On Sunday, October 21, 2018, at the Circuit of the Americas, located in Travis County near Austin, Texas, the United States Grand Prix will take place. This race marks the eighteenth round of the Formula 1 World Championship. Lewis Hamilton, appearing calm and smiling, anticipates the press conference on Thursday preceding the Grand Prix, which could potentially secure his fifth World Champion title.
"I don't have any particular feelings; it's a weekend like any other, and as always, we want to win. The weather is quite variable, but we need to replicate the performances of the past races, and that's our goal. We continuously improve the car throughout the year, enhance our understanding of it, and make the most of it".
To clinch the championship, Hamilton needs to extend his lead over Vettel from 67 to 75 points. Even if Vettel were to win the last three races, reaching Hamilton in points, he would lose the championship due to having fewer victories.
"We haven't thought about how cool it would be to win the title here because we are focused on winning, which is our objective. There are still 100 points available, and we expect Ferrari to react strongly. That's why we need to come here and raise the bar even higher. I want to achieve the goal without adding extra pressure. Tomorrow, for example, it should be wet, making it challenging to prepare the car for Saturday, so nothing is guaranteed".
Hamilton then reflects on the possibility of reaching Juan Manuel Fangio's five World Champion titles:
"He is somewhat the godfather of all of us. The greatest at the dawn of F1, and it's crazy to be on the verge of reaching the same number of titles won".
Hamilton revisits his defense of Sebastian Vettel after the Japanese Grand Prix, where the Ferrari driver faced criticism.
"I believe if he were in the same position, he would have done the same thing. We are all part of the drivers' association, and there must be mutual respect. Seb is one of the greatest in recent years, a four-time world champion, and everything we do is magnified. But there have been other times when he has been respectful when I was in difficulty".
A question arises about Mick Schumacher's success in F3, son of seven-time World Champion Michael Schumacher.
"I don't think carrying the Schumacher name is a burden for Mick. Of course, he is the son of one of the greatest drivers of all time, certainly the one with the most titles. He is doing a great job, a talented guy, with a team that is nurturing him well. If he makes it to F1, it would be positive for our sport".
Fernando Alonso also shares his opinion on Mick Schumacher:
"I don't know him; I only see the results from the outside, and he seems like a great talent. It's positive for the sport to have the name Schumacher in F1, but let's not put more pressure on him than he already has. Let's give him time".
Returning to the title battle, Sebastian Vettel seeks redemption and hopes to shine on the Austin track.
"We can't wait for this weekend in Austin. I think Suzuka helped us understand some aspects. In the last two races, we didn't have the right speed, so let's see what the other races bring, also in terms of performance. Unfortunately, some races didn't go well, and our opponents benefited. But now we shouldn't look at the past because we can't change it. We need to focus and look ahead, trying to do our best. Then we'll see what happens. We heard it might rain this weekend. Rain hasn't helped us this year, but I'm not afraid because our car is fast, whether the track is dry or not".
On his part, Kimi Raikkonen, potentially crucial in the championship fight for his teammate, says:
"I like Austin; it's a nice circuit. Over the years, we've had contrasting weather conditions here. Last year was good, and in previous years, it was quite wet. Surely, this will play a significant role in the weekend, and today it seems to be wintry again. Generally, we haven't been very strong in the rain, but the final result will depend on many other factors, such as the asphalt, conditions, and whether it will be possible to make the tires work or not. Of course, we want to do well in the last races of the season. I'm sure we can return to high levels".
Fernando Alonso, about to leave Formula 1, praises the young colleague approaching his fifth world title.
"Lewis showed his talent right away. We knew that five or six world titles would be possible for him, even if the move to Mercedes didn't seem like a great move at first. He won even when the car wasn't at its best, like in 2009. And now he has to enjoy it".
Speaking of the race, the Spanish McLaren driver hopes for variable weather that helps mix things up.
"As always, it will be a special race here. We hope to see a great show".
At the end of this season, Daniel Ricciardo will leave Red Bull Racing to join Renault, a team currently not performing well. However, the Australian driver is not concerned.
"I know they have a lot of work ahead, expanding their department to be stronger in 2019 and the following years. But I don't look too much at their results this year because next year there will be a new car, and we'll start from scratch. Once this year is over, I'll try to immerse myself fully in the new adventure to try to progress".
Sergio Perez will continue to drive for Racing Point Force India F1 in the next season. The official announcement came from the team. The Mexican driver, currently seventh in the Drivers' World Championship and the only one outside the top three teams to step on the podium in 2018, has been with Force India since 2014, making his F1 debut with Sauber in 2011. He will compete in his sixth season with the British team. Racing Point Force India F1 Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer says:
"I'm pleased that Sergio continues his journey with us in 2019. Over the past five years, Sergio has confirmed his position as one of the most talented and fair drivers on the Formula 1 grid. He provides us with valuable stability for the future and is a great asset to the team. As we start a new exciting chapter in the life of this team, we are delighted that Sergio will race with us again".
Earlier, on Friday, October 12, 2018, it was announced that George Russell would be the new driver for the Williams team. The talented English driver got the nod from Toto Wolff's management over Esteban Ocon and will have the great opportunity to debut in F1.
However, as a new driver enters F1, another exits and goes to Formula E at the end of the current season. Stoffel Vandoorne announces his move to the HWA Racelab team.
"HWA is a great team with a long history of success in motorsport. It's fantastic to work with such an experienced driver like Gary Paffett. I'm pretty sure we will both benefit from each other's help during the season. My goal is to become competitive as soon as possible".
On Friday, October 19, 2018, the first free practice session took place under wet track conditions. The conditions improved over time, allowing drivers, who started with extreme wet tires, to switch to intermediate tires. Lewis Hamilton set the fastest time, outpacing his teammate Valtteri Bottas by 1.3 seconds, who had been very competitive in the early wet conditions. The two Red Bull Racing cars followed the Anglo-German duo, with the two Ferraris behind them. Max Verstappen, in third, was quite close to Valtteri Bottas's time, while other drivers lagged behind. The session was also interrupted with a red flag due to the need to clean the track after Charles Leclerc went off into the gravel. Esteban Ocon, on the other hand, made a driving error in the pit lane, narrowly avoiding hitting the mechanics. At the end of the session, Sebastian Vettel was penalized with a three-place grid penalty and a deduction of two points on his Superlicense for not correctly respecting the neutralization phase with the use of red flags. The rain also disrupted the second practice session, where no driver circulated for almost an hour. Lewis Hamilton again set the fastest time. The British driver, on intermediate tires, in the final part of the session clocked a time one second faster than the second-placed Pierre Gasly. Max Verstappen closed the practice with the third fastest time, while Daniel Ricciardo, the other Red Bull driver, did not complete a single lap, partly due to a puncture that damaged one set of intermediate tires. His car's engine was also replaced for the rest of the race weekend. The first of Lewis Hamilton's match points received a valuable assist from his direct rival Sebastian Vettel. The Ferrari driver did not adhere to the delta time in two of the mini-sectors that make up the Circuit of the Americas during the red flag regime in the first practice today. Stewards, as in two other instances this season, penalized the infraction with a three-place grid penalty. Just before the official announcement of the relegation, the German driver expressed his view on the incident, saying:
"I don't know what to expect regarding the penalty. The rules are clear; from the car, it seemed to me that I had slowed down enough. They weren't happy because I should have done 27.7 seconds in that sector. Compared to the car in front, I was quite far away, but if we look at the delta time, everyone has to slow down at a predefined rate, so we'll see what the outcome will be. But I believe I did everything I could; I checked if there was an accident, if any car was off the track, and it seemed to me that I slowed down enough".
Onboard camera footage shows the Ferrari driver lifting his foot upon reaching the first panels with red light, going from 200 km/h to just over 100, then accelerating to over 170 km/h before braking again just before the end of the sector, reducing speed to 85 km/h when it's too late. Regarding the speeds he maintained, Vettel later adds:
"I slowed down, took a good look at what was happening. I think this is the first time it has happened in the wet, and in the wet, the delta time is much higher, so I would have had to literally stop at 30 or 40 or 50 km/h to respect it, which I will probably do next time. In my opinion, it's not the right thing; if there's a car behind you, it can end up on top of you, but it's more important that you don't get the penalty".
Speaking of what was seen on the track, the rainy day brought more bad news, with Ferrari appearing to struggle. The same sentiment is straightforwardly confirmed by Vettel:
"We've done enough laps; it's clear that today we weren't competitive. We lacked a lot in terms of performance, and it seems that in these conditions, we are simply not competitive".
The United States Grand Prix did not start under the best auspices for Ferrari. The wet conditions made the Mercedes, as always, unreachable. Additionally, Vettel has already accrued a penalty to be served on the starting grid, and the weather conditions made it impossible to evaluate the effectiveness of technical updates brought to the United States. Ferrari's Team Principal, Maurizio Arrivabene, emphasizes that the team is united, despite reports of tension at Maranello:
"Internal split? All this talk makes me laugh a bit because it's normal that when you're leading the championship, the atmosphere within the team and the people are more motivated. When things don't go in the direction you want, talks about splits start immediately. I've said it a million times, and I hope it's the last time: discussing what's happening is fine; splits have nothing to do with discussions; every discussion leads to a solution. I don't fear discussions; I fear silence".
On the eve of the United States Grand Prix, the FIA judged the solution studied by Mercedes regarding holes in the rear tire rims to be regular. Arrivabene reiterates that Ferrari will continue to make its voice heard:
"We have a Federation that makes regulations, technical directives, and for now, I prefer not to comment because the issue is still open".
During the practice sessions, Sebastian Vettel completed 18 laps in the first practice and 8 in the second, totaling 26. Kimi Raikkonen, on the other hand, completed 20 and 7 laps. Hamilton, despite having done few laps, still enjoyed himself:
"This track is beautiful, and the rain makes the challenge even more exciting. I don't think the intermediates will last long in wet conditions; the full wets gave me better sensations. It was a not very indicative Friday; if the weather improves, we'll see what conditions we find in the next sessions".
Sebastian Vettel's penalty will allow Mercedes to have more opportunities to occupy the entire front row of the United States Grand Prix grid. A one-two finish, with Lewis Hamilton leading, would mathematically give the English driver his fifth world title, an opportunity that the Mercedes team is determined not to miss. After using Valtteri Bottas for team tactics in Monza and Sochi, for example, Toto Wolff admits that it could happen again in Austin, in a favorable situation:
"We discussed it, and I struggled a lot to make this decision".
Hamilton's 67-point lead over Vettel would allow him to secure the title in case of victory and Vettel finishing third or worse. Wolff is determined to close the championship discussion as soon as possible:
"Eventually, if the right circumstances arise on Sunday, we will probably keep the points situation in mind, although it's something I hate. But let's see first how Sunday goes".
The Austrian manager also expresses his opinion on the penalty given to Sebastian Vettel for not slowing down sufficiently under red flag conditions:
"It's difficult because I thought it was a rather tough decision made towards Ocon in Suzuka for the same reason. But a precedent has been set. Obviously, for the championship and for the show, we would have preferred to have him up there with us, fighting".
Like most drivers, Max Verstappen spent much more time in the pit lane than on the track due to the rain at the Texas circuit during the free practice sessions. The young Dutch talent completed only 14 laps, 9 in FP1 and only 5 in FP2.
"To be honest, it might have been better to stay in the hotel, even though the team wouldn't have been so happy. These wet Fridays are always a bit boring, but the laps we did might allow us to be in a good position in case of rain on Saturday or Sunday".
Considering the penalty imposed on Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull could potentially reach at least the second row in Austin. However, Verstappen remains cautious:
"The car can still improve, but it's hard to say how much. I wasn't happy after the first free practice session, and overall, it was a challenging day. We'll have to see our starting position, but at the moment, it's hard to define because tomorrow will be a bit of a gamble since no one has driven on dry conditions".
On Saturday, October 20, 2018, during the third and final practice session, Sebastian Vettel sets the fastest time, just under 0.1s ahead of Kimi Räikkönen. The Maranello team decides not to install the new aerodynamic components that were tested on Friday. Behind the two Ferrari drivers, the Mercedes drivers follow, with Hamilton struggling to bring the tires up to temperature, while Valtteri Bottas is limited by yellow flags when he attempts a quick lap. The two Red Bull drivers settle for fifth and sixth place in this session. Yellow flags are displayed due to the loss of part of the Halo on Brendon Hartley's car. A few hours later, the qualifying session begins with sunny weather conditions. Ferrari drivers are among the first to take to the track, with Sebastian Vettel being faster than Kimi Räikkönen, while Pierre Gasly's time is canceled for not respecting track limits. Behind the Maranello cars, Esteban Ocon is placed first, then surpassed by Max Verstappen. The Mercedes cars revolutionize the standings, with Lewis Hamilton in first and Valtteri Bottas in second. Romain Grosjean sets the best sector time in the first part of the track and finishes with the sixth time, between the two Red Bulls. Shortly after, Max Verstappen is forced to retire from Q1 due to a broken right rear suspension. Before the end of the session, Lewis Hamilton improves his time again. The two McLarens, the two Williams, and Marcus Ericsson are eliminated. Max Verstappen does not participate in Q2 as the suspension is not repaired in time. The two Toro Rosso drivers also do not set valid times since they would start from the last row due to the replacement of several parts of the power unit. Valtteri Bottas sets a time of 1'33"702, leading his teammate Lewis Hamilton by 0.3s.
However, Kimi Räikkönen then sets a time of 1'32"884, establishing a new track record, while Sebastian Vettel laps in 1'33"079 with Medium tires. Hamilton sets another time, this time with Supersoft tires, to secure a spot in the final phase. All drivers, except those from Mercedes, Red Bull, and Ferrari, make a final attempt in the last part of Q2. Kevin Magnussen does not improve and sets the twelfth time, while Esteban Ocon overtakes Sergio Pérez. Romain Grosjean improves, unlike Nico Hülkenberg. Charles Leclerc remains sixth, like Carlos Sainz Jr., who, however, does not beat Nico Hülkenberg's time. Carlos Sainz Jr. and Kevin Magnussen are eliminated, along with the three drivers who did not set a time during the second session. In the decisive phase, Valtteri Bottas immediately sets a time of 1'32"686, improving the track record, but Lewis Hamilton manages to do better with a time of 1'32"567, while Kimi Räikkönen takes third place with a time of 1'33"057. Sebastian Vettel then places himself between the two Anglo-German cars. In the final part of Q3, rain wets some areas of the track. In the last attempt, Valtteri Bottas does not improve in the first sector, which Kimi Räikkönen and Lewis Hamilton do, with Hamilton making a mistake while still setting the best sector time in the second sector. Valtteri Bottas manages to improve in the second sector, as does compatriot Kimi Räikkönen, while Sebastian Vettel sets the best first sector time. Valtteri Bottas finishes with a time of 1'32"616, beaten by Kimi Räikkönen and then by Lewis Hamilton, who laps in 1'32"237 and takes pole position. Sebastian Vettel sets the second-best time but, due to the penalty, will start from the fifth position.
Clearly excited about the work done, Lewis Hamilton expresses his joy for the just-achieved pole position:
"Getting this pole position was very important. We were very close, and in the last attempt, we knew we needed a really solid lap. The first one was good but not perfect, and the second one was the one that allowed me to secure the pole. Especially in the second lap, I did better compared to the previous races, and that makes me happy. The track was a bit green at the beginning, but as it rubbered in, it was incredible. Especially with the headwind, particularly in the esses, it's an incredible feeling. The crowd here is fantastic. I thank all the fans. Let's hope the race is exciting".
With the dry track, Sebastian Vettel redeems himself, with only 0.06s denying him the best time in the United States Grand Prix qualifying, but not the pole position, considering the three-position grid penalty he faces after the infringement in Friday's practice. The Ferrari driver limits the damage and will start the race from the fifth position. The result, however, also serves to bring back some enthusiasm in a period lacking in satisfaction for him and the Maranello team:
"The gap is really very small. I'm happy with the lap I did, especially it's important to see how competitive we were today, considering how far behind we were in the last two occasions. Clearly, though, when you are so close, you want to be in front, so there's a bit of disappointment".
The German driver admits to being positively impressed by the performance of the SF71H:
"I think it was clearly a positive surprise to be faster today compared to the previous races. When you are so close, though, you want to be in front, so it's a bit of a shame, also for the penalty we received, not to have gained one more position. Tomorrow, however, I'm sure we can do something good".
The excellent qualifying for Ferrari saw Kimi Raikkonen finish with almost the same time as Sebastian Vettel: the time difference between them was 0.009s in favor of the German driver. However, the Finn will start from the front row in place of his teammate, penalized three positions for the infringement during FP1, alongside Lewis Hamilton.
"If I had had two more attempts, I could have improved for sure. In the end, though, we managed to do this".
Before starting his last attempt, Kimi Raikkonen reported via radio that a few raindrops were falling on the Austin circuit. Nothing that could heavily affect performance, but in his last timed lap, the Finn still noticed some differences:
"In the last attempt, maybe there was a bit less grip, and I couldn't improve enough. When there's a bit more grip, it's easier to understand how far you can push, but anyway, in the end, I'm quite satisfied".
The cars of Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas will start from the first and third positions on the starting grid of the United States Grand Prix, with the goal of achieving the double that could give the team the victory in the Drivers' World Championship regardless of Sebastian Vettel's finishing position. However, two factors worry the Mercedes team: the difference in tire choice compared to Kimi Raikkonen - who will start second on Ultrasoft - and the straight-line speed of the Ferraris. Looking at the top speed ranking in qualifying, it can be noted that the Finn reached 327.8 km/h, with Vettel at 326.1 km/h.
Further back are Hamilton (323.8 km/h) and Bottas (322.8 km/h): hence the concerns of Toto Wolff, especially regarding the start and the first lap.
"It was a close battle among the top 3. I'm happy with the result, but I'm already thinking about the race. We lack a bit of straight-line speed, so it will be difficult to defend against Ferrari. That's my concern. We can't count them out because of Vettel's penalty, as it has been a close fight throughout the season and will continue to be in the last races. In recent days, everyone talked about a declining Ferrari, but we know well that these exaggerated statements do not reflect reality. Lewis found the pole with an extra push, and we will need a good first lap to maintain the position, considering the tire disadvantage against Kimi at the start".
However, in case the Mercedes team does not win the World Championship title in Austin, Toto Wolff does not dramatize and says:
"We will try to achieve the best possible result, and if we fail to win the title, we will try again in Mexico".
Sebastian Vettel's penalty allows Daniel Ricciardo to start from the second row of the starting grid for the United States Grand Prix. The Australian suffered a significant gap of 1.2s from the pole position but is confident that he can play his cards for a podium finish.
"The gap to the leaders is large. We knew that Mercedes would be strong, but Ferrari also lit up here. I hope and believe that the gap can reduce tomorrow, allowing us to be competitive. If everything goes linearly, it will be difficult to put pressure on them in the race".
Therefore, the Australian will focus on the start, having nothing to lose:
"If we can gain some positions at the start, then we could influence their race pace and thus have a good chance for the podium".
Ricciardo has managed to step onto the podium only twice this season, coincidentally with his victories in 2018 in Shanghai and Monte-Carlo. The Red Bull driver warns his opponents:
"We'll try to launch some missiles and see how it goes. If I have the chance to get on the podium, I won't let it slip away. We are pretty good in the third sector, but in the first and second, we struggle a bit".
At the end of the qualifying, both Valtteri Bottas and Esteban Ocon are called by the stewards to explain their behavior on the track, for slowing down excessively during a in-lap in the United States Grand Prix qualifying. The Finnish Mercedes driver manages to avoid a penalty because, as stated in the FIA statement, he did not drive unreasonably slowly or in a way that obstructed any rival during his in-lap, despite exceeding the maximum time allowed by the regulations. Considering the circumstances, the stewards spared the driver. A penalty would have placed him behind Sebastian Vettel.
"It was a rather straightforward session until the second run of Q3. Everyone improved significantly during the second outing, but I missed a bit of extra grip. I probably didn't find the optimal tire usage window. The third position is not a bad starting position, and my goal will be to get past Kimi to maximize the points for the team. The start of the race will be interesting since Raikkonen will have Ultrasofts, while Lewis and I will have Supersofts".
The same decision was made for Esteban Ocon, who will start from the sixth position on the starting grid after a similar investigation by the stewards. The Frenchman can celebrate the third row obtained in Texas:
"I'm really satisfied with our performance today. I'm the best of the rest, and it's great, but it was a rather tight session. The goal for the race will be to maintain the position and bring home valuable points. The pace is unknown for everyone, due to the rain on Friday, but we are confident in our competitiveness".
On Sunday, October 21, 2018, at the start of the United States Grand Prix, Kimi Räikkönen passes Lewis Hamilton at the first corner, followed by Valtteri Bottas, Daniel Ricciardo, and Sebastian Vettel. The two cars touch, and the German driver spins, dropping down the rankings. The two Renaults and the two Force Indias follow. Due to various incidents in the back, Romain Grosjean and Fernando Alonso retire. In the early laps, Max Verstappen overtakes the two Force Indias. Then, on the sixth lap, he snatches the fifth position from Nico Hülkenberg. Sebastian Vettel also makes a powerful comeback, reaching seventh place on the seventh lap behind the two Renault drivers. Daniel Ricciardo retires on the eighth lap while in fourth place. The race director imposes a Virtual Safety Car period. On the 11th lap, Lewis Hamilton makes a pit stop, switching from Supersoft to Soft tires. The British driver drops to third place, behind his teammate Valtteri Bottas, who slows down to let him retake the second position. Around lap 20, Hamilton approaches Kimi Räikkönen, who resists an initial attack, only to return to the pits for a tire change: the Finn switches to Soft tires. Between laps 22 and 23, Max Verstappen and Valtteri Bottas also make pit stops. Upon returning to the track, the Mercedes driver finds himself behind the Dutchman. Meanwhile, Sebastian Vettel, who had climbed up to second place, concedes the position to Kimi Räikkönen.
The German waits until the 26th lap before making a pit stop. Lewis Hamilton then leads, followed by Kimi Räikkönen, Max Verstappen, Valtteri Bottas, and Sebastian Vettel. However, Hamilton's car slows down due to significant tire degradation, prompting him to pit on lap 37. Kimi Räikkönen regains the lead, with Max Verstappen in second place, ahead of Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton. Again, on the 39th lap, Valtteri Bottas yields his position to Lewis Hamilton. In the final laps, Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton close in on Kimi Räikkönen, while Sebastian Vettel approaches Valtteri Bottas. The top three are within seconds of each other. On the 54th lap, a mistake by Max Verstappen allows Lewis Hamilton to attempt a pass, which is unsuccessful. Shortly after, Sebastian Vettel overtakes Valtteri Bottas and rises to fourth place. Kimi Räikkönen wins the United States Grand Prix. For the Finn, whose last victory was in the 2013 Australian Grand Prix, this marks his first win after 114 races, setting a new record for the longest gap between two victories in Formula 1 history: 15 years, 6 months, and 28 days (equivalent to 294 Grands Prix since his first win at the 2003 Malaysian Grand Prix). Max Verstappen finishes in second place, followed by Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel, Valtteri Bottas, Nico Hulkenberg, Carlos Sainz Jr., Sergio Perez, Brendon Hartley, and Marcus Ericsson.
"Obviously, it was a great weekend; the car performed quite well all the time. I had a good start, had to push to the maximum. The tires weren't in the best condition towards the end when Max approached, but the situation was the same for him. But we maintained a steady pace, keeping the tires alive in the last laps. I'm much happier winning than finishing second. I'm happy, but maybe we'll celebrate a bit later. Timing the return to the pits and keeping the tires until the end was a bit of a balancing act that we had to do. We all won together, and I'm happy for everyone who supported me".
In the press conference, Kimi Raikkonen suggests that he has no intention of reevaluating this second part of his career in light of the victory:
"It's not such an important matter; it's more important for a lot of people. If it comes, it comes. If it hadn't come, my life wouldn't have changed by a millimeter. I'm happy that we are here and that we won. If a person is seen differently just because they won, it doesn't change my way of thinking".
However, the Finn takes the satisfaction of needling the many critics who were not kind to him in his second experience with Ferrari:
"Clearly, I'm happy, and also quite amused to have shown that some were wrong. I might be getting older, but it's not that bad. I still have a few years ahead of me, and I'm happy. We are here to try to win, and I always try to do that, but it's not so simple; otherwise, everyone would do it. We'll definitely celebrate, then we'll think about the next race".
After that, Kimi talks about his next adventure with Alfa Romeo Sauber, denying any friction with Ferrari for not renewing his contract:
"I think people don't understand that I'm very happy. I've had my time with Ferrari; with them, I won my championship and many races. So as a driver now, I want different challenges. Then the Sauber headquarters are 40 minutes from home, and my family will be happy. I think it's the best thing, and I'm not disappointed with this decision. I was only interested in knowing what would happen; I've been in Formula 1 long enough to know that a signed contract is not so important; things happen for various reasons. And the end result is that I'm excited about my future".
Less than fifteen kilometers from the finish, Lewis Hamilton tried to win his fifth world title, but Max Verstappen prevented him from celebrating earlier than planned. After the race, Lewis Hamilton congratulates Kimi Raikkonen for the victory in Texas:
"Congratulations to Kimi; he did a fantastic job today, without any mistakes. Great start and then perfect management. Verstappen also did a great job. I had slightly better tires in the end; clearly, I struggled. I hoped to do better, but in the end, it wasn't possible. We keep pushing for the next race. The first pit stop? There was a very narrow window for the pit stop; I'm not sure it was the right strategy. But it's always challenging because you can only make a difference when you have brand new tires and a 12-second gap; once you close the gap, there's nothing left. I'm happy with the third position. Ferrari has recovered greatly; we are always close, and we have to push next week too".
Certainly, Sebastian Vettel doesn't celebrate either, once again being his own worst enemy: after the error during free practice, where he didn't slow down under red flag conditions, earning a penalty, in the first lap, the German driver collides with Daniel Ricciardo's Red Bull in an attempt to overtake, spins again, and restarts in thirteenth position, too much to recover not only from this, but from all the mistakes of a cursed 2018.
"I believe that evaluating afterwards is always simple. I'm not sure it's my fault when we found ourselves side by side with Ricciardo. I wanted to position myself well for the next turn; he didn't see me, closed, and we touched. For me, it was obviously the same problem as in Japan. It's not an easy period for me for many reasons, not only for race results but also for other things that may be a bit different from the past, but nothing we can't overcome".
The only joy of Vettel's day is, therefore, the victory of his teammate, a sign that the SF71H in Austin has returned to the appreciated car it was until the end of the summer:
"I'm disappointed with my race and for letting the team down, but I'm happy for Kimi. Seeing the good pace we had is nice; we've gone back a couple of steps in the car's specification, and it seems to work much better for both Kimi and me".
The fact that Ferrari returned to victory in the United States, using parts of the previous aerodynamic packages, is a symptom that something is indeed not working. The revised floor after the issues between Russia and Japan was again rejected, while changes to the bargeboard and brake ducts at the front were approved. Sebastian Vettel adds:
"It took too long. On the one hand, it's good news, but if you think about it, there's also the flip side. If we have to go back to a car that was competitive three or four months ago, it certainly can't be good news. I think for us, from a technical point of view, it's important to understand what went wrong".
Vettel admits that it's not easy to pinpoint why it took so long before Ferrari realized they were on the wrong track with their upgrade program:
"It's a bit difficult to explain; I think if you don't see that there's a problem, you don't think there's a problem. We certainly felt that the car wasn't as competitive as before, but if you don't understand that something is wrong, then you don't know that something is wrong. I think all the steps we took seemed to make sense, but now, looking back, it actually wasn't. Clearly, there was something missing, and we still haven't figured out how and why the mistake started to materialize. So, there are a lot of things to do and understand, but I'm pretty sure we'll do what is necessary to overcome the problems".
When asked if negative situations, such as the wrong strategy in the Singapore race or the decision to use intermediates in qualifying in Japan, could have masked some of the car's issues, Vettel adds:
"Of course. Once everything goes from bad to worse, the situation plummets. I think there were too many incidents; I don't believe in luck or unluck, but it's clear that not everything went the right way. But that's unfortunately how it happened".
Summing up, the German takes responsibility even though it's clear that Ferrari's missteps in updates would have also favored the strong return of Mercedes.
"It's not that there's a fundamental problem because, in the end, it seemed much worse than it actually was. And personally, I don't think I have a problem admitting the mistakes I made. I think there were some situations that didn't help us, but I'm convinced that the main reason was the lack of speed to be truly competitive. Then, of course, if you add other factors, the whole thing doesn't help you. Overall, we have the potential, but I think we still have to grow and learn. Consequently, there will be different aspects to review during the winter, including those that concern me".
It should be added that in Austin, the Mercedes team was obliged by the FIA to seal the openings made in the area where the wheel is locked by the nut. The dispute had emerged the week before the United States Grand Prix and concerned the modification made by Mercedes to avoid overheating of the rear tires. A decidedly thorny issue, given that in one way or another, the cars of the Anglo-German team have always suffered from it since 2013.
However, the introduction of the latticed rims at Spa, the modification of the rear suspension kinematics in Singapore, and finally, the update of the coupled pierced rims and hubs at the center, had effectively eliminated the problem, making the W09 impregnable for direct rivals. The FIA, as known, had investigated and initially deemed the solution legal. But later, before the start of the United States Grand Prix, it forced Mercedes to intervene by sealing with silicone the holes in the inner section of the hub-wheel coupling. Interestingly, once the contested holes were closed, the W09 returned to producing earthy performances, including overheating of the rear tread, and Ferrari (which had to return to some elements of the old packages to regain competitiveness) approached again. Ferrari had submitted a letter to the sports governing body to request clarification about the solution devised and adopted by the opponents. The holes in the Mercedes rim had initially been approved because their dimensions were considered such as to constitute a negligible aerodynamic effect. This aspect had not been judged in the same way for the Red Bull solution, that of pierced hubs at the front later banned in 2012 according to the dictates of Article 3.15 of the technical regulations. Confirming the non-compliance of the mentioned solution, the FIA made a U-turn from the initial statement, avoiding opening a probable sports-level dispute. Anyway, after the third place in Austin, Lewis Hamilton - three races from the end of the season - has a 70-point lead over Sebastian Vettel, who can only win if he wants to keep even a minimal hope of the world championship alive:
"We are still fighting for both championships, and that's fine. Now we'll go to Mexico, where we'll try to do our best and hope to get a good result for both drivers and the team. We will fight until the end".
Kimi Raikkonen reiterates, but by now, the fate of the World Championship seems really decided in favor of Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton.