US GP Austin

[chunterer]

Ferraris were quickest in FP1

Max nicks pole off Russell for the Sprint race.

Mclarens out of sorts with Norris 4th and Piastri gettimg knocked out after the first part!

Colapinto impresses yet again with 10th on the grid but reportedly could've been much higher without a spin on new tyres...

[S griffin]

Max back on top, let's see if he can actually maintain that advantage in the sprint. It shows how things have changed in that Max being on pole is no longer a guarantee of winning. Good to see Franco up there again, despite his spin. Shocker for Piastri though. Norris only 4th, he needs a really good race

[E.B]

Mercedes certainly seem to have got a bit better a handle on their upgrades this race than they seemed to recently. Lewis was potentially faster than George on his Q3 run (Pretty much half a second up on GR prior to his lap being compromised by the Colapinto spin mentioned and the subsequent yellow compromised LH's time).

George is talking up his chances of winning the Sprint.

Leclerc on the other hand is lamenting that the Ferrari was really quick on the mediums, lead SQ1 & 2 on them but then couldnt get the softs to work in SQ3. Sounds like they might have decent race pace though so it could be an interesting race.

Well, as interesting as a Sprint race can be, and im yet to be convinced of the Sprint weekends adding to my enjoyment. But thats my problem. They are more acceptable (to me) this year with the main race qualifying no longer on a Friday and the Sprints now being just an independent optional side show, albeit with a few points. More acceptable than the 5am start for me to watch todays Sprint. That will be a record job. Bottom line is Sprints are not going away anytime soon with 8 talked about for next year.

[Lancsbreaker]

Only seen the C4 highlights of Sprint qualifying, but the dreaded track limits certainly had their effect......but only just over 0.5 seconds covering the top 9 is very close.



Combination of new tarmac and mandatory Medium, Medium, Soft seemed to make things a bit difficult for some....

[S griffin]

Merc certainly seem to have taken a step forward again. So could be in for a close weekend

[bjohnsonsmith]

It looks like Super Max may have sufficiently recharged his batteries during the break, by taking pole for the sprint race.


I'm not a fan of sprint races but I thought I would give it a go.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Norris locks up and loses 2nd spot to Sainz.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Congrats to Verstappen. It looks like he is back on form, with quite a comfortable win but qualifying and the race tomorrow is when it will really count.

[broadrun96]

Team race directors must be drunk today on the radio. But the actual race director a joke on review and penalties and took forever to decide Piastri bashing through the corners was acceptable but penalizing others who got pushed off. And then Piastri driving like he in a Cup car and off track constantly. Makes you wonder what they were watching at times

And AWS should just STOP with their data, it's a complete joke and never accurate

[bjohnsonsmith]

Hamilton failed to get into Q2 but Verstappen was right on top of that session.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Russell into the tyre wall, that's Q3 over for him.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Norris takes pole.

[E.B]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

Russell into the tyre wall, that's Q3 over for him.

Ended up as being Q3 over for everyone. A bit of an anti climax with Q3 set on the first run times effetively.

[Teretonga]

Originally Posted by E.B

Ended up as being Q3 over for everyone. A bit of an anti climax with Q3 set on the first run times effectively.

And Perez didn't set a time at all.
So P10 for Checo.

Just an interesting insight into how quick Lawson was in Q1.
He set a time of 1.33.339, third fastest in Q1.
That time in Q3 would have earned him 9th fastest, and faster than Magnussen at 1.33,481 but not as fast as Alonso at 1.33,309.
Just 2/100ths slower than Fred.
But well clear of Tsunoda who did a 1.33.506in Q2

So he has clearly stated his ability, even if he didn't set a time in Q2 (because it didn't matter, he was starting off the back anyway.)

[Rusty Nail]

And on top of that, the time was set on the Q1 mediums, the Q3 runners' times were set on softs! Not a bad effort I would have thought...

[E.B]

Good enough to be considered an Aussie.

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Team race directors must be drunk today on the radio. But the actual race director a joke on review and penalties and took forever to decide Piastri bashing through the corners was acceptable but penalizing others who got pushed off. And then Piastri driving like he in a Cup car and off track constantly. Makes you wonder what they were watching at times

And AWS should just STOP with their data, it's a complete joke and never accurate

I don't see it the same. I'm.very much with Anthony Davidson's view that even if a move is on the forceful side the run off on the outside of the track allows a 'passed' car to try and argue the toss wheras if it was grass or gravel thet would have to accept the pass and back out of it.
Piastri's move on Gasly was late but decisive. Gasly had left the door open. He would have known full well the Mclaren was going to be trying something as he had been bottled up behind for 3 or 4 laps.
Piastri's pass of Tsunoda was almost ecactly the same yet no action was taken!

[bjohnsonsmith]

A cleanish start and Leclerc takes the lead.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Lewis beaches his car. FCY.

[broadrun96]

What is the booth watching, Sainz shoved Max WAY off track and they wanted him to give the place back? They sorted it themselves on track like adults since the booth and the FIA are turning in to Indy levels of stupid lately and can't trust them to not have their heads up their ass

[broadrun96]

I want to like Norris but he needs to STOP listening to Zak Brown's whinging. He's a great driver and all reports a great guy but in the car and listening to the team is Russell level it's not fair crying

And yes I fully fully blame Americanization of the TV production and adding radio

And there is it, Sky slurping up MB drool hopeful of their praise

[Richard C]

I am getting a kick out of the Alonso vs new driver battles. Especially as he is already angry at Lawson. The Lawson is Alonso battle was fun. Now Colapinto is past Alonso. I am expecting Alonso to talk about "car issues " after the race.

Richard

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by Richard C

I am getting a kick out of the Alonso vs new driver battles. Especially as he is already angry at Lawson. The Lawson is Alonso battle was fun. Now Colapinto is past Alonso. I am expecting Alonso to talk about "car issues " after the race.



Richard

Wish they would show more of that. The Norris/Max "racing" is trash, in deep, late late moving. They both deserve each other and a wreck

[Beau2]

Norris should give that position back. That is really no different to the type of move that people lambast Max for doing.

[Richard C]

I don't know. They let Max seems to find a way to push passing cars so far off track that he has to exit the circuit fully himself while doing it.

Richard