Grand Prix 2019 United States Grand Prix Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

The title rumbles on the US gp after Bottas grabbed that podium and managed to hold Hamilton off from taking it in Mexico. It's more than likely going to be won here, all Hamilton has to do is finish 7th and he's the champion no matter what Bottas does as I understand it. We can all likely expect some yeehaws if that happens!

In the 48 times the USA grand prix has been raced it's been done over 10 different locations, the current one being Austin in Texas. Well, the track isn't actually in Austin, it's like with those budget airlines that promise to take you to places and dump you in a smaller airport miles away. The track is actually 12 miles outside of the city to the south of it. Whether the good people of Austin are happy about having an F1 race in their back yard I can't tell you, but that is where the race is currently held.

As the capital of the Lone Star State, Austin is a busy place with lots of attractions to offer. They have everything from museums, cinemas, bowling alleys, shopping, music festivals, fabulous buildings to admire and lots of sports along with some open topped double decker buses that wouldn't look out of place on a London street giving you tours around the city. They even have a museum of weird things and a graffiti park. But what is the one thing Austin is also famous for that links it to F1? Liquid gold, a.k.a. Oil.

Austin has had it's share of the oil boom. There have been over 300 companies attracted to the area which employ a lot of local residents that is obviously very good news for them, indeed one oil company worked with The University Of Texas in Austin as part of a fellowship program and invested $5 million in their graduate students. It's big business, so you could say that having an F1 race there is a perfect fit. As times change and oil is increasingly seen as a dirty product, part of the old way of doing things and people move to cleaner and greener energy choices, how much longer will the oil they have made their fortunes on be a viable option there or anywhere else you have to wonder?

Of the seven times the race has been run here Hamilton has won five with Vettel and Raikkonen takings the honours on the other two occasions. Austin is known for being one of the friendliest cities around and the atmosphere there is apparently second to none. However the US gp has struggled with funding, much like many other races in the series. Funding cuts by the government have hit hard, attendance figures dropped and the race was reportedly teetering on the edge of being off the calendar altogether. Then in 2016 they had a good battle between Hamilton and Rosberg for the title, great weather and Taylor Swift, attendance numbers were up and they had their second best ever crowd of just shy of 270,000 people through the turnstiles. In 2017 numbers were up again, this time Bill Clinton handed over the winner's trophy and Justin Timberlake (or as he's known in our house Justin Trousersnake) performed and drew in the crowds. In 2018 it was Justin's ex Britney Spears along with Bruno Mars who headlined. This year if the racing isn't your thing you can enjoy concerts by P!nk and Imagine Dragons or if you do like the racing but can't be there in person, US fans will be treated to free Sky Sports coverage on ESPN and ABC.

In 2018 your pole sitter was Hamilton and your podium was 1st Raikkonen, 2nd Vertsappen, 3rd Hamilton.
usa12.jpg.jpg
 
Last edited:
Understand....but why do they even need to patrol and police that then? What does it matter if the cars are underweight or otherwise illegal in "free practice." The only thing that matters if they are illegal in qualifying and during the race.

If F1 is going to have more races and less testing, then the teams are going to need to use their "free practice" sessions to help test and develop parts. Why does F1 need to patrol this?

also as crofty has mentioned in rules. cars must run legally at all times
 
It is Texas, what rain? When I lived there we had snakes living under our house and had to shake scorpions out of our shoes each morning before we put them on.

Actually this was El Paso, vice Austin...but....if left a few indelible memories.

Last time I was in Austin at this time of year, rain was torrential - monsoonlike. Roads were severely flooded. But, this year, they've had recording breaking cold.
 
Last edited:
Yet another abysmal showing by Williams. Could the team (the only reason I pay the slightest attention to F1 any more) survive even one more season as pathetic as this?
 
true siffert_fan williams have been awful but over the season at least theyve found 1/2 second on their Q1 rivals but size of the issue is that there is another second to go. russell seems a big positive got within a few times in hungary & Mexico. but they are positive about 2020
 
F1Brits_90 I think Russell will excel as team leader at Williams and I am not expecting much from Latifi. The problem is more to do with the way Claire Williams is running the team. Lets see if it was Paddy's fault for the disaster this season then
 
When Sir Frank said no to BMW in the early 00's, that was pretty much game over for the team.

In 2015, with a decent chassis and engine combo papering over the cracks, Williams scored 257 points. In total in the 4 seasons since then they have scored a combined total of 229 points.

Dark days indeed.
 
as we've mentioned Williams issues stretch back to 2014 because as soon as they got to Monaco qualifying 13th & 16th. was the proof that when the engines level out Williams would be going backwards. then 2016? when in spa at a power track Honda powered teams beat Mercedes powered williams. I guess we can hope for 2021, but I would say that it would be force india that are most likely to do a red bull going from midfield to front runner when the budget cap arrives. because the organisation & efficiency is fantastic.
 
I would also add maybe Toto's investment and business nouse maybe laid some of the foundations for the initial competitiveness. Hulkenberg does not want to go to Williams from the sound of things so it looks like Latifi will get the drive unless Mercedes have another young driver lined up for the team
 
apparently that is Lewis worse qualifying if remove car letting him down. Brazil 2017 but then lewis title races have never been straight forward
 
Yet another abysmal showing by Williams. Could the team (the only reason I pay the slightest attention to F1 any more) survive even one more season as pathetic as this?
Perhaps the arrival of Nicholas Latifi and his financial support will help them out of the hole they're in. Also, if (when) he starts racing for Williams, it will be the first time ever that two Canadians raced at same time in F1.
 
There were 3 Canadians on the grid together at the 1969 Canadian GP which marks the most Canadians on the grid in one race.
 
Back
Top Bottom