BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra)
17:00 to 19:45 – F1: Qualifying (Sky Sports F1)
17:55 to 19:05 – F1: Qualifying (BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra)
22:00 to 23:15 – F1: Qualifying Highlights (BBC Two)

Sunday 2nd November
02:30 to 09:35 – WEC: Shanghai (Motors TV)
07:30 to 09:00 – WEC: Shanghai (Eurosport)
18:30 to 23:15 – F1: Race (Sky Sports F1)
=> 18:30 – Track Parade
=> 19:00 – Race (simulcast on Sky Sports 1)
=> 22:30 – Paddock Live
19:30 to 22:00 – F1: Race (BBC Radio 5 Live)
23:15 to 00:15 – GP Heroes: Emerson Fittipaldi (Sky Sports F1)
22:30 to 00:00 – F1: Race Highlights (BBC One)







Team Quotes:

Round 17 of the 2014 FIA Formula One World Championship sees the teams and drivers head across the Atlantic to the much-lauded Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas.

As the season builds towards its climax, those involved in the 2014 Formula 1 United States Grand Prix discuss their prospects for the weekend ahead...

Red Bull
Sebastian Vettel
2013 Qualifying - 1st, 2013 Race - 1st
"Austin is a fun city where you get a real feel for the Texan lifestyle and traditions and get to race on a great track. The Circuit of The Americas is a track I like a lot; it has 20 corners and we drive it anti-clockwise. The start/finish straight has a steep incline up to the first corner and is the trademark of the track. For us that means the braking starts uphill, which is not easy and locking the front tyres could be a problem. A lot of the corner combinations remind me of other famous circuits on the race calendar. For example the fast combination during the first part of the track feels like Silverstone and Suzuka. The famous Maggotts and Becketts passages were used as a model for this part of the track and the drivers enjoy the extremely fast turns, when the car is balanced right. Also corners 12 and 15, this section was taken from the Motodrom in Hockenheim. It is a slower part of the track, and is designed to create more of a stadium atmosphere. The long bend also reminds of the famous Turn 8 in Istanbul."

Daniel Ricciardo
2013 Qualifying - 11th, 2013 Race - 11th
"Hand on heart, this is probably the date on the calendar I look forward to the most. I've loved every minute of being in Austin: when they picked this place for the US Grand Prix, they absolutely nailed it. The city is awesome. I love listening to live music and this is a great place for that, plus Texas feels like real America, and that's something I've really enjoyed just sinking into the last two seasons. And then, there's the important bit. The Circuit of The Americas, in my opinion, is the best of the new breed of circuits. The nature of the corners is interesting. It's also a very busy track where you don't get much respite. The first sector is very special and that first turn, blind up the big hill is like nothing else in F1. It's also a good example of the excitement a late apex can create: you can have a really good lunge there. They've done a very good job."

Lotus
Romain Grosjean
2013 Qualifying - 3rd, 2013 Race - 2nd
"It's amazing just how quickly this season has passed, even if it seemed a long, hard slog at times. We head to Austin, Brazil and Abu Dhabi determined to get the most we can from the race weekends and also using some of the practice time to evaluate different aspects of the car to gain more data for 2015. [Austin] is quite a balanced circuit in that you don't need one particular thing over another for the car to perform well. In the first year the challenge was finding the level of grip we want and we did see the same to a certain extent last year too. This year, we should be helped a bit by the race being a couple of weeks earlier, but we're always wanting more grip! The gradient up to Turn 1 is really something and it makes for a fun first corner when you're in the car. It's a really well presented facility with an interesting circuit layout."

Pastor Maldonado
2013 Qualifying - 18th, 2013 Race - 17th
"Austin is a good track, it's a challenging layout which is good to drive and it's an enjoyable event. The first turn is quite something with its very steep climb and the rest of the lap flows well. The atmosphere at the circuit is really special, even for the first time we visited. It's great to see the RVs at the side of the track and people staying at the circuit to enjoy the full weekend. The circuit can be a difficult one for tyres and we had some unusual delays and interruptions on the Friday last year so it will be interesting to see what happens this time. Certainly, there can be a variety with the weather and in the past we've seen it be quite cold at the start of the day. The race is earlier this season so let's see how that makes a difference.

"Obviously we want to perform better than we did in Sochi. That was a difficult weekend for many reasons. We think the Austin layout should suit our car a bit better so that's a positive. Hopefully we won't have any more technical issues. I know we'll have good support from the fans so we'll be pushing for a good result."

Federico Gastaldi, Lotus deputy team principal
"It is a tremendous location to race at. There are great fans from the US and Mexico mainly, but also from all over the world. The track is challenging, the drivers and fans love it and of course the US is a major, but largely untapped marketplace for F1. It will take momentum and many more US Grands Prix for F1 to be fully embraced but there is a great will from Lotus F1 Team to reach out to the US race fans and create a special relationship. We hope to put on a great show in Austin next weekend."

Nick Chester, Lotus technical director
"I think we should certainly be better than in Sochi. It's not so much a power track as some of the circuits we've been to. It's got some high-speed corners that we prefer so it's fair to say we're looking forward to it. [The new nose] will be for evaluation and aero data logging. It's something we're doing as part of our preparations for the E23 Hybrid, next year's car. It won't be the definite launch E23 nose but it is an E23-style nose that we are putting on an E22 for evaluation. We don't expect it to perform as such on the current car as it hasn't been optimised for the E22 but it will still be an interesting comparison."

Force India
Nico Hulkenberg
2013 Qualifying - 4th, 2013 Race - 6th
"I remember that as soon as I drove in Austin my first thought was that it was an amazing circuit. It's fun to drive, with lots of different kinds of corners, and it's one of the best tracks from the new generation of circuits. It's very easy to find a rhythm and the tarmac is very smooth, which makes it very nice to drive. Away from the track, Austin is a venue everybody enjoys visiting. It's not the biggest city, but there is a good atmosphere and they love Formula One.

"I've had good results in Austin [P8 in 2012 and P6 in 2013] so I am feeling upbeat about this weekend. It's clear that some teams ahead of us have made a step forward recently, but we know that we can race well. I think it's realistic to target points again this weekend and try to close the gap to fifth place."

Sergio Perez
2013 Qualifying - 7th, 2013 Race - 7th
"Austin is a great race and because it's so close to Mexico it feels like my ‘home' race. There are usually a lot of Mexican fans and you feel a lot of support because the grandstands are full and there are always a lot of Mexican flags. I enjoy the track, especially the first sector and the uphill turn one, which is quite unusual. You can brake extremely late for this corner and it's a good overtaking opportunity. From there you go into the quick corners: turns three, four and five, which are a lot of fun to drive.

"I arrive in Austin feeling positive. I've scored points in every race since the summer break – five races in a row – and I think we've maximised what we could get out of those races. We've been racing hard, taking some chances, and making some excellent decisions with the strategy so hopefully we can continue to do so in the next few races."

Dr Vijay Mallya, Force India team principal
"Fifth place is not that far ahead so it's certainly not out of reach. It's been a ding-dong battle all season. As I said before Russia, we're not giving up, whether it's Austin, Sao Paulo, or Abu Dhabi we'll give it everything we have! The final races of the season traditionally can deliver surprises and we must be ready to take any opportunity that comes up. The USA has a long history in Formula One and it seems Austin as a city has continued the tradition of embracing the United States Grand Prix. The grandstands are full, the supporters are passionate and knowledgeable, and there is a party atmosphere in town for the whole week. It's one of my favourite events in the calendar."

Toro Rosso
Jean-Eric Vergne
2013 Qualifying - 16th, 2013 Race - 16th
"I really enjoyed going to Texas, I love the place and on top of that, the Circuit of the Americas itself is a great track to drive. There's a special feel about racing in America and the paddock has a good atmosphere to it. The fans are enthusiastic and there is always plenty of support from all the Mexicans who come to follow this race to boost the local crowd numbers. I'm not sure how our car will perform there, but hopefully we will have a good pace and enjoy a successful weekend. I know the first corner is visually impressive when you look up at it from the pits, but in the car it doesn't feel particularly special. To be competitive here you need all the usual things, good aero downforce and a powerful engine as there is a long straight. There are no special secrets to doing well at this track."

Daniil Kvyat
2013 Qualifying - n/a, 2013 Race - n/a
"I have very good memories of Austin last year. It was a very exciting time for me and now it's hard to believe that already one year has gone by since that weekend in America. I feel like a veteran now! It's a special place for me because that's where I first was part of a Formula One Grand Prix weekend, even if it was only driving the Friday morning session. I was reasonably quick there, maybe a couple of tenths off Daniel (Ricciardo) although I wouldn't be happy with that this time round. It will be good to go back there therefore. The track itself is very nice, fast with lots of challenging high speed corners, which I like. The track has plenty of up and downs with the first section featuring some corners that remind me of Silverstone. I enjoyed going to America last year and I'm looking forward to eating some steak!"

Max Verstappen
"I'm looking forward to being back in the STR9 for the first time since Japan. I missed Sochi because I was in Imola, competing in the penultimate round of the European Formula 3 Championship that weekend. In Hockenheim, the following week, I got one win out of the three races and that meant I ended up third in the championship standings. I still have one more go in an F3 car, as I am taking part in the Macau F3 Grand Prix. It's a really special race, a special track and it is a race I would really like to win, especially as earlier this year I won the Zandvoort Masters, the other "classic" on the F3 calendar. So before coming out to Austin, I was in the simulator for Macau and I also spent some time looking at the Circuit of the Americas. It looks like a fun track to drive with interesting corners like the first one that you have to go into blind. I've never been to Austin, although I've raced karts in the States and been there on holiday. After taking part in FP1 in Suzuka, I had to rush back to Europe, but this time, I will be staying with the team all the way through to Brazil, so I'll be able to learn a lot more, taking part in all the briefings and generally getting to know the team."

McLaren
Jenson Button
2013 Qualifying - 13th, 2013 Race - 10th
"It'll be good to get to Austin after the three-week break. I really enjoy this circuit; a great mix of a high-speed straight and really fast, technical sections to get your teeth into. It's also one of the few circuits that run anti-clockwise, which makes it a little bit more of a challenge.

"Although this is only our third grand prix in Austin, it feels like we've been going there a lot longer. It's testament to the fans, who are fantastic and always provide a great welcome, and it's already a very popular track amongst the drivers.

"I've had positive results there over the past two years, and our performance in recent races has shown that our pace is improving as we move towards the end of the season, so I'm looking forward to this weekend. Perhaps this track won't suit us quite as well as Sochi did, but it's a similar circuit in terms of set-up so I'm hopeful we can take the fight to our closest rivals. As usual, we'll be pushing to get the maximum out of our car and secure a strong finish for the team in front of the passionate US fans."

Kevin Magnussen
2013 Qualifying - n/a, 2013 Race - n/a
"I'm really intrigued by this circuit; it's already become one of the drivers' favourites and the mix of high-speed corners and elevation changes makes it a really exciting challenge. Although this will be my first time driving on the track here in Austin, I've driven it in the simulator and many of the corners have similarities to corners on other great circuits. Turns Three, Four and Five are very like the fast Maggotts-Becketts section at Silverstone, for example, which I know well, so I'm really looking forward to getting out on track in the car.

"The track has a very long, fast back straight but also lots of complex, high-speed corners, so this weekend the focus will be on finding the best balance and set-up compromise with my engineers as soon as we get started. I've also heard a lot about the famous ‘Austinite' welcome - the fans in the US are always really enthusiastic so there should be a great atmosphere. In Russia we battled hard and came away with a positive result, so despite the three-week break I'm determined to carry that momentum into Austin and hit the ground running, so that we can secure another decent performance for the team."

Eric Boullier, McLaren racing director
"Off the back of our improved pace in Russia, the whole team is looking forward to returning to Austin after a three-week break. It's a very popular track that's already made its mark on the Formula 1 calendar, and the drivers and team personnel alike really enjoy going there. The organisation of the event and the facilities at Austin are very impressive, and both races since its opening have been a success.

"As we move closer to the end of the season we're continuing the development of our car, working flat-out to extract the maximum performance from our package as each race goes by. Our result in Sochi gave us increased confidence, and we come to Austin with the firm intention of building on this recent form with a strong finish for the team and boosting our points buffer over Force India in the constructors' standings. Of course, though, it goes without saying that, despite everything, our thoughts and prayers are firmly with Jules Bianchi and his family as we await news on his condition."

Mercedes
Lewis Hamilton
2013 Qualifying - 5th, 2013 Race - 4th
"Crossing the line on Sunday in Sochi was a really amazing moment. To win the very first Formula 1 Russian Grand Prix and help the team achieve the first constructors' championship for Mercedes-Benz with a one-two finish - it couldn't have got much better. When I went to the factories in Brackley and Brixworth the week afterwards, the atmosphere was just awesome. Everybody has worked so hard to achieve this title and they all deserve to savour the moment. Of course, we still have three races left to decide the drivers' championship - starting in Austin, which is one of the best weekends of the year. A lot of the American side of my family come to the race, plus I won the first ever Formula One Grand Prix at the circuit back in 2012, so it's a special one for me. I really enjoy going there and I'm looking forward to another great race - hopefully ending up with another Stetson hat on the top step of the podium!"

Nico Rosberg
2013 Qualifying - 14th, 2013 Race - 9th
"What a week we had after Russia. Being back at Brackley and Brixworth with a constructors' championship title for Mercedes-Benz - the first one ever, of course - and celebrating with all the people I've watched working flat-out, day and night for nearly five years to achieve this goal - it was just fantastic. I'm really proud to be a part of this team along with all the great people within it, so it's great to see them get such a reward for all their efforts. Now, of course, we target a big finish to the season in the final three races. It's still all to play for in the battle for the drivers' championship and I won't be giving up the fight until the flag drops in Abu Dhabi. Hopefully we can keep the entertainment going right to the end for the fans out there enjoying the contest. The first step comes in Austin, which is a really cool city and a great race track. I haven't had the best races there so far, but I'm determined to change that this year."

Toto Wolff, head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport
"We were immensely proud to have sealed the first ever Formula One World Constructors' Championship for Mercedes-Benz at the first ever Russian Grand Prix a fortnight ago. The atmosphere since has been fantastic - and rightly so after the years of hard work that everybody has put into this achievement. What is particularly impressive, however, is that among the celebrations there has remained a strong sense of grounding and focus. Not just for the remainder of this season - but for the years to come. Success in Formula One does not come easily and we are determined to ensure that our performance this year is not a one-off but the first of many. For now, though, our priority is to give both drivers the best possible platform for an unhindered fight to the flag in Abu Dhabi. The first step, of course, is Austin - a weekend the whole paddock looks forward to and an important event in terms of bringing Formula One to the United States. The U.S. is the biggest consumer market in the world and the largest global market for Mercedes-Benz; thanks to the race in Austin, we can see that the US is playing a bigger role in our sport, too, with greater interest and investment at many levels. F1 has a passionate fan-base in the USA, which we can see growing all the time: the crowds at the first two races in Austin were absolutely mega, which is very encouraging for the future."

Paddy Lowe, Mercedes team executive director (technical)
"It was fantastic to secure the constructors' championship at the very first Russian Grand Prix - and a great honour for me personally to be able to collect the race trophy on behalf of the team after such an amazing achievement. This is the result of many years of hard work from everybody involved at Brackley, Brixworth and Stuttgart and it was particularly satisfying to see the title clinched with a one-two finish. Lewis produced a flawless drive and Nico a fantastic recovery from the back of the pack, so it was a proud day all round. There have been plenty of celebrations at the factories, which is great to see. When you're so focused on competing in a World Championship battle it can be difficult to take a step back and appreciate what has been achieved. Of course, with three races still to go it's been straight back to business. The drivers' championship has yet to be settled and it is still all to play for with the standings so close. We have the prospect of a dramatic finale with the double-points race in Abu Dhabi and it is unlikely to be decided before that point. Our focus has been very much on providing the drivers with the equipment to compete on equal terms so that the best man may win. Looking first to Austin, it's only the third time we've been there as a sport and it's an event the whole team enjoys. It's an interesting city and we see fantastic support from the American fans. It's also a great racetrack - a good all-round circuit which is demanding of all aspects of the car. As we saw in Russia, a new - or relatively new - track surface can give unpredictable results in terms of tyre performance, so we'll be doing our best to prepare for all eventualities and produce another strong result."

Sauber
Esteban Gutierrez
2013 Qualifying - 10th, 2013 Race - 13th
"I am looking forward to the United States Grand Prix; it is a great feeling coming to Austin. For me it is a special Grand Prix, because we will have a lot of support from Mexico, as it is currently the race which is closest to my home country. I am looking forward to having great support from our fans there, which gives me extra motivation. The race weekend is always busy, and it requires a lot of energy. The track in Austin is one of my favourites, I love driving there. I like the first sector with a sequence of fast corners, which is similar to a part of the track in Silverstone. As we are still facing a lack of straight line speed, the second part of the track could be a challenge, as it has a long straight. In the last sector there are some technical, slow-speed corners. All in all, it will be crucial to have a good set-up as well as efficient aerodynamics."

Adrian Sutil
2013 Qualifying - 17th, 2013 Race - DNF
"The United States Grand Prix is a great event in a country in which motorsport is hugely important. I have only been to Austin once. It is a very interesting track that offers a bit of everything. After the first slow corner, the track has a sequence of left-right combinations which remind me of the "Esses" in Suzuka. It is a lot of fun driving there. Obviously, a high amount of downforce, as well as engine power, is needed to be fast there. During the race there are many fans, and the city of Austin is also very nice. Some of my friends from the US will come for a visit. For me it is a great event, and I am looking forward to it. We will certainly do our best to get the maximum out of our package."

Giampaolo Dall'Ara, Sauber head of track engineering
"After two race-free weekends the team is off to Austin with some extra energy, ready for the closing stages of the 2014 FIA Formula One World Championship. At this point in the season the cars aren't being upgraded any longer, therefore it is important to keep concentrated and build upon what we've been gathering to date. The track offers some interesting features for the engineers' work, from the winding sector one to the straight in sector two, followed by sector three, which requires good traction and a lot of grip. The tarmac isn't very abrasive, and, despite Pirelli moving away from the harder options by offering medium and soft compounds, we don't expect this to result in a massive amount of pit stops."

Williams
Felipe Massa
2013 Qualifying - 15th, 2013 Race - 12th
"The track in Austin is great as there is a real mix of high and low speed corners with some very technical areas. Sector one is very quick, similar to Suzuka, with a long straight which gives us the chance for overtaking. It's a fun track to drive and one where we can have a good result. Austin is also a really great place with such enthusiasm for Formula One so let's hope for a good weekend."

Valtteri Bottas
2013 Qualifying - 9th, 2013 Race - 8th
"Austin is a really cool track, one of the best on the calendar. The city is nice, the fans and atmosphere are great, so it's one of the best places of the season to go to. I have good memories from there as I got my first points in Formula 1 in Austin last season. We are definitely targeting to be on the podium again and extend the advantage we have on Ferrari in the Constructors' points. Everyone is feeling positive about Texas, so it should be fun."

Rob Smedley, Williams head of vehicle performance
"Austin is always a challenge and a really good circuit. It comprises of a good layout including a nice high speed section at the start. A well balanced car is important to make you quick in the first sector. Depending on the tyre compound, the slower sections can have an effect on graining so we have to monitor that. It's a good track to test all aspects of the car. The weather always plays a part as it can be quite cool, but sometimes also very hot. The track improves a lot throughout the race weekend, which means we have to react quickly to these changes. Once again we are aiming for both cars in the points at the end of the race."

Race Stats via the f1statblog:

America is a country with great history in F1, with an incredible ten circuits having hosted a GP, more than any other country. The ten circuits have a total of 65 races between them including this weekend’s US Grand Prix, the US even hosted three races in the 1982 season, something no other nation has ever done.

Amazingly the US GP West at Long Beach ran eight times but was never won by the same driver twice, another unique record for the States. On top of having more F1 circuits than anywhere else the US also has more race starting drivers than anywhere else, 151 in total, just ahead of Great Britain with 143.

The Circuit of the Americas is a 5.513km long circuit with 20 corners and 56 laps, a total race distance of 308.728km. The two previous races at the track have been won by two different drivers, Hamilton in 2012 and Vettel in 2013. The lap record was set on the track’s debut in 2012 by Sebastian Vettel, lapping at 1:39.349 with an average speed of exactly 200kph or 124mph.
Another Hamilton win would take him up to 32 in total, the most of any British driver and bringing him equal with Fernando Alonso. It’s quite likely that Mercedes can grab their 59th and 60th podium this weekend and also the 50th win for the Brackley team (combined from Tyrrell, BAR, Honda, Brawn and Mercedes).

The Silly Stats
Two years ago I worked out that you’d need 48,258 Big Macs to lap the track, but if you wanted to completely cover the track with them you would need 6,378,678 Big Macs. The 6.3 million Big Macs would weigh a total of 1,365,009kg, that is the same weight as 1,975 2014 Formula One cars.

It would take 575,155 cowboy hats to completely cover the US GP track surface.

Previews courtesy of the FIA, formula1.com, f1broadcasting.wordpress.com, f1statblog.co.uk, and Pirelli

_rebelkid

Believe it or not, the Circuit of The Americas in Austin is the tenth US venue to have hosted a round of the Formula One world championship. In this special edition of our regular ‘Moments in time’ series - which explores the history of Grands Prix through selected iconic images - we take a look at each of them in turn…


Indianapolis, 19 races, 1950-1960 (as Indy 500) and 2000-2007 (as US Grand Prix)
For 11 years, from 1950 to 1960, the Indianapolis 500 formed part of world championship. However, it was virtually unheard of for any of the European-based F1 teams or drivers to make the trip to the States to compete in what was such a highly specialised race. But F1 racing would eventually run at the Brickyard in anger, albeit in reverse thanks to the creation of a new circuit which twinned a substantial part of the famous oval with a new infield section to create a unique 4.1-kilometre road course. The first of eight consecutive United States Grands Prix at Indy was held in 2000 and, as this picture shows, the grandstands were heaving, with an estimated 250,000 fans flocking to see the action. McLaren’s David Coulthard (front, left of grid) got the better of Ferrari’s Michael Schumacher at the start, but was subsequently punished for jumping the start. The German would go on to triumph, leading home team mate Rubens Barrichello.
(© Sutton Images)


Sebring, one race, 1959
The first United States Grand Prix in the world championship era took place in 1959 at Sebring International Raceway, a road course constructed on a former military airbase in Florida. It was the ninth and final round of the ’59 season and excitingly for the first time since the inaugural championship in 1950, three drivers - Jack Brabham, Stirling Moss and Tony Brooks - had a shot at securing the world title. Brabham (pictured here leading Cooper team mate Bruce McLaren) was the favourite to take the crown, and duly led until 400 yards from the finish when somewhat incredibly he ran out of fuel. In a moment of high drama, ‘Black Jack’ then jumped out of his car and managed to muster just enough strength to push it across the line in fourth place before collapsing to the ground with exhaustion. It was unconventional, but Brabham had become Australia’s first world champion, while his misfortune had enabled 22-year-old McLaren to become the youngest winner in F1 history - a record that stood until 2003 when it was eclipsed by Fernando Alonso.
(© LAT Photographic)


Riverside, one race, 1960
Riverside International Raceway, set in the city of Riverside in Southern California, hosted the United States Grand Prix in 1960. The track, which was back-dropped by the San Bernardino mountain range, was notable for its hilly topography and 1.8km (1.1 mile) straight. The sole world championship race at the venue was dominated by Stirling Moss (pictured) who won from pole position in his Rob Walker-entered Lotus 18-Climax, beating works Lotus driver Innes Ireland by some 38 seconds. Though F1 racing never returned to Riverside, the track continued to operate until 1989 before it was sold off for real estate.
(© LAT Photographic)


Watkins Glen, 20 races, 1961-1980
After brief dalliances in Florida and California, the US Grand Prix found a more permanent home in 1961 - Watkins Glen in picturesque, upstate New York. ‘The Glen’, as it became known, was a gloriously fast track built around a wooded hilltop, and quickly became a drivers’ favourite. Innes Ireland gave Colin Chapman’s works Lotus squad their first world championship victory in the inaugural Watkins Glen race, sparking a run of British success that would continue for a staggering eight years. The two most prolific British victors are pictured here competing for Team Lotus in the 1967 race. Graham Hill (number 6) and Jim Clark (number 5), each won the race three times, though all of the former’s wins came whilst driving for BRM. The track, which always attracted scores of passionate fans, was extended by over a mile ahead of the 1971 race and went on to host a further 10 Grands Prix before disappearing from the calendar after 1980.
(© Sutton Images)


Long Beach, eight races, 1976-1983
For eight years in the late seventies and early eighties, Formula One cars raced on the palm tree-lined streets of Long Beach, California. Like many street tracks, Long Beach - which was conceived as ‘Monaco on America’s West Coast’ - was very bumpy and twisty in places, but there were high-speed sections too, most notably along the evocatively named Shoreline Drive and Ocean Boulevard. There were several standout races in the history of the United States Grand Prix West as it was known, including John Watson winning from 22nd on the grid in 1983. But perhaps the best remembered is the 1977 race, which was won by home favourite Mario Andretti. The Lotus driver - who remains the only American to win a world championship Formula One race on home soil - is pictured here following the Wolf of Jody Scheckter down the hill at Linden Avenue. Andretti would pass the South African with less than three laps to go to send the home fans into raptures, whilst Ferrari’s Niki Lauda (third in this picture) also overcame Scheckter to finish second. You can read more about the famous ’77 race here.
(© LAT Photographic)


Las Vegas, two races, 1981-1982
For those too young to remember it, the idea of holding an F1 race in the car park of the Caesars Palace Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas might seem absurd, but for two years in the early eighties it was a strange reality. The first race at the stop-start, concrete barrier-lined track was not only the final race of the 1981 season, but also a title decider. In contention for the drivers’ championship were Williams’ Carlos Reutemann (sitting in fourth in this picture) and Brabham’s Nelson Piquet (blue and white car, right of picture) and after a tense race it was the latter who took the crown, the Brazilian finishing fifth behind winner Alan Jones (leading in this shot). F1 racing would return to the Nevada desert for the final time in 1982, with Tyrrell’s Michele Alboreto taking the honours.
(© Sutton Images)


Detroit, seven races, 1982-1988
The addition of a Detroit Grand Prix to the calendar in 1982 made the USA the first (and as yet only) country to host three world championship races in one season. Sadly though, the street track, which wound around the American car capital’s downtown area, was bland and bumpy, with a predominance of slow 90-degree bends. Ayrton Senna (pictured here leading Lotus team mate Johnny Dumfries in the 1986 race) established himself as something of a Detroit specialist, winning at the unloved Michigan venue three times in a row between 1986 and 1988.
(© Sutton Images)


Dallas, one race, 1984
"The only thing good about it,” said Alain Prost of Texas’s first Grand Prix track, “is that suddenly Detroit is not so bad...” Thankfully for the Frenchman and his fellow F1 drivers, they would only race around the frightening quick, hugely bumpy circuit in Dallas’s Fair Park on one occasion after a chaotic 1984 event. Held, rather puzzlingly, in July when temperatures in ‘Big D’ regularly topped 100 degrees Fahrenheit, it was little surprise when parts of the track surface started to break up, leading to the cancellation of morning warm-up. Despite threats of a boycott from the drivers, the race eventually got underway as planned and it turned out to be something of a doozy with Williams’ Keke Rosberg (pictured) - aided by a water-cooled skull cap under his helmet - taking his only win of the year. But the enduring image of the race for many was the sight of an exhausted Nigel Mansell (pictured second here) collapsing after trying to push his crippled Lotus across the finish line.
(© LAT Photographic)


Phoenix, three races, 1989-1991
The Phoenix street circuit was built around the Arizona city’s grid system and so, like Detroit, it featured an abundance of uninspiring right-angled bends. As in Dallas, the inaugural race in 1989 was run in the intense heat of high summer and of the 26 cars that took the start, only six were running at the finish. The 1990 race, which took place in spring, was a much more exciting affair as Tyrrell’s Jean Alesi (the lead car in this picture) famously battled McLaren’s Ayrton Senna (following) for victory. The Frenchman eventually lost the wheel-banging squabble, but by coming home second he’d marked his card as a future F1 star. Senna, meanwhile, cemented his position as king of American street tracks by dominating the final race in Phoenix in 1991.
(© LAT Photographic)


Austin, two races (so far), 2012, 2013
After a five-year absence, the United States Grand Prix returned to the calendar in 2012 with a race at the brand new Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas - the country’s first track purpose built for F1 competition. Unlike Texas’s previous Grand Prix venue, Austin is eminently driveable, with circuit architect Hermann Tilke taking cues from the likes of the Senna S at Interlagos (for Turns 2 and 3), Silverstone’s epic Maggotts/Becketts section (for Turns 4-6), and Istanbul Park’s famous multi-apex Turn 8 (for Turns 16-18). McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton triumphed at the inaugural event after a late race pass on Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel (the winner in 2013). Hamilton is pictured here negotiating Austin’s iconic Turn 1 which is reached via a 134-foot climb from the start-finish line.
(© Sutton Images)


Courtesy of formula1.com

_rebelkid

Jordan 199

Make it five wins in a row this weekend Lewis

Daniel S

Jordan 191 wrote: »

Make it five wins in a row this weekend Lewis

Nah, make it last until the last race, then Rosberg can get it with double points, but just by a point. :pac::D

Oh I couldn't imagine how he'd react! :P

Myrddin

Daniel S wrote: »

Nah, make it last until the last race, then Rosberg can get it with double points, but just by a point. :pac::D

Oh I couldn't imagine how he'd react! :P

It'd be a damning indictment of how terrible a decision is to use double points...win twice as many races as your opponent & still lose the title.

Daniel S

Myrddin wrote: »

It'd be a damning indictment of how terrible a decision is to use double points...win twice as many races as your opponent & still lose the title.

I don't agree with it either, but for some reason I love seeing Hamilton bitching! :pac:

_rebelkid

Myrddin

I don't normally watch the press conferences, but everyone has to watch that just for the Grosjean segment :D

HighLine

Myrddin wrote: »

I don't normally watch the press conferences, but everyone has to watch that just for the Grosjean segment :D

Or to enjoy what looks like a YMCA vs M.C. Hammer collaboration.

Jordan 199

Lotus have a new nose:

Charlie-Bravo

So the changes to Q1 is bottom four out first, then Q2 another four. Q3 is the usual top 10 shootout.

Gillespy

Myrddin wrote: »

It'd be a damning indictment of how terrible a decision is to use double points...win twice as many races as your opponent & still lose the title.

Hopefully Hamilton can extend his lead beyond 25 points before the last race so if the worst should happen, the title will always have a huge asterisk beside it.

Daniel S wrote: »

I don't agree with it either, but for some reason I love seeing Hamilton bitching!

It's not like Rosberg can have any complaints.

flazio

Are the Beeb live at this one?

Myrddin

flazio wrote: »

Are the Beeb live at this one?

Nope, no more live Beeb until the last race if I'm not mistaken

flazio

Myrddin wrote: »

Nope, no more live Beeb until the last race if I'm not mistaken

Oh well, 5 live and Setanta it is then.

lolie

astrofluff wrote: »

So the changes to Q1 is bottom four out first, then Q2 another four. Q3 is the usual top 10 shootout.

With vettel choosing not to run it looks like only 17 cars and only 3 going out in Q1.

recyclebin

lolie wrote: »

With vettel choosing not to run it looks like only 17 cars and only 3 going out in Q1.

Does the 10 place penalty not carry over to the next race if he does not use it all up in one qualy?

recyclebin

lolie wrote: »

With vettel choosing not to run it looks like only 17 cars and only 3 going out in Q1.

Does the 10 place penalty not carry over to the next race if he does not use it all up in one qualy?

mickdw

Gillespy wrote: »

Hopefully Hamilton can extend his lead beyond 25 points before the last race so if the worst should happen, the title will always have a huge asterisk beside it.

If Hamilton is ahead by more than 25 points going into last race, the decision to use double points will be seen as a good one by the powers that be as it will mean we have a critical last race versus a dead duck under normal circumstances.
As stupid as it is to award double points, I don't think it's fair to say that there will be a huge asterisk or question mark over the title should Rosberg win it.

Myrddin

mickdw wrote: »

As stupid as it is to award double points, I don't think it's fair to say that there will be a huge asterisk or question mark over the title should Rosberg win it.

I think there would be. When becoming world champion means winning half the races of your rival, you have to ask questions. It's a ridiculous, & artificial way of 'spicing up' the finale.

lolie

recyclebin wrote: »

Does the 10 place penalty not carry over to the next race if he does not use it all up in one qualy?

No word yet about it so it looks unlikely.
Maybe they think a pit lane start is penalty enough.

donspeekinglesh

I think his penalty is a pit lane start because he's a taking a full 6th unit, not just one of the parts.

Zcott

Myrddin wrote: »

I think there would be. When becoming world champion means winning half the races of your rival, you have to ask questions. It's a ridiculous, & artificial way of 'spicing up' the finale.

How much of that comes from the points structure? Worth remembering that F1 benefits those who are consistent, rather than winning and spinning.

Myrddin

Zcott wrote: »

How much of that comes from the points structure? Worth remembering that F1 benefits those who are consistent, rather than winning and spinning.

I've no issues with rewarding consistency, but you can't take many points off Hamilton for 'winning & spinning'. Winning & burning maybe, but head to head he has emerged as the best of the two for me, & in a fair fight, has had the better of Rosberg on every encounter. Just pisses me off that reliability could decide the world champion in this way.

Gillespy

It could be argued that the difference between first and second isn't big enough. 30 points for a win and 18 for second would be a better reward for winning.

Rosberg has made too many mistakes to say he will take the title because of consistency. He has the poles. He has had the lion's share of luck, not just with his car but his mistakes haven't been punished, eg Spa and Russia.

Once both cars can finish the last three races I'll be happy. It's only when one doesn't finish that double points really hurt. 14 points instead of 7 is not so bad.

lolie

For me rosberg needs to beat hamilton on track in the last 2 races to prove he's a more worthy champion.

Sparks43

Myrddin wrote: »

I've no issues with rewarding consistency, but you can't take many points off Hamilton for 'winning & spinning'. Winning & burning maybe, but head to head he has emerged as the best of the two for me, & in a fair fight, has had the better of Rosberg on every encounter. Just pisses me off that reliability could decide the world champion in this way.

Every team should get a fresh engine and gearbox for the last race imo

mickdw

Myrddin wrote: »

I think there would be. When becoming world champion means winning half the races of your rival, you have to ask questions. It's a ridiculous, & artificial way of 'spicing up' the finale.

Well it would be history repeating itself to a degree. Keke Rosberg won I think a single race to become world champion. Granted nobody won a pile of races that year but still I wouldnt say there is a question mark over Rosberg seniors title.
Championship winning in f1 id as much about consistent podiums as it is about winning races imo.

Myrddin

mickdw wrote: »

Championship winning in f1 id as much about consistent podiums as it is about winning races imo.

No doubting that, & rightly so. But when you consider Lewis could technically lose the title by winning 11 races to Nico's 4....there's something not right about that.

Infoanon

Myrddin wrote: »

No doubting that, & rightly so. But when you consider Lewis could technically lose the title by winning 11 races to Nico's 4....there's something not right about that.

Go back through F1 history - eg Dropping worst finishes etc - while there may be something not right, the Champion is always the champion and 2nd place is forgotten about.

Keke Rosberg was mentioned earlier - a lucky world champion maybe ?, but few doubt that on his day he was a worthy champion.

Nascar changed their rules this year to make the 'Chase' more exciting , ironically with these changes that it is possible that Ryan Newman, who has not won a race all season, may become champion.

Meddle at your peril !

Peanut Butter Jelly

It seems this boycott is 50/50 at the minute. I hope it doesn't go ahead but we will have to wait and see.

So what was the whole boycott thing about?

GarIT

Deleted User wrote: »

So what was the whole boycott thing about?

Force India, Sauber and Lotus are considering not racing tomorrow to demand a fairer share of the F1 revenue.

Peanut Butter Jelly

Grosjean

: So I guess we're out?
Engineer: Yeah, by a country mile.

Zcott

On qualifying topic, didn't expect to see Grosjean being slowest of all...

Top Dog

And by quite a margin too - +2.483!

Ghost Train

Hamilton seems to be locking up a lot, not good for his tyres

Not sure I like the hybrid onboard camera, might be okay every now and then but seem to be overusing it

Peanut Butter Jelly

Ghost Train wrote: »

Not sure I like the hybrid onboard camera, might be okay every now and then but seem to be overusing it

I like it. Better than the black and white version. I'd like to see a full lap of it at some point, but I don't want to see it to often either.

Rosberg just put down a marker, 1 sec faster than Hamilton in Q2.

Zcott

That lap by Rosberg. Wow.

Jordan 199

Sutil :eek:

Ghost Train

Looking like Rosberg more dialled in Hamilton

Will be surprised if Hamilton can get pole

Peanut Butter Jelly

Rosberg wins the Pole Position trophy.

_rebelkid

Rosberg more than 3 tenths clear of Hamilton.

Zcott

Peanut Butter Jelly wrote: »

Rosberg wins the Pole Position trophy.

With a mighty lap too...! Lewis had nothing to fight with at all. Good psychological win too.

Myrddin

Good stuff there by Nico. The camera shots of him driving through the S's in Sector 1 were stunning...he was absolutely on it. Advantage Nico tomorrow.

Zcott

Those shots of Lewis walking from the car to the weigh station suggest he wasn't expecting that at all.

Peanut Butter Jelly

Zcott wrote: »

Those shots of Lewis walking from the car to the weigh station suggest he wasn't expecting that at all.

I don't think anyone was. Lewis topped all the sessions up until Q2. Some lap by Nico.

bbability

That Nikki Lauda sickens me sometimes. One minute he's all about Lewis the next he's all about Nico. Either get behind both drivers or don't.

Stainless_Steel

bbability wrote: »

That Nikki Lauda sickens me sometimes. One minute he's all about Lewis the next he's all about Nico. Either get behind both drivers or don't.

I love him and his straight talking personally. He doesn't tow the company line and just says what's on his mind. A legend too.

Stainless_Steel

Myrddin wrote: »

Good stuff there by Nico. The camera shots of him driving through the S's in Sector 1 were stunning...he was absolutely on it. Advantage Nico tomorrow.

+1 the shots of an F1 car showing its downforce through the S's is racing porn :-)