planetf1.com

Source - www.motors.mega.mu

NUMBER OF LAPS: 56

CIRCUIT LENGTH: 5.513 KM

RACE DISTANCE: 308.405 KM

LAP RECORD: 1:39.347
By Sebastian Vettel (2012)

Tyres:
Pink-marked ultrasoft tyre
Red-marked supersoft tyre
Yellow-marked soft tyre

Press Conference:
Part 1: Marcus Ericsson (Sauber), Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), Brendon Hartley (Toro Rosso), Carlos Sainz (Renault)
Part 2: Fernando Alonso (McLaren), Romain Grosjean (Haas), Nico Hulkenberg (Renault), Kevin Magnussen (Haas)

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Feel The Fourth

There's a good chance that Hamilton will inch even closer to the F1 tile, if not win it here in the US (provided Vettel's Ferrari again is lacklustre).

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Feel The Fourth

This week no purple coloured Ultrasoft tyres but Pink ones instead to support Breast Cancer Awareness:
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/pirelli-pink-tyres-austin-cancer-966328/


Source - www.motorsport.com

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Feel The Fourth

Qualy record seems to be from 2016 (according to my very quick and lazy search) with Hamilton on a 1.34.999. Assuming dry conditions, wonder what we will be looking at this year.

There is a good possibility for rain during the race:
https://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2017/10/19/2017-united-states-grand-prix-weather/

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Feel The Fourth

Pictures of the Force India running that tyre will be in high demand. Alongside the Renault running Softs and the Ferrari running Supers, there will never again be such a good color coordination as a pink car running pink tyres.

The forecast here is currently for intermittent rain Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Looks like I might be getting a bit wet.

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PICK 10 COMPETITION (4 wins, 14 podiums): 3rd in 2016
TOP THREE CHAMPIONSHIP (No Limit Excedrin Racing): Champions in 2015 & 2018 | 2nd in 2017
AUTOSPORT GP PREDICTOR: 2017 USA & P-F1 Champion | #2 in the world in 2017

How well can Brendon Hartley reasonably do? Not driven single-seaters since 2012 or so.

Reasonably would be within half a second of Kvyat in quali, and half a minute in the race. If he beats Kvyat, Kvyat is a joke.

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PICK 10 COMPETITION (4 wins, 14 podiums): 3rd in 2016
TOP THREE CHAMPIONSHIP (No Limit Excedrin Racing): Champions in 2015 & 2018 | 2nd in 2017
AUTOSPORT GP PREDICTOR: 2017 USA & P-F1 Champion | #2 in the world in 2017

Carlos Sainz's new helmet design as he starts his time with Renault:


Source - www.f1fanatic.co.uk

Quite like it!

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Feel The Fourth

He's starting from the back so I'd be surprised if he beats Kyvat.

So many things to look forward to in this weekend !

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Should I grow a beard?

A Vettel pole.

The red helmet in the Merc is giving me flashbacks to Schumacher like the pictures of George Russell at the Hungary test.

I wonder why so many drivers chose to change their helmets here. Alo,Ham,Sai and Gro have, is there anyone else?

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"Clark came through at the end of the first lap so far ahead that we in the pits were convinced that the rest of the field must have been wiped out in an accident."
-Eddie Dennis, describing the dominance of Jim Clark in the Lotus 49 at Spa 1967

My attention has well and truly switched to McLaren and Red Bull till end of the season. Really excited to see what they’re testing for next year. To have Alonso Ric and Max in the mix is mouthwatering.

It looks like despite 3 teams looking competitive, Hamilton is supreme.

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Dr helmut needs to take lessons from toto on how to lie to the press

That's quality. Slightly confused though for obvious reasons.

Moving away from the helmet thread, Hamilton looking fast, Max celebrating a long contract, (what does he know about Honda that we don't?) and Ferrari doing their best to goof it up for Vettel.

If the podium is predictable anyone care to identify a good race further down the field to look out for?

Lewis in one lap pace is untouchable so far. In the long runs it looks like Max is just as fast, if not slightly faster?. Redbull once again seems to be matching the MErc's race pace.

Was sitting by turn 19 when Vettel went off. Looked spectacular in person. But the cars still sound like crap to me, even in person. Yeah that's that.

Source: Own Work

It started out nice here today, but after the clouds cleared it became terribly hot for my northern blood. The view from on top of the hill is spectacular, though - the only thing you really can't see is the hairpin!

They've taken the rain out of the local forecasts for race day, BTW.

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PICK 10 COMPETITION (4 wins, 14 podiums): 3rd in 2016
TOP THREE CHAMPIONSHIP (No Limit Excedrin Racing): Champions in 2015 & 2018 | 2nd in 2017
AUTOSPORT GP PREDICTOR: 2017 USA & P-F1 Champion | #2 in the world in 2017

Hamilton has another record in sight.

Via @F1

New chassis for Vettel.
Is he the driver swapping chassis the most? Everytime he has a period of poor performance he gets a new chassis, like in 2014 didn't he get like 3 new ones made?

Sure, if it's broken fix it. But it must be an expensive excuse for underperformance.

Except he hasn’t been underperforming recently, or all year in fact, so what is there to excuse?

Reliability issues in the last 2 races and an arguably stupid decision in the 3rd has cost him a lot of points but speed wise he has been rapid.

I wonder how it got bent then because he never hits any other cars on the track or on warm down laps for example?

Seriously though wouldn't the chassis be tested on a jig after a prang to check it was straight and true? If it needs changing I'd have thought it would have been identified soon after the last race, which was a while ago now. Perhaps he did it yesterday in practice.

I often wonder how much of it is in the drivers mind. Once you convince yourself there is something wrong its no good someone proving to you it is ok, it is still not right.

I think that is true but you know it is incredible how you can build 2 identical engines and one will go better than the other. I bought 2 mountain bikes, identical specs, on climbed like a goat the other I could never get going!

Exactly my point. I think it's mostly in Vettels head or that he wants an excuse.

I don't hear other drivers changing chassis unless it's damaged. With Vettel you hear it sometimes a few times a season, like in 2014 even though it hadn't been in a crash and his results didn't improve after it either.

Edit: Not a dig, even though it might look like it.

Isn't Vettel a little superstitious? I know most drivers are but maybe Vettel is very finicky about his car being through a kitty litter.

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Feel The Fourth

If they can spend a couple of million and get 3 tenths for it, its well spent. for what ever reason.

What's the current weather like in Austin as of now?

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Feel The Fourth

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- Mod Team

Dry and warm.

I really noticed today how the engines sound like 1980s turbos

The Mercs and Ferraris looking pretty evenly matched over 1 lap.

Sainz proving himself to be the real deal, unlike Hulk.

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One could argue they have been close in qualifying all year it's just Lewis is quicker than Seb. However, the usual suspects reply "something, something, Q3 engine mode" despite the numbers suggesting Mercedes qualifying mode is only a touch better than Ferrari's.

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even a touch helps at this level.

It very well could be, but it also indicates that Vettel is considerably faster than Hamilton in race trim.

Anyone know why they put those kerbs in the middle of the track?