5 to go in Q1.
Isn't it interesting that the only one mathematically capable of beating Hamilton magically gets pole while HAM inexplicably goes fifth? Image Unavailable, Please Login
Lewis needs 4 points to win 6th title? Is he letting the 4 drivers who will be going for the win in front of him so he can safely pick up 8th place and stay out of the drama?
The WDC fight was over about 5-6 races ago, so enthusiasm has been a bit light.....I just finished watching Mexico and I GUESS I will watch Austin tomorrow. I still need to clean out my garage though......
Had fun at the track, even without having the scoreboard working in Q1 and Q2. It finally came on. Heck, here’s some shots of the historical on track, qualifying, Pietro Fittipaldi, spouse and I, and me with Antonio Giovanazzi. Lots of fun. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login View attachment 4209561 View attachment 2976176 View attachment 3281972 View attachment 2510318
Yes. As a matter of fact, two. A place called Circuit of the Americas just outside Austin, TX.; and another at Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth, TX. I'm sure there's more but those are the two pro biggies.
Comparing the laps of Bottas and Vettel, the big difference was in the final corner. Bottas was more than 0.125s off Vettel ahead of the braking zone, but he made up all that time and pulled a 0.012s advantage as the cars crossed the line. Looking at the rest of the lap, it was the usual story. The Mercedes was faster in the slow and medium corners, and the Ferrari was faster on the straights. But the advantage Ferrari held on the straights was smaller than in recent races, and it just so happened to coincide with a Technical Directive (TD) being issued by the FIA over fuel flow to the engine. All year, Ferrari's rivals have been trying to understand how the Italian team has gained such a big power advantage from relatively mature engine regulations this season. No official protest has been launched, as nothing has been found to be illegal, but questions over what is and isn't allowed have been posed to the FIA to try to probe away and find an answer. In Austin, Red Bull seems to have found a loose thread and, ahead of the weekend, decided to tug at it. After asking the FIA a technical question about how the fuel flow is measured, a TD was issued to clarify what is and isn't allowed. "I think it's very strong that the FIA issued a TD clarifying the situation with some very clear wording," Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said. "But this is a process that is standard and has happened before and part of the role of the governing body." Asked if he had seen a difference in Ferrari's straight-line speed performance this weekend, Wolff was careful not to reveal too much but hinted at a shift back toward Mercedes and Red Bull. "Yeah, certainly the three teams were much closer together in terms of straight-line performance here in the U.S., but I wouldn't say this is down to any specific event. It is just a fact that we have won our first pole position since July in Hockenheim, and we were really in the mix." Could it be that the TD has stopped Ferrari from gaining an advantage from a loophole in the regulations? https://www.espn.co.uk/f1/story/_/id/27992329/hamilton-max-clash-again-bottas-ensures-goes-fighting
Lando Norris and McLaren are getting interesting. I never liked McLaren in the past but now I find myself hoping they break into the top four...or even snatch a podium.
If safety is such an issue why didn't race control check the drivers data instead of relying on what drivers tell the media on a press conference. It's silly, where's the profesionalism. They should've given Hamilton a penalty as well, if of course safety and consistency is really a concern.