Grand Prix 2017 United States Grand Prix Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

And so we enter the final phase of the 2017 season and we are now at the point where the points leading driver can win the title should his rival finish lower than a certain position (in this case, 4th I believe). It just so happens that we arrive at a track where the Mercedes team have always ran well having won the last 3 races held there. Also, of the 5 races held to date, Hamilton has won 4 of them and his title rival Sebastian Vettel the other.

Quite why Ferrari have managed to implode in the second half of the season remains to be seen. Kimi hasn't really been in the races all year and Seb seems to be losing the plot at every opportunity. The increasing speed, reliability and confidence from the Red Bull camp has not helped matters but any hope of this season being a close two way battle between Vettel and Hamilton disappeared a long time ago. Only a monumental disaster could stop Hamilton from winning the title now.

As for the track, its always been a popular one with drivers, teams and fans and to be honest definitely rates as one of the least worst 'Tilkedromes'. Turn one has given us some exciting moments in previous races and Nico Rosberg credits Hamilton's wide elbows in 2015 for giving him the drive to take the 2016 title as he vowed not to let a driver do that to him again. The remainder of the track contains a few nods to various circuits around the world.

The thorn in Mercedes side at the last few races has been Red Bull and they will be waiting to pounce should they get the chance of a run at the Mercedes cars.

You know that F1 is in something of a state when outside of the top 6 the odds of another car winning a race have been quoted by some book makers as 1000/1. There are many squabbles throughout the midfield with those all important points bringing home an extra few million dollars. With the departure of Jolyon Palmer from Renault all eyes will be on Carlos Sainz to see if he can get closer to Hulkenberg. Meanwhile back at Sainz's old team, Daniel Kyvat is set to make his latest comeback to racing.

Can Hamilton win the title here then?
 
Now you mention it, yes.

Still more changes than 2014 & 2015 combined, even including Caterham/Manor and their shenanigans.

Alonso missing a race each year doesn’t help though. LOL
 
Hartley raced and won in IMSA last weekend, has a good chance of winning WEC tomorrow, what if he actually does well at Torro Rosso next weekend? That is quite a set of back to back races.
 
To see another Kiwi in F1 after waiting so long is creating a lot of excitement on this side of the world. Hartley is a fine driver and the years he's spent as a works driver for Porsche has helped him mature, though the pressure of F1 will be a whole new world for him. If a long term offer from Torro Rosso fails to materialise there's evidently a contract being offered to him with Ganassi Racing as a teammate to Scott Dixon, replacing Tony Kannan. It seems he'll have quite a few options open to him.
 
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Pleased to see Brendon get his opportunity, albeit belatedly. He was on the books when Red Bull had a feast of drivers, so good they've gone back to him at a time of famine.

Ganassi is the lead Honda team in Indycar, so he has that link in his favour. Unless he does something exceptional I'd be surprised to see him in F1 next season.
 
I hope he gets a drive in Indy, that would be great.
So I don't have to watch the gawking crane on my telly.
 
Interesting choice for Toro Rosso who would usually field drivers younger than 23 years old to blood them into Red Bull.

Just looking at the names that could have considered, would not a driver recognised on the Indy circuit have helped say Rossi to get the exposure?

This is an interesting conundrum throwing Hartley in, has the guy already committed to his WEC team for next season?
 
Il_leone ..... Porsche are pulling out of WEC so Hartley hasn't got a team to commit to. Porsche have freed their drivers to search for new drives for their future racing.
 
RasputinLives ...... Hi Ras, Stanaway would be a stronger choice that Evans but clearly Hartley is the driver that ended up with the best seat of all as a Porsche works driver. He also proved his worth long term, driving hybrids in WRC, which obviously hasn't been overlooked by Red Bull, they may well have regretted dropping him from their drivers program several years ago.
 
Thanks for the photo's RasputinLives, I often go to the gpupdate site, it's very good isn't it. You may have misunderstood me Ras, I also rate Evens but he needed to be left alone with Webber, his manager working on his behalf, to move his career forward. Unfortunately there was a period when outside pressure was trying to influence his career path. I'm not prepared to say where that pressure was coming from but it wasn't helpful.

I'm truly looking forward to the next phase in Brendon Hartley's career regardless of whether it's in F1 or Indycars
 
Amazing isn't that when a bloke of 27 gets a go in an F1 car we all think "wow, he's too old to be doing this". If he got a decent haircut I might even be rooting for him to get a permanent seat in 2018.
 
FB ..... He has tidied his appearance considerably, his hair is much shorter than it was. He's also recently married and has matured a lot during his time with Porsche. There are plenty of other drivers in F1 with more wayward appearances, it would have been a shame if he hadn't been given a chance due to the length of his hair. It's shorter than Sir Jackie's ever was and at least he's not covered in tat's.
 
It is an interesting twist that Hartley suddenly gets a chance given that Honda might have a say who the drivers will be. I do remember him being 19 years old and the reserve for Red Bull thinking surely he might get a chance with the team but something happened along the way and he just did not grab the opportunities there before Ricciardo, Verstappen and Sainz came along
 
Amazing isn't that when a bloke of 27 gets a go in an F1 car we all think "wow, he's too old to be doing this". If he got a decent haircut I might even be rooting for him to get a permanent seat in 2018.

i guess it the toro rosso effect. where people are now considered finished early 20s like Vergne 24 Algurersari 20 buemi 22 & soon to be kyvat 23. damon hill & nigel mansell starting in there 30s i believe seems impossible now in the modern era i think wasnt the stat rosberg is younger now than before hill debut
 
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