download

#973 2017 United States Grand Prix

2023-01-07 00:00

Array() no author 82025

#2017, Fulvio Conti, Translated by Margherita Urpi,

#973 2017 United States Grand Prix

President Sergio Marchionne had announced it, following the disastrous Malaysian Grand Prix: "We will take action on the quality control organization;

fotor-202311109430.jpeg

President Sergio Marchionne had announced it, following the disastrous Malaysian Grand Prix:

 

"We will take action on the quality control organization; we need to review the entire supply chain, which is currently not up to the challenge of a Formula 1 team".

 

And on Tuesday, October 10, 2017, he turned his words into action. Assigning one of FCA's best resources to Ferrari. Her name is Maria Mendoza, a Spaniard, an expert in metals and chemical components, in the Fiat group since 2012. She is tasked with the not-so-easy job of reorganizing the entire quality control sector for the parts that are installed on the cars. After the breakdown of a spark plug in Suzuka had compromised Sebastian Vettel's remaining hopes of winning the world title, Sergio Marchionne had said:

 

"When a component that costs fifty-nine euros ruins the race, it's really annoying. The problem has arisen, and we have to manage it".

 

At FCA, Mendoza was responsible for precisely this. She was the head of the Supplier Quality Powertrain department, with twenty-five specialists working under her.

 

"We need to renew our commitment to the quality of the components coming into F1; it's a problem we've ignored over time and hasn't been of a certain importance. But now, on at least three occasions, it has had a devastating impact on the performance of the Scuderia, on things that technically have a relative value. We will fix it".

 

Meanwhile, Fernando Alonso renewed his contract for another season with McLaren. The official announcement of the agreement between the Spanish driver and the British team was made on Thursday, October 19, 2017, in Austin, where the United States Grand Prix will take place. After the split with Honda (the current engine supplier for McLaren) and numerous on-track issues, the Spaniard decided not to leave.

 

"It's fantastic to be able to continue my relationship with McLaren. My heart has always told me to stay, and I really feel at home here. This is a fantastic team, full of incredible people, with warmth and friendship that I have never experienced elsewhere in Formula 1. I am incredibly happy to be racing with them. Equally important is that McLaren has the technical resources and financial strength to quickly win races and world championships in F1. Although it hasn't been easy in recent years, we have never forgotten how to win, and I believe we can do it quite soon. The last three years have given us the momentum to plan and build for the future, and I can't wait to start this journey. I am excited about our future together and am already working hard to make it successful".

 

Fernando Alonso will partner with the already confirmed Stoffel Vandoorne. In Austin, Lewis Hamilton has already arrived, and on Sunday, October 22, 2017, he will play the first match-point to win the title, as he has a 59-point lead over Sebastian Vettel:

 

"I think talking about winning the championship this weekend is pretty foolish. I don't care about winning the title here or in another race. But I care about winning this race because it's important with the pressure here, with everything happening in this country".

 

On the rumors about the possibility that the colored driver might kneel like many colored American athletes during the performance of the national anthem, Hamilton responds:

fotor-2023111091215.jpeg

"I don't have a position, and I have no plan at the moment. There has been a lot of talk, not just about the issue of kneeling but also about everything that is happening in America".

 

The Mercedes driver does not think he has been helped and favored by Ferrari's many mistakes.

 

"If I were to win the championship, I would say that I earned it all the way... Vettel has been a strong opponent throughout the season. He has had some technical problems in the last races, but Ferrari is very fast, and they will surely bring updates here. I expect him to be very aggressive in the upcoming races. That's why my attitude won't change: I have to stay focused and keep pushing. I know the car has weaknesses, but it has improved a lot, especially in the second half of the season. And for that, I want to thank my entire team once again".

 

On his part, Sebastian Vettel does not want to give up until mathematics condemns him:

 

"I believe there is still a chance, and we just have to stay focused on our work. We have a great car and a good package that could have won the last two races. It didn't happen, but that doesn't mean we don't have a chance to win the remaining races. So, we need to look ahead and focus on the upcoming events. I think it has been a good season for us so far. Some will judge us based on the last races that didn't go well, but I think we are the team that has improved the most this year. Probably no one expected us to be as strong as we actually are. So, I believe there are many positive aspects. We still have several races ahead of us, a good car, and we continue to improve. We are heading in the right direction, and we have people with us who know their stuff. So, I don't pay much attention to what has already happened and stay focused on what we still have ahead".

 

As for the weekend in Texas:

 

"Honestly, I don't know what to expect here, but the track is diverse, and speed is there, so I am optimistic".

 

Usain Bolt will electrify everyone at the start, kicking off the United States Grand Prix. 135.000 beers will be sold, 12.000 cheeseburgers eaten, Stevie Wonder will sing, and Justin Timberlake will also groove on stage with "Can't Stop the Feeling." You can't stop the very American feeling of the new F1. In the vast and conservative expanse of Texas, its capital is an exception. Liberal, indeed, it's called the People's Republic of Austin: Clinton got 66.3% of the votes, Trump 27.4%. It is definitely a populous place, with a per capita density of venues to make and listen to music more numerous than the rest of the United States. Speed cowboys appreciate it: the leader of the World Championship, Lewis Hamilton, very much so. The Briton presents himself on the perfect stage to unveil the new show format of F1. A lap with shinier than usual necklaces, the usual tattered jeans, huge white sneakers, a pink bracelet as pink as the Pirelli ones to support cancer research, 59 points ahead of Sebastian Vettel's Ferrari, which had trouble in Singapore and technical issues in the subsequent two Asian races. The lightness of the fourth imminent world title encouraged by a visit to NASA. It's all space for Lewis. The biography reads four victories for him on the Circuit of the Americas (and five in the United States with Indianapolis ten years ago), never anyone so much on this side of the ocean except for Michael Schumacher (five wins also for the German).

 

"But Sebastian will be very strong, and we can't rely on the fact that he will have other problems. The championship is my goal, and I concentrate all my energy on that. Whether it happens here, in Mexico next week, or elsewhere doesn't matter to me; the important thing is that it arrives".

fotor-202311109127.jpeg

And if it does, will he kneel during the American anthem like the U.S. athletes against Trump?

 

"It's not in my plans. I know there has been a lot of discussion about it. I've talked to whites and blacks living here, formed an opinion on the movement led by Colin Kaepernick, which I think is extraordinary, and I support it. But I'm here to race and win. Of course, a victory here is the most important thing for me, especially considering everything happening in the country. Winning here is a priority".

 

It will still be a show. Where else but here? In New York, Miami, Las Vegas. The American owners of Liberty Media are among the skylines of TV shows that want to make the engines roar. Chase Carey, the boss, spoke about it to ESPN just now.

 

"We are still working; Grand Prix events are highly complex, especially when it comes to major cities that captivate the imagination of the entire world. We won't sign tomorrow, but we are much further along in negotiations than we were six months ago. We have a sport that lends itself to being an incredible spectacle, and we can combine it with what makes a city great".

 

Cars serve as entertainment for a broad audience, not just for enthusiasts (millions, in any case). F1's Chief Commercial Officer, Sean Bratches, has already prepared this playful and dazzling dimension in Austin:

 

"We will break down the barriers between sport and show".

 

Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton dominates the Friday free practice of the United States Grand Prix, the forth to last event of the Formula 1 World Championship, on the Circuit of the Americas in Austin. In Texas, the Championship leader will play the first match-ball to secure his fourth world title: to achieve this, he must earn another 16 points more than the German driver from Ferrari. With his Mercedes #44, the Anglo-Caribbean driver is the fastest in both the first session, held on a wet track due to light rain, where he outpaces his rival by about 0.6 seconds, and the afternoon session, where drivers can run in dry conditions, also testing long runs for the Sunday race on October 22, 2017. All this while Red Bull secures Max Verstappen with a contract signed for another three years.

 

"In Red Bull, they have always shown confidence in me. They welcomed me into their program when I was just sixteen and allowed me to enter Formula 1 at seventeen and then gave me the chance to race with them and have a dream debut. They have always believed in me, and we share the same ambitions. The support of all the men and women within the team has always been total regardless of what happened on the track. I am really happy to continue with Red Bull and look forward to celebrating more successes in the coming years".

 

Similar satisfaction is expressed by Christian Horner:

 

"We are pleased that Max has decided to extend his collaboration with Red Bull Racing. We had a phenomenal start last year in Spain. It was a great moment for the team to see Max put all the frustrations of this season behind him with the great victory in Malaysia. He is a great driver with extraordinary talent and has a rare instinct that allows him to compete at the highest levels consistently. He has a great work ethic and a undoubtedly mature approach for his age. He has an understandable hunger for success, and renewing with him in the long term will allow us to build a team that will achieve the desired victories".

 

But back to the main topic. With a time of 1'34"668, Lewis Hamilton is 0.3 seconds below the pole position he obtained last season. Almost 0.4 seconds behind is Max Verstappen's Red Bull. Sebastian Vettel follows at over 0.5 seconds; the German takes advantage of all the updates brought by Ferrari for this occasion. 

fotor-2023111092143.jpeg

Vettel, on track fifteen minutes later than all the other competitors because his mechanics are busy installing the new floor and adjusting the car's setup, immediately spins at Turn 19, forcing him to return to the pits to change tires and the rear wing. His teammate, on the other hand, uses the same configuration as in Suzuka and is slower by 0.3 seconds, finishing with the sixth time, also behind the other Mercedes of Valtteri Bottas, fourth at 0.6 seconds from his teammate, and Daniel Ricciardo, who, with the other Red Bull, is just under 0.8 seconds behind Lewis Hamilton. The other drivers are much further away, with Fernando Alonso in seventh, 1.636 seconds behind (in the first session, he stayed in his box for almost the entire 90 minutes, completing only four timed laps), ahead of Felipe Massa's Williams and the two Force Indias of Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon, 1.8 seconds away and separated by 0.009 seconds. Eleventh time for Carlos Sainz Jr., making his debut with Renault, ahead of his new teammate, Nico Hülkenberg. The German will still be behind him on the grid, as he will have to serve a penalty by losing 20 positions for the change of his power unit. Starting last will be rookie Brendon Hartley: the New Zealand driver, making his F1 debut with Toro Rosso, will be penalized by 25 places for the replacement of his engine. In the meantime, in the free practice, he sets the seventeenth-best time, 3.319 seconds behind Lewis Hamilton. It is worth noting that Stoffel Vandoorne will also be penalized by 10 positions at the start for the change of his Honda power unit. Sebastian Vettel doesn't seem very worried about the many small problems he had on Friday's practice, first with the seatbelt, then with the pedal, and with the spin that ruined a set of Ultrasoft tires.

 

"It was a somewhat confusing afternoon, but the car is fast. We don't need to worry; I made a mistake by taking too much risk. I sensed something was wrong and returned to the pits, where we conducted double and triple checks. Mercedes had a better day; I couldn't do many laps, but I repeat, the car is fast; we just need to sort everything out. The direction is the right one; it's a shame we didn't do enough laps to get a feel for everything".

 

Further back, Kimi Räikkönen’s Ferrari is only sixth:

 

"I don't think we struggled, but we can do better; tomorrow things will be clearer".

 

On Saturday, October 21, 2017, Lewis Hamilton again set the fastest time during the third and final practice session. In FP3, Sebastian Vettel climbed to second place after Ferrari replaced the chassis of his car. The British driver of Mercedes once again lowered the track record, despite strong winds during the session. The other Mercedes driver, Valtteri Bottas, finished the practice in third place, ahead of Kimi Räikkönen and Max Verstappen. Verstappen's car had an upgraded power unit, resulting in a 15-grid position penalty. Daniil Kvyat completed only a few laps after a suspension failure, while Romain Grosjean ended up in a sand trap, forcing him to abandon his Haas. A few hours later, the qualifying took place on a dry track. Lewis Hamilton set the fastest time on his first attempt, followed by Valtteri Bottas and Max Verstappen. Romain Grosjean narrowly avoided colliding with Lance Stroll. Sergio Pérez also complained about being hindered by Kevin Magnussen during the session. Hamilton remained the fastest at the end of Q1, preceding Max Verstappen by 0.077 seconds. The two Sauber drivers, Lance Stroll, Brendon Hartley, and Kevin Magnussen were eliminated. In Q2, all drivers used the Ultrasoft tires except Nico Hülkenberg, who chose not to make any attempts due to a grid penalty. Once again, Lewis Hamilton set the fastest time in Q2, ahead of Valtteri Bottas and the two Ferraris of Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Räikkönen. Eliminated along with Nico Hülkenberg were Felipe Massa, Daniil Kvyat, Stoffel Vandoorne, and Romain Grosjean. In the third and final session, Lewis Hamilton set the fastest time, followed by Valtteri Bottas, the two Ferraris of Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Räikkönen, and the two Red Bulls of Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo. Carlos Sainz Jr. opted for only one fast attempt. In the final part of Q3, Hamilton did not improve his time but still secured the pole position. Sebastian Vettel moved into second place, ahead of Valtteri Bottas. Daniel Ricciardo was fourth, with the same time as Kimi Räikkönen, who started behind due to setting the time after the Australian driver. 

fotor-2023111091158.jpeg

After the session, Lance Stroll and Kevin Magnussen were penalized with the loss of three grid positions and one point on the Super License for obstructing Romain Grosjean and Sergio Pérez, respectively, during Q1. The McLaren team replaced the engine on Stoffel Vandoorne's car, increasing the penalty to an additional 25 grid positions. Lewis Hamilton dominated (almost) alone. He took the pole position in Austin, his 72nd career pole, breaking the track record at every turn. No one had managed to dominate every session's time this year until Saturday. With a time of 1'33"108, the British driver secured the top spot, although Sebastian Vettel managed to cling to the second position at the last moment, 0.239 seconds behind. Despite the disappointment of not securing pole, Vettel, aware of the challenging weekend, commented:

 

"I nailed the last lap, and in the end, I'm happy. I lacked a bit of pace between the first and second sectors; there was a lot of wind, but being on the front row is what I wanted. Now let's see; we should win here and in all the others, but let's take it one step at a time".

 

Vettel has to chase a dream that is almost entirely forbidden: he is 59 points behind Hamilton after the poorly-performed Asian triple-header races.

 

"And here too, we had problems; I didn't feel comfortable in the car, and I realized that something wasn't working. The team was fantastic in sorting things out".

 

The team changed the chassis and also the gearbox.

 

"It's as if there's a constant threat over us in these last few weeks, but fortunately, things went well today. Luckily, I nailed the last lap and am on the front row, which is what I wanted. As for the race, we'll see; we can achieve a good result".

 

Lewis permitting. The Englishman, on the other hand, has traveled almost without hitches so far, starting from the summer break: from Belgium, through Italy and the opportunity seized in Singapore, to Japan, he has taken a significant lead. He can already clinch the World Championship if he wins in Austin and the German finishes sixth. Lewis secured his third title right here in 2015. In Texas, Hamilton seems particularly inspired: not only from his four victories at the Circuit of the Americas but also from what he himself describes as a very positive period in his life.

 

"I'm 32 years old, and I've found a balance; on the track, I bring the right energy, and every time I get into the cockpit, I feel like shouting. I don't do it not to look stupid. I love this circuit, even though the track was challenging today, and there was a lot of wind".

 

Which must have further motivated him.

 

"I feel great, I'm happy, and I would have liked the qualifying to last longer. My last lap wasn't spectacular, but I drove very hard. The team did an excellent job throughout the weekend, and the guys managed to analyze all the data correctly to find the right setup and get the most out of the car".

 

Side by side, the contenders, because this is what Lewis thinks of Seb:

 

"He's a four-time world champion, and he has a very fast car. He won't give up until the end".

fotor-2023111091230.jpeg

The astronaut Lewis Hamilton. Whether it was his visit to NASA, one thing is certain: the powerful and light way he takes the pole in Austin makes him an honorary citizen of another planet.

 

"I love this circuit, even though the track was challenging today, and there was a lot of wind".

 

But what does it matter to someone with wings? He thrashed the track record from the first practice to qualifying, offering another resounding statistic: he is the first and only driver this year to take the fastest time from start to finish. But Sebastian Vettel believes:

 

"I'm happy with the final part of qualifying, but I lacked a bit of rhythm. I nailed the last lap. Now? It's good to start from the front row; the car has a good race pace. It would be nice to win here, but let's take one thing at a time".

 

Behind him is the other Mercedes of Valtteri Bottas, the Ferrari of Kimi Räikkönen fifth behind the Red Bull of Daniel Ricciardo. Lewis Hamilton's connection with Austin is unmistakable, where he has already engraved his name four times, and in 2015, he secured the third world title in advance.

 

"In moments of joy, I don't want to make myself heard; I feel like shouting for joy, but I'd risk looking stupid".

 

Lightness is often mistaken for emptiness. Lewis flies carefree. After the summer, his climb to Seb, then still the leader of the standings, has been relentless. It seems like an eternity since the Monaco Grand Prix when he argued with his car, calling it a Diva. In Austin, his four-wheeled lady is a Friend.

 

"When I get into the cockpit, I still feel that fire burning even stronger than in the past".

 

Dark sunglasses, black jeans, a torn jacket, a cap. Very cool, very chased by photographers and cameras. Usain Bolt at the United States Grand Prix circuit immediately puts on a show. The fastest man in the world gets into a Mercedes Gt driven by the fittest driver in the Formula 1 World Championship, a few laps together on the track, with Lewis Hamilton accelerating, braking, burning rubber, doing spins on the track.

 

"Fast? More than that, I would say truly stressful".

 

The Jamaican says once he gets out of the car, somewhat out of breath.

 

"Yes, in the car, I screamed, it was insane. Lewis goes at an incredible speed".

 

The Brit laughs, hugs him, and says:

 

"Usain is a legend".

 

The fast men receive applause from the audience. A triumph. In the realm of speed, the best pair. The Jamaican, 31 years old, is experiencing live attendance at a Formula 1 race for the first time.

fotor-202311109146.jpeg

"I'm very excited".

 

After bidding farewell to athletics at the World Championships in London last August, he is recovering from an injury suffered in the relay. He talks about himself, the future, from which he does not rule out landing in football at all. He had already talked about it in the past, and in Austin, he reiterates the concept seriously.

 

"I want to use my name for the benefit of athletics, as a kind of ambassador, but first of all, I want to see how far my career in football can go".

 

He is dead serious.

 

"If it's serious as an intention? It's a personal goal, I don't want to lie to myself. If I feel and see that I can't make it, I'll say leave it, I don't want to humiliate myself. But it remains a dream, a new chapter in my life, something I've wanted to do since I was a kid, and when one has a dream, they do everything to make it come true".

 

Many clubs have been interested in him for a long time.

 

"It's true, and it's still current. The executives of my sponsor are familiar with Dortmund, for example, and they have renewed their invitation to give me a trial. But I still need to recover from the injury at the World Championships in London and get back in shape. Maybe in two weeks, I'll be able to start training again. Too late at 31? I really want to see if I can be one of the best; everything I've done has been to be the best, I hate losing. If I have a chance for the club I support, Manchester United? It will be difficult to convince Mourinho, but you never know".

 

And going back to the track?

 

"I rule it out, I've learned from the examples of the greatest, from Ali to Jordan: it didn't work when they came back. I want to be smart and not put myself at risk. And then, I don't miss training, and I already knew that I wouldn't miss it for a second; mostly, I miss not talking to my coach Glen Mills since I’m not always in Jamaica, I don't see him as often as before. I also know that when the races start, when I see others on the track, then yes, I will miss the competition. Coach for me? No, definitely not. I will work with the athletics federation to promote our sport and keep it at the level I brought it to".

 

On Sunday, October 22, 2017, at the start of the United States Grand Prix, Sebastian Vettel overtakes Lewis Hamilton, who fails to defend himself from the German's attack at the first turn. Behind, Valtteri Bottas maintains the third position ahead of Daniel Ricciardo and Esteban Ocon, who passes Kimi Räikkönen. The Finnish Ferrari driver manages to quickly regain the position from the French driver. In the early laps, there is a duel between Valtteri Bottas and Daniel Ricciardo for the third position, with the Australian attempting several times to overtake the Mercedes driver. Making his way through the midfield, Max Verstappen, starting 16th, is already in the points zone by the third lap. On the sixth lap, using DRS, Lewis Hamilton overtakes Sebastian Vettel and takes the lead at the end of the long straight. The German tries to respond to the attack but without success. In the course of lap 10, Max Verstappen also overtakes Esteban Ocon and climbs to sixth place. The other Red Bull Racing driver, Daniel Ricciardo, distances himself from Valtteri Bottas, and in the meantime, Kimi Räikkönen approaches. The Mercedes driver resists the Ferrari driver's attacks, but on lap 13, he stops at the pits for his first tire change. 

fotor-202311109335.jpeg

Valtteri Bottas returns to the track in ninth place but quickly overtakes Carlos Sainz Jr. In the course of lap 15, Esteban Ocon also pits. Subsequently, during lap 16, Daniel Ricciardo is forced to retire due to an engine power loss. During lap 17, Sebastian Vettel pits for Soft tires, while Mercedes decides to continue, even though the German's car immediately looks fast. Valtteri Bottas pits on lap 19, and later, Lewis Hamilton also makes his stop. The British driver also switches to Soft tires, rejoining the track in front of Sebastian Vettel. The other Ferrari driver, Kimi Räikkönen, pits during lap 20. Meanwhile, Max Verstappen takes the lead. However, the Dutch driver soon surrenders his position to Lewis Hamilton during lap 23; he waits until lap 24 to make his pit stop. Now the standings have Lewis Hamilton in the lead, followed by Sebastian Vettel, Valtteri Bottas, and Kimi Räikkönen. During lap 30, Felipe Massa, who had climbed to sixth, makes a pit stop, successfully repelling attacks from the two Force India drivers. In the course of lap 34, Sergio Pérez, who had asked to pass his teammate, is overtaken by Carlos Sainz Jr., who rises to seventh place. In the middle of the race, Kimi Räikkönen approaches Valtteri Bottas but fails to find space for the overtaking. During lap 38, Max Verstappen makes his second pit stop, switching to Supersoft tires. Later, Sebastian Vettel follows the same strategy. Upon rejoining the track, the German driver loses two positions but manages to stay ahead of the Dutch driver. During lap 42, Kimi Räikkönen overtakes Valtteri Bottas and takes second place. At the beginning of lap 51, Sebastian Vettel, taking advantage of lapping Stoffel Vandoorne, overtakes Valtteri Bottas at the first turn. He subsequently passes Kimi Räikkönen as well, rising to second place. Valtteri Bottas, struggling with tires, loses his position to Max Verstappen before deciding to make a second pit stop. Fortunately, his significant lead over the rest of the group allows him to maintain fifth place. During the last lap, Max Verstappen also overtakes Kimi Räikkönen, rising to third place. However, he will be deprived of the podium position due to the decision of the race stewards, who penalize him with a 5-second time addition for cutting the track. Lewis Hamilton wins the United States Grand Prix, followed by Sebastian Vettel, Kimi Räikkönen, Max Verstappen, Valtteri Bottas, Esteban Ocon, Carlos Sainz Jr., Sergio Perez, Felipe Massa, and Daniil Kvyat. Lewis Hamilton now has a 66-point lead over Sebastian Vettel. In Mexico next week, the British driver will only need 9 points to celebrate.

 

"We continue to fight, I have always said it, and this race is proof of that. At Ferrari, we will fight until the last race, until the last lap, and until the last turn, just as it happened today".

 

Ferrari's team principal, Maurizio Arrivabene, echoes what President Sergio Marchionne also said arriving in Austin for a few hours, just enough time to attend the race and spread hope:

 

"Talking about the past and analyzing the Asian races solves little; the mess started in Monza. But we have understood largely what happened; now it's important not to repeat the mistakes and move forward. The guys are busy trying to recover; there is still a chance to win the championship, and Seb believes in it. The important thing is to provide support to move forward; it won't be easy, the probability says it's less than 50%. Vettel had an exceptional car from the beginning of the season, then a couple of mishaps for which blame must be evenly distributed, partly to the drivers and partly to the team, caused this delay: let's see if we can recover the gap. Mercedes knows that Ferrari is there, they know it and are not deluding themselves".

 

Even though Hamilton demonstrated in Austin that he had no anxiety, not even about performance, he dominated the entire weekend, took pole position, and even when he was overtaken at the start by a stunning Vettel who passed him with a bold move, he didn't let himself be intimidated. He waited for the right moment (on the sixth lap), pushed the gas button, and took the lead.

 

"It was one of the most enjoyable races of the year. I took it easy; I knew I could overtake. It reminded me of the 2012 race. I had a bad start, unlike Sebastian. I managed to pass him; these are the moments I live for. I thought Vettel would defend more; I would have. Overall, I think the victory was extraordinary. I had a lot of fun, thanks to the wind. The car was fantastic; it felt like being in a wind tunnel. It was an incredible weekend".

fotor-20231110924.jpeg

Fifth victory in Austin, sixth in his career in the United States, the tenth of the year. He needs only a few more points in Mexico to secure his fourth world title. Unreachable Lewis, even Sebastian Vettel knows it:

 

"I had a pretty good start, but we weren't fast enough. I felt the tires starting to degrade after just four laps, and Lewis managed to close the gap easily. He got into the DRS zone quickly, showing how much faster he was today. It wasn't easy to see him; I tried to block him, and maybe I could have done more, but he was so much faster that it wouldn't have made any difference. It's disappointing to lose the lead of the race when you're in first place, but today the pace difference between the two cars was so great that winning would have been impossible. I struggled a bit; I pitted for a tire change quite early and got close to him after his stop. Overall, however, it's not the result we would have wanted".

 

A result that seemed already written on the wings of Lewis Hamilton. His day began and ended with the blessing of Usain Bolt. The Jamaican sprinter, retired after last summer's London World Championships, took a ride on a Mercedes Gt before the race with Lewis as the driver, then started the race, and finally improvised as an interviewer on the podium in a very American show setting: red carpets for the drivers' entrance on stage, slow-motion footage of F1 cowboys (and Alonso with a wide-brimmed hat in tune), boxing announcer Michael Buffer in a shiny white tuxedo and vintage 1950s microphone, a noticeably grayer Bill Clinton in a sadly brown suit and checkered shirt shaking hands, Michael Douglas with headphones inside the McLaren box, parachutists launched into the void with red, white, and blue parachutes and flags, and squads of scantily clad cheerleaders not giving up the charmingly flashy style of the host country. But in the end, beneath the polished surface of the show, the truth emerged: once again, the elusive one was Lewis Hamilton. The astronaut Hamilton doesn't just need to win the United States Grand Prix in Austin for the fifth time (fourth in a row), the land of NASA and vast space, to secure the World Championship victory. Sebastian Vettel's Ferrari sticks to the tail of the English spacecraft and doesn't let it go, even though Mercedes, with its tenth victory, clinches the fourth consecutive Constructors' World Championship. Kimi Räikkönen is third and the author of the best race of the year: he pushes out Valtteri Bottas and lets his teammate pass for the podium. The cowboys postpone the duel to the next week in Mexico: the Briton will go there now with a 66-point lead over the German, who will have to gain 17 more points than his rival among the ruins of the earthquake-stricken city to keep the duel alive. But Lewis Hamilton only needs to finish fifth if Sebastian Vettel wins. Otherwise, there would be other favorable combinations. As stated by the president Sergio Marchionne, present in Austin:

 

"The possibility of winning the World Championship is there; the probability says it's less than 50%".

 

But Sebastian Vettel admits:

 

"We believe in it and want to close the business. But today we couldn't go at Lewis's speed; we were a bit like in no man's land".

 

The German driver tried to win in Austin, but this is Lewis Hamilton's territory. At the start, he tightens with Seb, but the German doesn't get intimidated, and instead, he pulls away on the outside, on the left, and takes the lead. The Englishman stays close, remains composed, and communicates to the engineers that the race pace seems very good, so good that after a few laps, on the sixth, he approaches the opponent to open the accelerator in the DRS zone and give up to 4 seconds of distance to the enemy before the double yellow flag caused by Daniel Ricciardo, whose Red Bull shuts down with a puff of smoke. Ferrari seizes the opportunity to call Vettel to the pits and try the undercut on Lewis: the Englishman resists for a few laps, then responds by using the same strategy as the German. Same tires, different intensity. Hamilton takes off, almost five seconds ahead, an eternity. 

fotor-202311109154.jpeg

Plan B, a second pit stop, brings Sebastian Vettel back to fourth place. His teammate's work on Valtteri Bottas and then his own sacrifice open up second place and hope. Meanwhile, Max Verstappen puts on a show and rises to third place, but will ultimately be penalized with a 5-second penalty for a track-cutting overtake on the Finn. Up there, Lewis Hamilton is unmovable. If ever there was a need, he had been blessed by the priest of the temple of speed, Usain Bolt, who took a ride on a lizard-green Mercedes Gt just before the race. He waves the green flag to start. His friend Lewis leaves his illuminated mark, and he will be the one to interview him on the podium.

 

"The best feeling in the world".

 

Seeing the moon up close. Jos Verstappen, father of Max Verstappen, the young and rising Formula 1 driver for Red Bull, didn't quite like the five-second penalty for overtaking Ferrari's Kimi Räikkönen in the United States Grand Prix. In fact, the former driver launches a social media attack against the FIA and Ferrari, guilty - in his opinion - of taking away his son's podium obtained with an overtaking deemed irregular by the stewards, according to the regulations, on the last lap against the Finnish Ferrari, for having crossed the track limit with all four tires after a fantastic comeback, starting from the sixteenth position on the grid.

 

"Only Max was penalized for crossing the track line; it wasn't done to anyone else throughout the entire weekend. Obviously, Formula One doesn't know what it means to race; shame on the FIA".

 

Jos Verstappen writes on Twitter, then posting an image with the FIA logo and the caption "Ferrari International Assistance." In another message, he doubles down:

 

"This is bullshit, sorry, but it's disgusting; FIA, shame on you".


instagram
twitter
youtube
whatsapp
tiktok
spotify

©​ 2024 Osservatore Sportivo

Team

Contact us

Info

Create Website with flazio.com | Free and Easy Website Builder