American GP Thread - Contains Spoilers so feck off with complaining if see something ya dnt like.

[Fernando]

Standard - No abusing unless it's me because you suck (Just kidding...well maybe)

Times for the UK
P1: 3pm
P2: 7PM
P3: 3PM Saturday
Qualifying: 6PM
Race: 8PM Sunday

With three races and a maximum of 100 points remaining to decide this year’s Formula One drivers’ championship, the focus during this weekend’s United States Grand Prix should have been entirely on the racing.

But instead, F1 arrives in Austin as a sport on the brink of crisis with two teams – Caterham and Marussia – having fallen into administration since the last race, leaving a meagre field of 18 entrants for this weekend’s grand prix.

Given F1’s eagerness to conquer the American market in a state which prides itself on having the largest of everything, it’s an unfortunate coincidence this year’s race will have the smallest grid since the infamous 2005 United States Grand Prix at Indianapolis. Three years since F1’s last race at the Circuit of the Americas, the field is now 25% smaller.

Although Marussia and Caterham were only ever going to be contesting the minor positions, the loss of these four cars will have a significant impact on this grand prix weekend. The regulations do not cover the potential for just 18 cars in qualifying, but we will likely see a reduction to the number of cars eliminated from the first two qualifying stages to accommodate the reduced number of cars.

Marussia’ inability to race in the USA means local fans will miss the opportunity to see Alexander Rossi in action, as was widely expected to happen. And the sport’s profile in America would certainly have benefitted from having a local driver.

But while this will be a race weekend dominated by politics, the thousands of fans that will flock to the Circuit of the Americas for its third grand prix will no doubt be more concerned about the duel for the drivers’ championship.

Lewis Hamilton arrives at Austin with a 17-point advantage over Nico Rosberg, and seeking a fifth successive victory to further extend his lead. However Hamilton cannot secure the title this weekend.

He was the first driver to win at the Circuit of the Americas when it opened in 2012. Designed as a purpose-built, permanent home for Formula One in the United States, the venue has proved by far the most popular recent addition to the calendar among drivers, teams and fans. Taking inspiration from a variety of famous European circuits, COTA provides a variety of challenges around its three distinct sectors.

Circuit of the Americas circuit information
Lap length 5.513km (3.426 miles)
Distance 56 laps (308.7km/191.8 miles)
Lap record* 1’39.347 (Sebastian Vettel, 2012)
Fastest lap 1’35.657 (Sebastian Vettel, 2012)
Tyres Medium and Soft
*Fastest lap set during a Grand Prix

The wide, uphill braking zone into the first corner invites drivers into daredevil lunges before the high-speed sweepers test both driver precision and aerodynamic efficiency. The long back straight offers a second prime overtaking area, with the final sector proving to be perhaps the most difficult for drivers to master during the sport’s first two visits.

A high average lap speed means Mercedes-powered cars will likely enjoy an advantage this weekend. Following criticism that previous tyre choices for this race were too conservative, Pirelli have responded by nominating the soft and medium compounds for this weekend.

With the sport still reeling from the horrific accident suffered by Jules Bianchi in Suzuka, F1 will also trial a new yellow flag speed limit system during free practice this weekend, designed to increase driver and marshal safety after an accident. If successful, we could well see the system introduced during races next season.

[GSC]

Sounds like itll be 4 out each session.

[Guest]

Ricciardo's new beard deserves to gain him a couple of tenths. Looking forward to this weekend, hopefully Lewis is wearing that cowboy hat on the top step once more.

[dyrewolfe]

With the sport still reeling from the horrific accident suffered by Jules Bianchi in Suzuka, F1 will also trial a new yellow flag speed limit system during free practice this weekend, designed to increase driver and marshal safety after an accident. If successful, we could well see the system introduced during races next season.

Yellow flag?

So instead of just slowing down (a bit) in the crash area, presumably there will be a mandatory speed limit for the whole lap now?

Probably a sensible move...gives the marshals more time to clear any cars / wreckage and means drivers don't have to brake going into the affected section, then get back up to race speed for the rest of the lap.


Looking forward to this one...reckon the Circuit of the Americas is the best of the new tracks and has potential to produce exciting races.

Barring any technical problems, we're probably looking at another Mercedes 1-2, but hopefully there will be some good duels further down the grid.

[Fernando]

Welcome to Bernie-Land People

Bernie Ecclestone has warned that only fourteen cars may be on the grid in 2015 as a result of F1's escalating financial crisis.

Caterham and Marussia have both entered administration this month, leaving just nine teams and eighteen cars to participate in this weekend's United States GP.

However, according to Ecclestone, other teams may yet follow the two backmarkers out of the sport as F1's financial strife, starkly revealing the vast chasm that exists between the haves and the have-nots on the grid, shows no sign of abating.

"It could go down to 14. If we lose another two teams that is what will happen. I can’t predict if it won’t or it will. But if it is 18 no drama at all," Ecclestone told Sky Sports F1.

Asked if he felt that F1 needed small teams, Ecclestone replied: “We need them if they are going to be there performing properly and not moving around with begging buckets."

The 84-year-old then expressed his frustration with the reduced sound of F1 since the introduction of V6 engines, complaining: “We need to change the regulations. Get rid of these engines because they don’t do anything for anyone. They are not Formula 1.”

The demise of Caterham and Marussia has prompted renewed speculation that the sport may introduce a three-car format next year. However, doubts are growing about the viability of a system which may be even more cost prohibitive than the current financial set-up in F1.

“It is a short-term fix, but a long-term disaster as far as I am concerned. I have been told this morning that it would cost 35 to 40 million to run an extra car next year and it won’t probably be able to score points, but that isn’t clear yet,” Sky Sports F1 analyst Martin Brundle reported from Austin

“But how are you going to get your money back for that car? There aren’t going to be enough young drivers to pay £35 to £40 million. New sponsors? McLaren are running around without a title sponsor already. So you look at that and think how is that actually going to work?"

It’s believed that if the new format was introduced then the third car could be piloted by a designated young driver, although it’s also possible that, in a further convoluted twist, not all of the remaining teams would field a third car.

“I believe there are three teams – McLaren, Red Bull and Ferrari – which will be the first to be offered the chance to run a third car, then it will go to Mercedes and others. It is quite a complicated system as only Formula 1 seems to be able to achieve,” explained a frustrated Brundle.

This weekend's grid is the smallest fielded since the Monaco GP of 2005, although a new team in the form of the American-based Haas outfit is scheduled to join the sport for 2016.

In a statement released on Thursday, the FIA, the sport’s governing body, admitted that the crippling financial struggles of Caterham and Marussia raised questions about the sport’s ‘economic balance’ and justified ‘any initiative that will help reduce costs in order to ensure the survival of the existing grid or attract potential new entrants’.

Both Lotus and Sauber are believed to be heavily in debt, with the team boss of the Swiss outfit, Monisha Kaltenborn, outspoken in her criticism of a scenario in which a sport generated over $1 billion per annum is struggling to find enough cars to fill the grid.

“I think I’m beyond the stage of frustration,” Kaltenborn told reporters on Friday. “I’m first of all very disappointed because it’s one thing to always talk about this terrible scenario that some teams are not going to be there but that’s the sport as such and the people responsible for the sport - to have let it come that far is extremely disturbing."

Administrators for the Caterham team have confirmed that the Leafield outfit may be wound up in two weeks' time if a new buyer cannot be found.

[dyrewolfe]

Absolutely hysterical!


Someone obviously forgot to remind Bernie that this situation is largely his own making, since he basically controls the finances of F1.

I'm sure he could, at a stroke, arrange for the re-distribution of TV money and any other funds that aren't generated by the teams themselves.

I'm amazed that someone with his undoubted business acumen hasn't realised that having a situation in which the wealthiest (or most financially secure) teams get the largest share of this money, isn't the best way to help the smaller, less well-financed teams.

Has he thought about reducing the entry fees teams have to pay in order to compete?

Has he ever actually considered ANY measures that might help F1 become more open and affordable to newcomers, instead of pushing it to become more exclusive and elitist - only feasible to those with vast financial resources?

I'm guessing probably not.

IMO he's a nothing but a total hypocrite. This latest statement is nothing but a feeble attempt to shift the blame away from his own selfish and incredibly greedy actions.

The 84-year-old then expressed his frustration with the reduced sound of F1 since the introduction of V6 engines, complaining: “We need to change the regulations. Get rid of these engines because they don’t do anything for anyone. They are not Formula 1.”

Granted the hybrid power plants are expensive, but they are not the sole reason running a F1 teams has become so incredibly costly. Try again Bernie...in fact try looking in the mirror for the main reason...

The only reason to ditch the hybrid power systems would be the cost (though that would still only put a dent in teams' overall budgets). They've been surprisingly reliable, the cars are only a few seconds slower and the noise they produce is actually more pleasant than the ear-splitting screech of the V8s and V10s.

With the impending end of the ban on engine development, I've no doubt the teams will be able to improve them further.

[CaledonianCraig]

Time to play spot the F1 car in final practice which starts at 3pm.

[Fernando]

Rosberg takes pole by 4 tenths from Hamilton & Bottas. Was a walk in the park that for Nico, Lewis seemingly having braking issues all weekend can't afford to lose the rear end again like in P2.

[Guest]

Yeah, had issues throughout with braking. Top job by Nico, but if Lewis' issues subside during the race, I wouldn't bet against him hunting Nico down, like he did with Vettel a few years ago.

[Fernando]

Id be surprised if Mercedes would be able to do much about it being in Parc-Ferme can't change like Germany cos it's not safety related. Shall be an interesting race seems Lewis is more race prepared by S1 times then Nico in qualifying that being said he was faster in S2/3 so shall be fun to see if Lewis can keep him behind if ever gets ahead.

[Fernando]

Marcus Ericcson joins Sauber for 2015.

[Guest]

Sutil/Ericcson? Surprised they've announced this, without actually knowing for sure what's happening next year. Gutierrez is an absolute joker though, so he must be gone.

[Gerry SA]

Sutil/Ericcson? Surprised they've announced this, without actually knowing for sure what's happening next year. Gutierrez is an absolute joker though, so he must be gone.

Gutierrez brings a lot of money, so depending on what Alonso and Grosjean do, he could end up at Lotus in 2015.

[Fernando]

I suspect Esteban will be retained due to funding.

Force India considering dropping out tomorrow's race in protest over funding etc

[Gerry SA]

Rosberg becomes the first man to beat Hamilton in qualifying in Hamilton's F1 career. I never would've predicted that at the beginning of 2014.

[Gerry SA]

I suspect Esteban will be retained due to funding.

Force India considering dropping out tomorrow's race in protest over funding etc

Sutil seems to find away of staying on the grid above better drivers...

[Guest]

Force India considering dropping out tomorrow's race in protest over funding etc

Vijay has said he knows nothing about a boycott. I think Bob has been put in place.

As for Lewis being beat in qualifying, it has surprised me, but Nico has done a top job on Saturdays. Just glad Lewis has dominated Sundays. Hamilton's qualifying has just been plagued with either issues of his own making in Austria & Silverstone or other issues out of his control, like in Monaco with Nico's antics & the two mechanical problems in Hungary where his engine blew up & Germany where his breaks failed. Nico's had a pretty clean Saturday at every weekend off the top of my head, so not surprised to see him beat Lewis in the end.

[Gerry SA]

Force India considering dropping out tomorrow's race in protest over funding etc

Vijay has said he knows nothing about a boycott. I think Bob has been put in place.

As for Lewis being beat in qualifying, it has surprised me, but Nico has done a top job on Saturdays. Just glad Lewis has dominated Sundays. Hamilton's qualifying has just been plagued with either issues of his own making in Austria & Silverstone or other issues out of his control, like in Monaco with Nico's antics & the two mechanical problems in Hungary where his engine blew up & Germany where his breaks failed. Nico's had a pretty clean Saturday at every weekend off the top of my head, so not surprised to see him beat Lewis in the end.

Issues aside it's a feather in Rosberg's cap.

Alonso(double world champion) and Button(con artist world champion) couldn't beat Hamilton in qualifying.

[mystiroakey]

Lewis was nursing it. He is looking at the bigger picture i am sure.

He knows he has just as much chance beating rosberg from 2nd or first. Rosberg just can't beat him and hasn't in a non affected race condition.

Anyway it makes it more exiting watching LH overtaking rosberg than rosberg either trying and failing or just falling back.

[Fernando]

Safety Car out on Lap 1 after Sutil/Perez clash. Everyone gets a free pitstop bar the people who past it believe both Mercedes & Williams...

[mystiroakey]

Perfect race from lewis once again so far. Riccardo again showing he is the young driver of the year by some distance.

[Bull]

Boring Race.

[Fernando]

No idea what you were watching then Bull been decent enough lots of overtaking & Incidents. 

I went past your house the other day 

[Guest]

Hamilton secures another win. Nico just isn't good enough or fast enough. What's that 10-4 in race wins in favour of Lewis now. Quite a decent race

[Bull]

How did you go past my house the other day?

[Fernando]

How did you go past my house the other day?

In a car 

[Guest]

Andretti is a having a mare on the podium.

[mystiroakey]

Hamilton secures another win. Nico just isn't good enough or fast enough. What's that 10-4 in race wins in favour of Lewis now. Quite a decent race

Driving wise there are not close. Has nico overtaken him more than once all year. And even then lewis took him back.

[Bull]

How did you go past my house the other day?

In a car 

Explain??? HOw do you know it was my house??

[Guest]

Travesty if Lewis don't win this championship, gulf in class is huge. Worrying thing is, even if Lewis wins Brazil & Nico DNF's, Lewis will be the dreaded 49 points in the lead.

Thought it was a decent race, loved that Vergne move on Grosjean.

[mystiroakey]

How did you go past my house the other day?

In a car 

Explain??? HOw do you know it was my house??

Dude you have a stalker . seek professional help.

[Guest]

Travesty if Lewis don't win this championship, gulf in class is huge. Worrying thing is, even if Lewis wins Brazil & Nico DNF's, Lewis will be the dreaded 49 points in the lead.

Agree, Lewis is just playing with him now. Rosberg might have the Saturday performance this season but Sunday's have been an embarrassingly evident showing of the difference in class between the two drivers.

[liverbnz]

Hamilton again too good for rosberg on the options. Rosberg's best chance of ever winning the WDC is slipping away fast.

Despite Sky doing their best to make it seem like other teams are competitive with Merc, their dominance is making F1 incredibley boring. Apparently they broke some 60 year old record for laps led in a race during the season. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Still, at least I got to laugh at Button. Well done Ricciardo again.

[GSC]

I forgot the race was on, watched NFL instead.

Pretty much sums up the current standard of F1.

[Trebs]

Agree GSC, it's not as interesting anymore.

It's a disgrace what's happening to the poorer teams, but it only matters if less people watch, and I hope that happens. Problem is there's the battle between Hamilton and Rosberg, which will be extremely interesting come the final race if Rosberg can beat Hamilton next time out.

I'm also gutted the final race isn't in Brazil, I wonder why Bernie would want the final race in Abu Dhabi instead

[GSC]

Abu Dhabi had to make overtakes possible to get the finale back. I'm sure we all look fondly back at the non event of 2010.

[GSC]

Alonso to McLaren on a 2 year deal with a further 1 year option.

Magnusson favorite to partner him, with the more expensive Button punted.

To be honest, if it doesn't pick up next year I might lose all interest. I'm barely keeping up as it is these days.

[liverbnz]

Had to laugh the other week when Brundle said that is was unbelievable that Button still hasn't a seat for 2015. It really isn't Martin, he's just not that good - and nowhere near as good as you guys like to make out on commentary.

Which brings me to moan numbe 20 this morning about F1 - David 'fanboy' Croft is really beginning to grate on me.

[Guest]

Brundle/Button have been in bed together for years, so it's not surprising to see him defending Button religiously. That's just a sensible, financial decision from McLaren in choosing Magnussen, even though he's bang average. Just glad the Alonso saga will be over soon, he's already stated he wants the third title or he's retiring. If it doesn't start well with Honda, he won't make that third year.

@GSC - I don't see it picking up next year in terms of competition, both of Hamilton's biggest threats are moving to teams in transition. If engines remain frozen, Mercedes will remain top dogs in this current cycle.

[GSC]

Which brings me to moan numbe 20 this morning about F1 - David 'fanboy' Croft is really beginning to grate on me.

Seen Coulthard describe Hamilton as Superman and Buddha lately. Doesn't get better wherever you go.

[GSC]

Yeah thats the problem really. I genuinely couldn't care about Marussia or Caterham going, they do nothing every race except provide chicanes for the leaders. I just want to see an unmitigated title fight between different teams. All these engines have done is swap one fairly dominant team for an exceptionally dominant one. Its getting to the point where I can't be bother to keep up anymore, not sure I'm alone there.

[Guest]

Vettel was superhuman & unbeatable back in the day. Typically media stories. Fact is Vettel & Hamilton were a class well above their teammates, so this is too be expected.

[GSC]

At least Webber was in and around the pack so the title and constructors weren't a complete writeoff.

Excluding mechanical issues, the Mercs are a second a lap clear most tracks, regardless of driver.

[Guest]

I do just want this season over now. The Merc is too good, Hamilton should already be champion & now it's just an excruciating wait to see if Hamilton's potential unreliability makes this become a farce & the sport loses it credibility. How can a 10 time winner potentially lose a title to a (what is it?) 10 time runner up of second places? The gulf in class is embarrassing now, Rosberg can't do anything. He constably makes mistakes when Hamilton's behind him, he can't overtake........abysmal really.

For the good of the sport, Alonso should of just bought out Rosberg's contract at Mercedes & we had a Hamilton/Alonso duel for 2015. That would of bought the excitement back, as it stands, as long as Hamilton is reliable, he just plays with Rosberg. It's like taking candy of a baby currently. Rosberg's pole position conversion rate is just laughable. GSC, your right, this just needs ending.

[Mad for Chelsea]

trouble is, last time we had two top drivers in a competitive car was 2007, and they ended up not even winning the WDC because of their squabbling, so teams simply won't take the risk anymore.

That means the only way we'll have a decent fight for the title is if two cars with top drivers have similar ability, or one car with decent drivers is a little better than (one or several) of the top drivers cars.

This year the dominance of the Mercedes has been fairly obscene, but I don't think it's any worse than Red Bull for most of last year. At least the WDC is still open, the second half of last year (where all teams other than RBR pretty much wrote it off to concentrate on this year) was worse IMO.

It would be farcical of course if Hamilton didn't win this year, his 10 wins to 4 highlight that. I think we'd all love it if Hamilton, Vettel and Alonso were in similarly fast cars, Ricciardo too who looks great to me (actually reminds me of Hamilton when he first arrived). Here's hoping next year's a bit more exciting.

Wouldn't worry about the media, as Liam says Vettel was the best thing since sliced bread last year, this year it's Hamilton, there are always bandwagonners...

[dyrewolfe]

Well, it was a pretty exciting race anyway, with a good amount of action throughout the field. Some good duels involving Alonso, Ricciardo, Button, Kvyat and Grosjean to name a few.

A decent, albeit brief, tussle between Rosberg and Hamilton for the lead. Thought Nico braked a bit early for the corner - at least Lewis seemed to pass him pretty easily. Wonder if there were any teams discussions beforehand, or did the nerves / pressure just get to Rosberg again. He doesn't seem to like having Hamilton behind him.

Phenomenal drive by Ricciardo after a poor start - coupled with some good pit strategy to get him ahead of the Williams. If this guy isn't a world champion in the next couple of seasons there is something very wrong. Good recovery drive by Vettel, considering his heart can't be in it AND he had to make a very late stop which cost him places.

Another solid performance for Williams, though a bit embarrassing they let a Red Bull get ahead of them. A bit like Rosberg they seem to perform better in qualifying than in the race. Still comfortably faster than everyone behind them though.

Gutsy drive from Vergne to get his Toro Rosso in the top 10. The Lotuses looked unusually racy too. Have they finally made a developmental breakthrough?

[dummy_half]

I thought it was a pretty decent race. Pity that there are two divisions at the moment - Mercedes and then everyone else.

Good overtake from Hamilton, although I thought Nico was wrong to try and hang with him round the outside rather than brake a bit more and try for the cut back underneath (Hami was always going to run him on to the grass if he tried to hold the position). A real kick in the teeth for Rosberg though, after dominating qualifying, to lose out on the track in the race. Let's just hope Bernie's silly double points thing doesn't give Nico an undeserved title at the end of the year.

Very good drive (again) from Ricciardo, who must be the driver to have most enhanced his reputation this season, and decent from the Williams pair, although they will be wondering how the podium slipped away.

Some excellent scrapping for the minor points all race, and good to see Lotus actually in the mix for once. Good agressive racing from JEV to make the opportunistic pass on Grosjean.

[Fernando]

I thought  it was a pretty decent race. Pity that there are two divisions at the moment - Mercedes and then everyone else.

Good overtake from Hamilton, although I thought Nico was wrong to try and hang with him round the outside rather than brake a bit more and try for the cut back underneath (Hami was always going to run him on to the grass if he tried to hold the position). A real kick in the teeth for Rosberg though, after dominating qualifying, to lose out on the track in the race. Let's just hope Bernie's silly double points thing doesn't give Nico an undeserved title at the end of the year.

Very good drive (again) from Ricciardo, who must be the driver to have most enhanced his reputation this season, and decent from the Williams pair, although they will be wondering how the podium slipped away.

Some excellent scrapping for the minor points all race, and good to see Lotus actually in the mix for once. Good agressive racing from JEV to make the opportunistic pass on Grosjean.

He got a 5 second penalty for that dropping him to 10th and Pastor back up to 9th

[banbrotam]

For the good of the sport, Alonso should of just bought out Rosberg's contract at Mercedes & we had a Hamilton/Alonso duel for 2015. That would of bought the excitement back, as it stands, as long as Hamilton is reliable, he just plays with Rosberg

I'm not certain if it would. I mean who's improved the most - rookie or the then two time Champion?

I'm no longer convinced that 'like for like' Alonso is with Hamilton. It's like Kimi, just doesn't seem the same

I actually think that all the drivers from 10 years ago are starting to look their age and think that seasons changes are a step too much for them

Yes of course the car is vital, but I still think Lewis has gone up a notch as you'd expect a driver at his peak and age might have caught up with some of the others

We'll see next season

Hamilton and Ricardo would be fun - not least as because they both mutually respect each other

[Fernando]

Entry list in full for 2015

Company: Red Bull Racing Limited (AUT); Team name: Infiniti Red Bull Racing.

Company: Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Limited (DEU); Team name: Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team.

Company: Ferrari SpA (ITA); Team name: Scuderia Ferrari.

Company: Lotus F1 Team Limited (GBR); Team name: Lotus F1 Team.

Company: McLaren Racing Limited (GBR); Team name: McLaren Honda.

Company: Force India Formula 1 Team Limited (IND); Team name: Sahara Force India F1 Team.

Company: Sauber Motorsport AG (CHE); Team name: Sauber F1 Team.

Company: Scuderia Toro Rosso SPA (ITA); Team name: Scuderia Toro Rosso.

Company: Williams Grand Prix Engineering Limited (GBR); Team name: Williams Martini Limited.

Company: Manor Grand Prix Racing Limited (GBR)*; Team name: Manor F1 Team.

Company: 1Malaysia Racing Team SDN BHD (MAL); Team name: CF1 Caterham F1 Team.

*Subject to confirmation

[Sponsored content]