2014 Formula One World Championship - Round Seventeen - US Grand Prix (31 Oct - 2 Nov 2014)

[Sven]

The seventeenth GP of the year takes us to Austin in Texas for the US Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas

Here's Vettel's pole position lap from last year:



The vision give you an idea of the undulations of the cicruit over the lap.

Circuit Name: Circuit of The Americas
First Grand Prix: 2012
Number of Laps: 56
Circuit Length: 5.513 km
Race Distance: 308.405 km
Lap Record: 1:39.347 - S Vettel (2012)

Drivers Championship

Hamilton made it four in a row in the Campionship with his win at the uninspiring Russian Grand Prix and has extended his lead over Rosberg to 17 points. Rosberg emphasised the dominace of the Mercedes car with an effortless drive from last to 2nd in the race. Ricciardo is increasingly looking like taking third positon with Bottas, Vettel, and Alonso duking it out for 4th place.

1 Lewis Hamilton 291
2 Nico Rosberg 274
3 Daniel Ricciardo 199
4 Valtteri Bottas 145
5 Sebastian Vettel 143
6 Fernando Alonso 141
7 Jenson Button 94
8 Nico Hulkenberg 76
9 Felipe Massa 71
10 Kevin Magnussen 49
11 Sergio Perez 47
12 Kimi Räikkönen 47
13 Jean-Eric Vergne 21
14 Romain Grosjean 8
15 Daniil Kvyat 8
16 Jules Bianchi 2

Constructors Championship

Mercedes wrapped up the Constructors title at Russia and its looking increasingly likely that Red Bull, Williams, and Ferrari will take the next three spots in that order. An improved McLaren looks to have shaken off Force India for 5th.

1 Mercedes 565
2 Red Bull Racing-Renault 342
3 Williams-Mercedes 216
4 Ferrari 188
5 McLaren-Mercedes 143
6 Force India-Mercedes 123
7 STR-Renault 29
8 Lotus-Renault 8
9 Marussia-Ferrari 2


The tyre choice for the US GP features the soft and medium compounds.

The big news for the US Grand Prix is that both Caterham and Marussia will not be there (or at Brazil for that matter) due to the financial state of each team, both teams are now in administration.

In other news Vettel will take an engine penalty (for using a 6th "power unit") and start the race from the pit lane.

The FIA rulebook states that each driver may use no more than five power units during the championship season.
The power unit consists of six separate elements, of which five of each element are available to each driver per season before a penalty is incurred.
The six elements are: the engine, the motor generator unit-kinetic (MGU-K), the motor generator unit-heat (MGU-H), the energy store (ES), turbocharger (TC) and control electronics (CE). The penalty for using more than five of any one range from a five-place grid drop, a 10-place grid drop, or (if the entire power unit has to be changed) starting the race from the pit lane.

Also, Lotus Formula 1 team will trial a 2014 Ferrari/Mercedes-style low nose, as it pushes on with developments for its 2015 car. Lotus will be forced to abandon its twin-tusk design next season, following a push by F1's governing body the FIA to eliminate the aesthetically controversial nose designs that have appeared on cars this year. The team has yet to decide which of its drivers will trial the prototype nose, which will be replaced with the conventional twin-tusk design for the race.

 

[ManWithNoName]

No Marussia. No Caterham. Seb not qualifying. So only one get will be eliminated in Q1.

Poor Pastor.

 

[Sven]

No Marussia. No Caterham. Seb not qualifying. So only one get will be eliminated in Q1.

Poor Pastor.

Good point. I know it's all set up for TV, but you could easily make a case for skipping Q1 entirely and impose a gentlemans agreement (I know this will never happen) that all teams do two runs in an extended Q2.

 

[ManWithNoName]

Good point. I know it's all set up for TV, but you could easily make a case for skipping Q1 entirely and impose a gentlemans agreement (I know this will never happen) that all teams do two runs in an extended Q2.

18 cars so they might have 4 eliminated (3 not counting Seb) in Q1 and 4 in Q2.

 

[DREAM TEAM BUFF]

Can we use 4 private cars ?

They can use mine

 

[stmookeyj]

Maybe they could have just 2 sessions with 8 being knocked out in Q1....

 

[ManWithNoName]

Qualifying format officially changed to 4-4-10.

 

[ManWithNoName]

Danny Rick sent to the stewards for crimes against facial hair.

 

[NotAMagpieBogan]

If he wins this weekend, I'll make sure he wears that for the next year and a half.

 

[Smeg Head]

Danny Rick sent to the stewards for crimes against facial hair.

Touch of Eric Bana as Chopper in that.

Anyone else feel like this season has really petered out now?

 

[DREAM TEAM BUFF]

3AM Start is a pain

 

[Trent Conheady]

I think maldonaldo is due for a crash this weekend guys, I can feel it in my veins
http://hasmaldonadocrashedtoday.com/
However this doesn't take into account how much he crashes in a road car which could be quite regularly

Also I cannot support Ricciardo until he removes that disgraceful facial hair, I love ya Daniel, but you've crossed the line son

 

[ManWithNoName]

According to The Times; Lotus, Force India and Sauber are considering boycotting the race because of the bigger teams refusing to do anything about reducing costs.

 

[ManWithNoName]

Bob Fernley, Force India deputy Team Principal: "I think the FIA are impotent and powerless".

 

[ManWithNoName]

At a heated press conference in Austin on Friday, Sauber’s team principal, Monisha Kaltenborn, added: “It is one thing to talk about this terrible scenario but it is extremely disturbing for the people responsible for the sport to have let it come that far. It is a shame that we have turnovers of billions and as a sport we are not capable of making sure that 11 teams survive.”

However, Ecclestone was unmoved. The 84-year-old said: “If we lose another two teams that is what will happen. We need [small teams] if they are going to be there performing properly and not moving around with begging buckets.”

* off Bernie.

 

[Smeg Head]

**** off Bernie.

What is the chance we can't have change until he keels over and kicks his begging bucket?

 

[ManWithNoName]

What is the chance we can't have change until he keels over and kicks his begging bucket?

The sport generates over £1B in revenue a year but can't support 11 teams but Bernie doesn't give a * because he only sees the first part of this sentence.

 

[AM]

Practice two Results. Kvyat is having an impact.

The race is 11.30am on Sunday on One.

 

[ManWithNoName]

Almost an entire season and everyone's still over a second slower than the Mercedes. Looks like next year will be just as bad.

 

[DREAM TEAM BUFF]

According to The Times; Lotus, Force India and Sauber are considering boycotting the race because of the bigger teams refusing to do anything about reducing costs.

qualifying format would be interesting

 

[ManWithNoName]

qualifying format would be interesting

 

[DREAM TEAM BUFF]

At this rate the S/Car will win

 

[darth_timon]

I'd love to see Force India win a race. Would probably piss Bernie off right now.

 

[juice t]

Sutil wears a Top Gun design for the weekend and he makes the top 10
Felt the need for speed

 

[darth_timon]

Nico on pole then. Should be an interesting run into the first corner.