The United States GP Weekend

NEWS ALERT! UPDATE Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc disqualified Link HERE

After the United States GP Qualifying and Sprint race on 21st and 22nd October, this year’s race promised to be a cracker. Mercedes came to America with a new floor that seems to be showing results, Ferrari and Mclaren were on pace and Max Verstappen – Red Bull only managed 6th place on the grid. Unlike almost any other GP race in 2023 the US Grand Prix Result did not seem to be a foregone conclusion.

This set the stage for a magnificent day on Sunday! Check out what happened in each of the sessions.

Menu

• Qualifying session 1 (Q1)
• Qualifying session 2 (Q2)
• Qualifying session 3 (Q3)
• The Final Qualifying Results
• Sprint Shootout
• The Sprint Race
• The Main Race

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• The 2023 Drivers and Constructors Standings
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Qualifying session 1 (Q1)

The F1 weekend at the Circuit of the Americas started with much anticipation. Max Verstappen, having sealed the 2023 world title in Qatar, was in the spotlight. He had also claimed his 14th grand prix victory of the season.

Meanwhile, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri was the driver of the previous weekend, winning the sprint race and securing second place in the grand prix. Lewis Hamilton had a challenging previous race, crashing into his Mercedes teammate George Russell.

The Ferrari duo, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, were also in the mix, with Lando Norris finishing third in the previous race.

Out in Q1 (16-20): Hulkenberg, Alonso, Albon, Stroll, Sargeant

Qualifying session 2 (Q2)

As the session progressed, tension was palpable. Sergio Perez managed to squeeze through in P10, much to the relief of his fans. The bottom five who couldn’t make it to the next session were Tsunoda, Zhou, Bottas, Magnussen, and Ricciardo. George Russell was also on the edge, finishing ninth.

Lando Norris found himself at the bottom initially, with Max Verstappen leading with a time of 1:35:491. Oscar Piastri was close behind in second, trailing by only 0.085 seconds. The Alpines of Ocon and Gasly secured third and fourth positions.

There were concerns as Sainz seemed to be impeded by Tsunoda, and Norris was forced off due to traffic.

Bottom-five and out in Q2 (11-15): Tsunoda, Zhou, Bottas, Magnussen, Ricciardo (Sergio Perez breathes a sigh of relief as he squeezes through!)

Qualifying session 3 (Q3)

Charles Leclerc was the star of the first run, securing provisional pole early on with a time of 1:34:289, leading Max Verstappen by two-tenths. Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris followed in third and fourth positions.

As the session neared its end, all eyes were on who would clinch the pole position. In a dramatic turn of events, Charles Leclerc solidified his pole position with an even faster time of 1:34:723.

Lando Norris secured second place, followed by Lewis Hamilton in third. Carlos Sainz finished fourth, while Max Verstappen, who initially went to the top of the leaderboard, had his lap time deleted due to exceeding track limits, placing him in sixth.

This left Lando Norris in 2nd and Lewis Hamilton in 3rd.

The shock of the Q3 session is that neither of the Red Bull drivers is on the front row.

• Max Verstappen qualified in 6th place.
• Sergio Perez in 9th position!

The final grid position for Sunday’s race is a follows.

• Charles Leclerc, Ferrari (Pole)
• Lando Norris, McLaren
• Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
• Carlos Sainz, Ferrari
• George Russell, Mercedes
• Max Verstappen,
• Red Bull Pierre Gasly,
• Alpine Esteban Ocon,
• Alpine Sergio Perez, Red Bull
• Oscar Piastri, McLaren
• Tsunoda, Alpha Tauri
• Zhou, Alpha Romeo
• Bottas, Alpha Romeo
• Magnussen, Haas
• Ricciardo, Alpha Tauri
• Hulkenberg, Haas
• Alonso, Aston Martin
• Albon, Williams
• Stroll, Aston Martin
• Sargeant, Williams

The qualifying sessions set the stage for what promises to be an exciting race at the Circuit of the Americas. With the grid positions now decided, all eyes will be on the main event as the drivers battle it out on the track.

With the pace shown by Ferrari, Mclaren and Mercedes Sundays race looks to be a cracker – Don’t miss it!

The Final Qualifying Results

The session times for each qualifying segment are listed below.

Sprint Shootout

The American Grand Prix F1 sprint shootout was an intense session that determines the starting grid for the US Grand Prix sprint race.

Here’s a breakdown of the notable incidents and changes throughout the race, as well as the final finishing order:

Fastest Time and Starting Positions

Max Verstappen clocked the fastest time in the Sprint Shootout, which secured his position at the front of the grid for the United States Grand Prix Sprint race, narrowly ahead of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton.

Verstappen’s time was only 0.055s faster than Leclerc and 0.069s faster than Hamilton. Following them were Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri for McLaren, in fourth and fifth positions respectively​.

Qualifying and Track Limit Incident

During the qualifying, there was a particular incident involving Max Verstappen, where his lap time was deleted for exceeding track limits.

This initially placed him sixth but post the shootout he secured pole position​​.

Double Elimination

There was a shock double elimination for Aston Martin as both Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll dropped out in Q1.

Other drivers like Nico Hulkenberg, Kevin Magnussen, Valtteri Bottas, Yuki Tsunoda, and Logan Sargeant also faced elimination during the shootout​​.

Max Verstappen Spun

Max spun after hitting the kerb in Q2, but went into recover and posred the fastest time.

Impeding Incident

Charles Leclerc called for a penalty against George Russell for what appeared to be a clear impede at one of the corners, which attracted the attention of Race Control. However, both drivers advanced to SQ3​​.

Performance of Daniel Ricciardo

Daniel Ricciardo outperformed his AlphaTauri team-mate Yuki Tsunoda, advancing to SQ2 while Tsunoda qualified just 19th​.

Final Finishing Order

The US GP Sprint Race

The 2023 US Grand Prix Sprint Race took place at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. It saw Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing clinch the victory.

This makes it his third sprint race win of the year. It makes him the first driver to win three sprints in a single season.

As usual he did so in style by finishing just under 10 seconds ahead of Lewis Hamilton. Verstappen’s performance included his aggressive defense against Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc into Turn 1. He pushed Leclerc wide before turn one, allowing Hamilton to squeeze past on the inside.

Lewis Hamilton moved into second place despite having to leave the track during his overtake on Charles Leclerc. Race control deemed it not worthy of investigation​​.

Charles Leclerc secured the third spot on the podium, ahead of Lando Norris of McLaren and Sergio Perez of Red Bull Racing.

Some key incidents during the race included George Russell’s off-track overtake on Oscar Piastri. This earned Russell a five-second time penalty. Contrasting with his recent success in Qatar, it was a less favorable outing for Oscar Piastri, who finished in 10th place.

Here are the top ten positions from the Sprint Race:

1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing)
2. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
4. Lando Norris (McLaren)
5. Sergio Perez (Red Bull Racing)
6. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
7. George Russell (Mercedes)
8. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
9. Alexander Albon (Williams)
10. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)​​.

The Final Sprint Race Results

The final results for the whole field are listed below.

The results of the Sprint Race provided an adrenaline-pumped precursor to the main event.

The new floor on the Mercedes seems to be working well, and while the car is still slower than the Red Bull, Lewis Hamilton seems a lot more comfortable.

2023 US Grand Prix Result: A Strategic Battle at the Circuit of The Americas

US Grand Prix Result – The race was all about Tire Strategies

The US Grand Prix was a testament to the importance of tire strategies in determining the outcome of a race.

Max Verstappen, despite starting from P6, managed to clinch victory, but not without a fight. Lando Norris, Lewis Hamilton, and Verstappen were embroiled in an intense strategic battle throughout the race.

The choice of tire compounds and pit stop timings played a pivotal role in the final standings.

US Grand Prix Result – The start of the Race to Turn 1

The race began with Charles Leclerc on pole, followed closely by Lando Norris. However, Norris showcased his prowess by overtaking Leclerc in the opening hairpin.

Carlos Sainz managed to leapfrog Lewis Hamilton, securing the third position. Oscar Piastri made significant gains, moving up four places and even challenging Verstappen for the fifth spot.

Esteban Ocon reported damage to the sidepod and floor after colliding with Piastri on the way to Turn 3. He quickly dropped back through the pack in the initial laps, which was a letdown for the Alpine driver and ultimately led to his withdrawal from the race.

Oscar also ended up retiring (DNF) following the collision from the race.

US Grand Prix Result – The Top Three Kept Jockeying for Position during the Race

Throughout the race, the trio of Norris, Hamilton, and Verstappen kept fans on the edge of their seats. Norris initially took a two-second lead, but as the race progressed, Hamilton and Verstappen began to make their moves.

The Mercedes driver managed to overtake Sainz, and Hamilton soon set his sights on Leclerc. By lap 6, Hamilton had overtaken Leclerc, positioning himself behind Norris.

In the battle for the lead, Hamilton started catching up to Norris as they approached the first pit stops, aiming to challenge the younger driver for the lead.

However, it was Verstappen who was the first among the top 3 to pit, being 4.5 seconds behind Hamilton. He opted for a two-stop strategy by putting on another set of medium tires, trying to get ahead of his competitors.

Norris pitted on the next lap for hard tires, but Hamilton chose to stay out. Mercedes asked their drivers to prolong their initial stints, even as Verstappen was catching up, which would have put Hamilton behind the Red Bull driver on the track.

When told about this, Hamilton replied sharply, “No ****, man, I’m having a tough time out here.” This led him to pit by lap 20, and a 3.6-second pit stop caused him to lose positions to both Norris and Verstappen. He came back on the track more than five seconds behind the Red Bull driver on hard tires.

Mercedes tried for a 1 stop strategy. If this had worked, they would have won. It didn’t and Hamilton came in for a new set of rubbers on lap 38. Hamilton quickly reeled in Norris and overtook him on lap 49. Although he closed the gap with Verstappen there were not enough laps in hand win the race.

Verstappen’s aggressive driving saw him overtake Leclerc and set his sights on the leading duo.

US Grand Prix Result – Max Verstappen has won his 50th Race

Despite facing brake issues and starting from the sixth position, Verstappen showcased his racing acumen by securing his 50th F1 victory.

This win also marked a record-equaling 15th victory of the season for Verstappen, matching his tally from the previous year.

US Grand Prix Result – What Happened to the two Ferraris?

Both Ferraris had a promising start, with Leclerc on pole and Sainz quickly moving up to third. However, as the race progressed, both drivers faced challenges.

Hamilton and Verstappen overtook Sainz in the early laps, pushing him down to fifth by lap 5. Leclerc also faced stiff competition and was overtaken by both Hamilton and Verstappen.

US Grand Prix Result – Is Sergio Perez’s 5th place finish enough to save him at Red Bull?

Sergio Perez finished the race in the fifth position. While this is a commendable finish, it’s evident that Perez is under pressure to perform, especially given Verstappen’s consistent top finishes.

The gap between the two Red Bull drivers continues to raise questions about Perez’s future with the team.

US Grand Prix Result – Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) Retired with Floor Damage

Fernando Alonso, after making significant progress from a pit-lane start, unfortunately, had to retire due to a floor issue. This was a disappointing turn of events for the veteran driver, especially after he had maneuvered his way back.

The Final US Grand Prix Result

Update – Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc Disqualified

Just hours after the U.S. Grand Prix, both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton were disqualified from the race.

At the Circuit of the Americas, both Hamilton and Leclerc earned points. Hamilton was hot on the heels of Max Verstappen, coming within 2.2 seconds of his old championship competitor in the final laps of the U.S. Grand Prix.

Hamilton secured second place, while Leclerc, who started in pole position, ended up in sixth due to a questionable strategy by Ferrari.

After the race, the FIA officials selected four cars out of the 17 that finished to conduct post-race plank inspections – a routine part of the post-race review along with other standard checks.

Two of these cars didn’t meet the required 9-millimeter thickness at the back of their planks. FIA Technical Delegate Jo Bauer stated that the skids in the area “-825 ≥ XR ≥ – 1025” (a section at the back of the floor) didn’t meet the thickness standards.

The plank assembly’s thickness, measured from the bottom surface, should be 10mm, give or take 0.2 millimeters. It’s worth mentioning that a 9mm thickness is allowed due to wear.

Every F1 car has a wooden plank running down the middle of its floor. This is to prevent cars from being too close to the ground.

The wear patterns on this plank provide insights into a car’s ride height. Cars that are closer to the ground produce more downforce in the ground-effect era. This means Hamilton and Leclerc might have had a minor edge over their teammates’ (presumably) compliant cars, even though these cars weren’t specifically tested for plank compliance.

Both Mercedes and Ferrari sent their reps to meet with the officials. However, neither team contested much – it’s hard to argue against a clear violation of the technical rules.

What did Ferrari and Mercedes say to the officials?

Ferrari and Mercedes reps met with Technical Delegate Jo Bauer, FIA Single Seater Director Nikolas Tombazis, and FIA Single Seater Technical Director Tim Goss. Both teams conceded that the FIA officials’ measurements were spot on.

They argued that the excessive wear on the skid pads was likely due to the unique combo of the rough track and the Sprint race schedule, which left little time for car setup and pre-race checks.

Given that the cars obviously didn’t meet the Technical Regulations, the reasons for the unintentional breach don’t matter. As a result, both cars were disqualified since they didn’t meet the wear tolerance standards.

It was Good News for Sergio Perez

Lewis Hamilton’s disqualification provides some respite for under pressure Segio Perez. Before this there was a good chance that Lewis would have overtaken Sergio in the points ranking – meaning he would finish the season in 2nd place. This has increased the points margin between the two to 19 points making it much less likely that Lewis will overtake him in the last 3 races!

The Amended Results are listed Below