The most recent race in the F1 calendar saw Lewis Hamilton all but confirm his fifth World Drivers’ Championship in his career. The British driver made his mark at Suzuka in Japan a few weeks ago, as he crossed the line in first place ahead of his fellow teammate Valtteri Bottas and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.
The W for Hamilton and the sixth place finish for Driver’s Championship rival Sebastian Vettel meant that Lewis Hamilton extended his lead at the top of the standings to 331 points – 67 points in total ahead of his German rival, Vettel.
Alas, the show must go on as we look towards the next race on the F1 calendar – the United States Grand Prix. With only four races left – including this one – there are still some serious points up for grabs, so read on as Karting Nation previews the 2018 United States Grand Prix which takes place this Sunday, 21st October.
What Time Does The 2018 United States Grand Prix Start?
F1 fans here in the UK will be very pleased to hear that the 2018 US Grand Prix will take place at 19:10 BST on Sunday, 21st October, so you’ll be able to kick back, relax and end your weekend with some pulsating F1 action!
If you’re after an additional hit of racing over the course of your weekend, then you can always tune in to catch the practice and subsequent qualifying rounds. Practice 1 kicks off at 16:00 BST on Friday 19th October, with Practice 2 commencing at 20:00 BST that same day. On Saturday 20th October, Practice 3 starts at 19:00 BST, with the main qualifying round kicking off at 21:00 BST to determine the grid for the main event the following day.
History of the United States Grand Prix
The US Grand Prix was first introduced on the F1 calendar in 1908. Since then, it’s been in and out of the regular schedule and has been held a total of 47 times, taking place at 10 different tracks across the country. Since 2012, the race has been held at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Elroy, Texas – 12 miles south of Austin. Prior to that, the race has been held at Indianapolis, Phoenix, Watkins Glen, Riverside, Sebring, Santa Monica, San Francisco, Milwaukee and Savannah.
The United States Grand Prix is the longest-running event on the calendar which is held outside of Europe – so it’s safe to say that it holds a legacy of its own in its own right. Despite being held at a number of different tracks, its introduction to Austin, Texas has made the biggest impact in America so far. Because of Austin’s culture and friendly reputation, race organisers have been praised from people from all corners of F1.
Like all great F1 tracks, the COTA is a purpose-built track designed by legendary architect and track designer, Hermann Tilke. The German track designer borrowed elements from other great circuits such as Silverstone, Suzuka and Hockenheim to create a blockbuster of a track which is known for its wide turns and overtaking capabilities. Everything’s bigger in America, right?
COTA’s grand prix circuit is 5.5km (3.3 mi) in length, with a grand total of 56 laps. This takes the overall race length to 308.4 km (191.6 mi). Couple this epic race with its 120,000 capacity, you’re guaranteed to get a world class atmosphere at the Circuit of the Americas!
In terms of the most successful drivers in the United States Grand Prix, it’s Lewis Hamilton who claims bragging rights. The Mercedes driver is currently on six wins – four of these have been consecutively since 2014! Can he make it five? Legendary German driver Michael Schumacher is in a close second with a total of five wins overall at this event.
Who Won The 2017 United States Grand Prix?
Lewis Hamilton started the 2017 United States Grand Prix in pole position as he was the quickest in the qualifying rounds. The Mercedes driver managed to hold onto his position up top and storm to victory with a time of 1:33.50.991.
A red wave followed the Brit over the finishing line in second and third places, as Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Räikkönen finished the race with times of +10.143 and +15.779.
Who Is Likely To Win The 2018 United States Grand Prix?
In recent years, Mercedes – through Lewis Hamilton – have been very successful in the United States Grand Prix. As previously mentioned, the British driver has managed to win every race since 2014. But, surprisingly, Mercedes aren’t the most successful team at this event. In fact, they’re the fourth most successful team when racing state-side with five wins in total.
Ferrari are the winners in that department, with a total of nine race wins – the majority of these wins can be credited to German driver Michael Schumacher. British teams Lotus and McLaren have both managed to win eight races each on American soil.
Given Lewis Hamilton’s fine recent form having won his last four races of the 2018 Formula 1 season, combined with his four consecutive wins on this track, it really would be a surprise to see anyone else claim the top spot on the podium come Sunday. Not to mention his six overall wins at this event! So, if he’s able to win on Sunday, that might just be it for good, as it would be monumental challenge for Sebastian Vettel to mount a comeback for the Championship.
If there was to be a slither of hope for the German driver, he has managed to win once in this event back in 2013. Despite this statistic, it might just be too much of an uphill task for Vettel to claim victory this weekend.
Final Thoughts
That concludes our 2018 United States Grand Prix preview! If you’re wanting to catch the action on the circuit this Sunday, don’t forget that it’s on a little later than usual with the main event starting at 19:10 BST on Sunday 21st October.
*All times are in UK time.
Photo Credits:
racingcircuits.info
eurosport.com
cmgdigital.com