American GP Thread contains spoilers of Practice/Qualifying/Race results

[Fernando]

First topic message reminder :

It’s been five years since Formula One last raced in the USA but for the 19th and penultimate round of the 2012 season the series is returning to America this weekend for the US Grand Prix in Austin, Texas.

The new Circuit of the Americas is a purpose-built 5.516km (3.4 mile), 20-turn, F1 standard facility located 15 miles outside downtown Austin and promises to provide teams with some interesting challenges, and spectators with some thrilling racing.

Chief among the challenges is, of course, the fact that no team has yet turned a wheel in anger here. Former F1 driver David Coulthard drove a Red Bull Racing showcar here when circuit construction had just begun and more recently Lotus test driver Jérôme D’Ambrosio piloted a 2010 Renault R30 on opening day at the track, but beyond those very different laps teams will only have simulator data upon which to base their weekend preparations.

That should make Friday’s free practice sessions labour-intensive workouts for the teams, though again it will present a challenge as the new track will undoubtedly be largely free of grip in the early stages of the weekend.

It means that the unknown of Austin represents the perfect wildcard for a championship that has become increasingly hard to call in recent weeks. After a dramatic race in Abu Dhabi, defending champion Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull Racing leads Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso by just 10 points, with a maximum of 50 on the table over the final two rounds. Kimi Raikkonen’s win in the UAE was a spectacular feat in his comeback year but even with that victory the Finn is now out of the title fight.

So it comes down to a head-to-head battle between the famous red of Ferrari and the blue of Red Bull Racing. And after recent events in the US, locals will know just how intense red versus blue showdowns can be!



CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS



Length of lap:

5.513km

Lap record:

None as yet

Start line/finish line offset:
0.323km

Total number of race laps:
56
Total race distance:

308.405km
Pitlane speed limits:
60km/h during practice and qualifying, 100km/h during the race



DRS ZONE
The Circuit of the Americas will feature a single DRS Zone, on the back straight, between Turns 11 and 12. The activation zone is likely to be approximately 650m before Turn 12.

Map of the track

Spoiler:

Fast Facts

► Made up of 11 left and nine right turns, the Circuit of the Americas is 5.516km (3.4 miles) long. It is one of just five current F1 circuits to run anti-clockwise, the others being Singapore, Korea, Abu Dhabi and Brazil. Curiously, all five circuits feature in the final seven-race stretch of the 2012 season.
► COTA’s track surface took four months to lay and the third and final layer was completed in late September. The final layer is made up of aggregate from all over Texas. All told, over 640,000 cubic metres of material have been used to construct the track.
► Race organisers are billing Turn One as the track’s signature corner. From the start/finish line the track rises 41m (133 feet) before heading into a tight and blind first-gear left-hand turn.
► Turns 2 and 3 pay tribute to the Senna ‘S’ at Brazil’s Interlagos, while turns 4-6 have been designed as an homage to the Maggots, Becketts, Chapel complex at Silverstone. Other recognisable elements include a section, from Turns 12-14, reminiscent of Hockenheim’s stadium section and the triple apex stretch through turns 16-18 has been modelled after Istanbul Park’s Turn 8.
► The first lap of the finished circuit was completed by legendary US racer Mario Andretti. In his 131-grand prix F1 career, Andretti raced in 11 US Grands Prix, seven races billed as the US GP West and both of the races held in Las Vegas, but recorded just one win on home soil. That was at the the USA West race at Long Beach in 1977 where, driving for Lotus, he finished ahead of Ferrari’s Niki Lauda and Wolf’s Jody Scheckter.
► Nine US circuits have previously hosted grands prix: Sebring, Riverside, Watkins Glen, Phoenix, Dallas, Detroit, Las Vegas, Long Beach and most recently Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
► The last winner of a US Grand Prix was Lewis Hamilton in 2007. Racing for McLaren in his rookie season, Hamilton scored pole position at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the following day took his second career win. His first victory had come a week earlier at the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal.

► That 2007 US GP at Indianapolis was also notable in that, as well as seeing a future world champion win in Hamilton, it handed a race debut to another future title winner, Sebastian Vettel. The German replaced the injured Robert Kubica at the wheel of a BMW Sauber. Aged just 19, Vettel qualified in seventh position and finished eighth, for which he earned one point. In so doing, he became F1’s youngest ever points scorer, a record he still holds.
► In recent times Michael Schumacher, due to retire for a second time after next week’s Brazilian GP, has been the most successful driver at the US GP. In the period from 2000-2007, when the race was staged at Indianapolis, Schumacher won five of the eight events (2000 and ’03-’06).

Weather Forecast
http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/4671654


On Board Lap with Jerome "Custard" D'Ambrosio

Spoiler:

[GSC]

I think Vettel went conservative a touch, on a new track he prioritised finishing knowing Alonso would have to make moves.

Wonder if it might've been worth RB countering Ferrari, dropping Webber 5 places and moving Alonso back to the dirty side.

[dyrewolfe]

Vettel didn't look at all conservative to me...look how upset he got getting overtaken.

I think RB would have wanted Webber where he was to counter Alonso making one of his usual fast starts and making up places off the line.

[GSC]

I wouldn't expect him to be happy about being overtaken.

One side of the grid was worth extra places apparently, just a thought.

[Critical_mass]

i heard on the grape vine that Ron Dennis allowed Lewis to keep his trophy from his US victory. Can anyone confirm this.. ive seen no articles about this. Not that there necessarily would be an article.

[dyrewolfe]

Why wouldn't he be allowed to keep his trophy?

[Critical_mass]

DW one of the things thats been discussed this season is RD never letting drivers keep their trophies. Apparently they get replicas. However for this last race i heard RD allowed Lewis to keep his trophy.

[Guest]

Anthony Hamilton was suggesting that Ron wasn't touching this trophy and he was keeping it, was pretty funny interview - clearly a little jibe at Ron but I think it was just a bit of banter. The Ron Dennis interview was very telling, clearly the demands of off-track sponsor events for McLaren and time consuming media interviews with Button (who Lewis obviously has nothing in common with) were a major part of him leaving the team.

The race was quite brilliant and a fantastic win for Lewis. I think everything's been pretty much said. Hamilton showed his speed, undeniably the fastest driver in F1. I think it's been pretty obvious in the past few months that Pirelli have on numerous occassions got the tyre choices wrong and they lasted much longer during the races. This has allowed Lewis to go full throttle and what has unfolded.......Lewis basically dominating. Should have won in Singapore before retiring in first, India he was the fastest man in the race hunting down Webber/Alonso, dominated in Abu Dhabi before retiring in first and then this weekend he was flawless and beat the apparently unbeatable Vettel. Please bring back more durable tyres.

Must praise Button, thought he was superb.

As for the title, I seriously think it's a 50/50 call. That alternator & threat of rain along with the unpredictable nature of Interlagos just throws it up in the air in my opinion, can't wait.

[Critical_mass]

hmmm i dunno, for me it still tips towards Vettel. The alternator issue is a worry for RBR, doesnt mean it WILL fail. It could be fine all weekend with no hint of failing.

I expect Vettel to be fighting for pole as usual and unless Alonso is in front or at least on the same row of the grid i cant see Alonso taking it unless the alternator does give up.

and thumbs up to the more durable tyres and refuelling.

[monty junior]

I think Alonso's only hope is rain, the Ferrari for most of the year has been somewhere between between the 3rd and 4th best car but Alonso has accumulated a tremendous amount of points and the car has been reliable. There's usually some good races in Brazil 2001,2003,2004,2008 and 2009 were all absolute crackers with plenty of drama so hopefully it's the same again.

[Critical_mass]

Well the forecast (unless its now changed) is set for thunder storms sat and sunday.

Even if it does rain, which will indeed give Alonso a better chance. Alonso still needs Vettel not to perform so well. Its going to be interesting

Shame its the last race though and we then have a long winter break

[Fernando]

Anyone else think Ferrari made a mistake with the grid penalty?

It didn't seem that bad at all and Massa was clearly much faster then Alonso in the race just got stuck in traffic. Could of pushed Vettel back towards Alonso once Webber retired

[Mad for Chelsea]

Anyone else think Ferrari made a mistake with the grid penalty?

It didn't seem that bad at all and Massa was clearly much faster then Alonso in the race just got stuck in traffic. Could of pushed Vettel back towards Alonso once Webber retired

not really, Vettel and Hamilton were miles ahead of the rest of the field I thought, so don't think Massa would have got close enough to make a difference. Also, starting on the cleaner part of the track was clearly an advantage, which allowed Alonso to get fourth off the start. Don't think he'd have got close to that off the dirty side...

[SteveG]

Shame its the last race though and we then have a long winter break

Can't wait for Brazil - but as far as this season goes as a Hamilton fan I'll be glad to see the bloody back of it !!

[dyrewolfe]

Anyone else think Ferrari made a mistake with the grid penalty?

It didn't seem that bad at all and Massa was clearly much faster then Alonso in the race just got stuck in traffic. Could of pushed Vettel back towards Alonso once Webber retired

Not really. True Massa looked quick and may have put in a few faster lap times, but Ferrari's main priority was to get Alonso up the grid as quickly as possible. Putting him on the clean side of the track gave him the best chance of pulling off another one of his lightning starts and he did just that.

I think Ferrari knew that, unless Red Bull had problems, they hadn't got a prayer of catching them in the race, so the goal was to just make up as many places as possible and try and take the title race to Brazil.

[Guest]

@steveG

I know you want to see the back of this season because it's been a shocker for McLaren but you've got to admit Lewis looks sensational right now and watching him drive, challenge and beat Vettel is just quite brilliant. I honestly think Lewis can win in Brazil on this form and if it rains that's even more of a bonus for Lewis.

I think the major point about Hamilton moving to Mercedes is whether or not the move has basically single handily given Vettel an even easier ride next season. If you take Hamilton out of the equation with a possible inferior Mercedes, you can't see many people challenging Vettel in 2013 other than Alonso. If Ferrari fail to provide a competitive car in 2013 and with the unpredictable and clearly inferior qualifying record of Button & Perez to Hamilton, you really can see lights to flag wins for Vettel next year.

[SteveG]

John - that's exactly why I'm really looking forward to Brazil. What Hamilton did to Vettel was no surprise whatsoever once Mclaren finally got their act together. The most frustrating thing about this season is for the first time since 2008 he's had a championship winning car but all sorts of problems totally outside his control have prevented him from unleashing it on a constant basis. And Sunday was simply a reminder of what could and should have been.

It's a pity Hamiltons contract wasn't a year longer as I get the feeling that the car may be even better next season (lucky Perez). However I'm still looking forward to watching hm drive a car that's not a Mclaren. In fact what the hell - lets bring a rule in that says all drivers MUST change teams every four years!! Now that would shake it up

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