The tires were cooking like barbeque. The drivers were in cowboy boots and horses (for Daniel Ricciardo). Crashes covered the track in debris. We went racing the American way.
Yee-Haw. What a race that was. So much happened in the race that I needed to watch it another few times to digest everything that happened entirely.
There were several crashes on the track, a car went 45 degrees in the air, and Shaq returned to present the race trophy.
The racing was spectacular on the track, with everything a dry way could provide. Red Bull, the team who never makes pitstop mistakes, had an issue with their tire gun. There were some good old fashion undercuts and overtook all over the track.
Red Bull won the Constructor’s Champions, but I can’t help feeling uneasy about their wins. Newey built a heck of a car. That thing drives like a monster on four wheels, but the cost cap scandal looms large over there. I want to give them credit, but I can only once I know the nature of the violation and if the FIA deemed it worthy of a sporting penalty.
Still, with the cloud of the cost cap scandal looming about everyone’s head, the race provided magic.
Not So Smooth Operator
What a nightmare season for Carlos Sainz; his car has been beached, battered, and bruised all season long. It is a shame because of how much pace Ferrari has, and the performances that Carlos can extract from the car are genuinely astounding.
At the start of the race, Carlos began on one due to a beautiful lap during qualifying. He gained just enough pace in the first section to make the difference and earn pole position.
He immediately lost the position due to Max’s raging Red Bull. When the cars reached the corner, Carlos was shocked to see George sticking his nose out so much. At this point, it was too late.
George Russell was totally at fault for this incident. He was trying to prevent Hamilton from taking the corner and forcing Lewis behind him. While accepting that inside line and going back outside, he went straight into the Formula 1 car of Carlos Sainz.
Carlos Sainz added to his season of terrible luck. He happened to cut across George while Russell attempted a risky maneuver. Carlos could have done more, considering the risk of letting Max Verstappen build a significant lead.
This moment is the perfect headstone for Carlos’ season, filled with mistakes and errors.
Russell’s early run of consistency has taken a downward spiral for the past few races. Hamilton is catching him in terms of race pace, while George is pushing too hard as a measure of overcompensation.
Both of these drivers need to keep their noses clean going forward. Russell needs to relax in the car and look to survive going forward. Carlos Sainz could use momentum entering the following season as Ferrari look to challenge for a title next year.
A Stroll Around The Track
What a crash! It seemed to be another Alonso overtake when Lance Stroll jinked his car to the left. This last-minute move resulted in this insane crash. The move was made by the book when it came to Alonso.
The fault was purely on Stroll for that last-minute move. He just realized that Alonso was coming too late and made an incredibly late move.
Lance was given a 3-place grid penalty for this mistake after the race.
A 3 place grid penalty is incredibly light due to how dangerous the move was. That could have ended much worse for Alonso and even Stroll, who was in the middle of the track.
Stroll deserves a race ban for that maneuver. The FIA needs to stamp out those last-minute jinks from the sport for the safety of the drivers. Even in real-time, it is visible that Stroll purposefully made the late move.
Race Pace Analysis
@F1DataAnalysis is one of the best accounts on Twitter when it comes to data from an F1 race. According to their data, the red bull car was the fastest on the track. Hamilton’s Mercedes held its own in the race, beating out the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc.
The Mercedes usually does well during the race while struggling in qualifying sessions. This trend played out at the USGP, with the Mercedes qualifying 5th and 6th.
Hamilton’s race pace is a great thing for Mercedes in the future, but it also showcases how much they need to improve to catch Red Bull.
Ocon’s pace at this track is underwhelming, considering how fast the Alpine car is. Gasly and Yuki got a lot out of the Alphatauri, a car that has struggled all season long. Charles Leclerc’s massive variation in race pace boils down to the tires working. He has faced some traffic since he started in 12th place, but his uneasiness with the tires still causes some fluctuations.
The most significant gap between teammates, unfortunately, is Ricciardo and Norris. Lando is flying that McLaren, showcasing a team building a car to make the driver comfortable. After two solid performances, Ricciardo fell off a Texas-sized cliff in the race. He cannot produce in the car this season, and after losing so much confidence, it could get worse from here on it.
Horsey McHorse showed up to race!
While his racing isn’t up to his standard, Daniel Ricciardo’s flair is better than ever. He arrived on a horse with its own media pass and a stars and stripes jacket. Toothpick in mouth, Ricciardo was followed by a country-playing band.
His vibe is genuinely unique, and Ricciardo loves Texas so much. It has something to do with Texas’ climate and geography, similar to Daniel’s home country of Australia. He needs to remain around the paddock in sort of fashion or form.
The USGP will be the same with him next year, but hopefully, ESPN or Sky will offer him a commentary role.
No one does Texas like Ricciardo.
Williams wins the Livery Race
Williams won the competition for the most American livery. They showcased this special edition livery at a pop-up event. The stars and stripes complement each other so well. The navy stars flashed on the red and blue stripes look clean. The white chosen on the nose of the car is two-toned. One of them is a bright white, and the other is a more matte white.
This Williams livery does laps around Haas’ livery. It is a shame Williams did not race in it, but there is always next year!
With Logan Sargeant in their car, Williams will gain many fans at the United States Gran Prix.
Tweet of the Week
Oh, the irony………
The Free pitstop 