QUARTET NEAR A FULL COTA OF PERFECTION
We reckon Hamilton, Verstappen, Leclerc and Vettel were the best performers in Austin, as Latifi and Ricciardo propped up our points tally
Started 3rd ------------ Result 2nd Isn’t penalised for not going faster late in Q3 as no slower cars squeaked by, then was brilliant in the race. Pressured Verstappen before second stops, then did his best to pull clear in clean air. Could have defended harder, but isn’t docked for pushing track limits as he wasn’t penalised.
Started 15th ---- Result 16th Just lacked speed all weekend at a track he loves. Felt car’s unsettled rear through the
Esses late in Q1 led to his elimination there. Did make gains at start, but slipped back struggling for grip and therefore was unable to fully push. Did at least catch and pass Latifi late on.
Started 4th --------------- Result 5th Pulled down massively for his Turn 1 gaffe. Had it happened later likely would have been penalised harsher by the stewards, with the apex-approach lock up sliding him into Sainz and damaging his wing. Struggled for pace during “the worst Sunday of my year”. Sealed fastest lap after late stop for soft tyres.
Started 6th --------------- Result 6th Qualified behind Stroll’s slower Aston, but raced very well – especially given damage from the Stroll/alonso crash debris. Lost a place to Vettel after avoiding Sainz’s spin, slid back in stint one. Made a series of good moves at Turn 1 late on and passed Alonso into Turn 12 with one to go.
Started 2nd --------------- Result 1st Drops a point because of slide in penultimate corner on his final Q3 lap, which blew a shot at pole. Aced the race start, nailed both restarts and dealt with wind and driveability issues. Charged from botched pitstop, passed Leclerc and Hamilton, then defended well against brief attack back.
Started 14th ---- Result 15th Beaten by Stroll’s Aston in Q3, then Ice-change grid drop. At the start made progress, but mugged by Leclerc. Gained with a safety car stop after starting on hards. In Stroll shunt, he might have moved earlier but wasn’t to blame. Then a remarkable charge. Alpine took blame for mirror penalty.
Started 9th -------------- Result 4th Qualified 0.2s adrift of his team-mate, then damaged front wing on lap one before the endplate fell off – all from an overly ambitious lunge on Bottas. But pace with a hobbled car was impressive and did well in battles against Norris and the Astons early on and especially Leclerc later.
Started Pits ------- Result 10th Q1 exit down to low confidence and pace, while Alonso made Q3. Started from pitlane after engine change. Made steady progress, gained with a safety car stop. Long middle stint meant he could charge nicely at the end, but he is marked down for his off in front of Schumacher post-restart one.
Started 12th --------- Result 3rd Too aggressive in the Esses late in Q3. Penalty for engine change, then caught behind Sainz’s spin, but made up two of three lost places with a thrilling Ricciardo/alonso Turn 5 double pass. Made steady progress before safety car stop gain, then brilliantly passed Perez. Couldn’t stop Verstappen though.
Started 11th ---- Result 13th Surfed the Turn 1 chaos well after Q2 exit. Fought Norris and Leclerc early on. Lost out with a green flag first stop and then was rightly penalised for his safety car distance error in the pack. No blame for Alphatauri not serving his penalty fully in the pits, which dropped him from 11th to 13th post-race.
Started 1st -------------------------- Result R Credit for fine qualifying performance to seal pole. Calm approach early in his final Q3 lap meant better tyre life at the end of a smooth, clean effort. Wheelspin post-launch cost him against Verstappen at the start. Cut back underneath at Turn 1 exit, wasn’t at fault for the Russell contact.
Started 19th --------- Result 9th Should have started higher but for Q2 Turn 9 track limits-slip. Started from back after gearbox-change penalty, lucky not to trigger a jump start. Then passed Latifi and Schumacher, who he squeezed at Turn 15. Battled better later, but lacked pace in stint three. Passed Albon late on to score.
Started 10th --------- Result 7th Loses a mark for Q2 exit when Stroll made Q3. Made a lightningfast start and bravely edged Norris at Turn 3 on lap one, then raced very well either side of his slow second stop. Led the race briefly, showed strong pace and brilliantly harried and passed the Haas of Magnussen on the last lap.
Started 13th --------- Result 8th
Q1 exit down to hitting the Turn 1 apex bumps. At the start, he was unlucky getting caught behind Leclerc braking hard in Sainz/russell aftermath, then got outmuscled by Zhou. But he pulled off the only one-stopper beautifully and was rewarded with points. Fine last-lap attempt to hold Vettel back.
Started 5th ------------------------- Result R Reached Q3 and beat Norris and Alonso with just one Q3 run. Gained well in Turn 1 chaos and briefly ran third, unfortunate to stop just before Bottas’s off. Stewards said he was only “predominantly” to blame for Alonso shunt, but it was a needless late chop with big ramifications.
Started 16th ---- Result 14th Eliminated in
Q1, spin at Turn 1. Showed strong pace in stint one and gained with a stop under first safety car. Picked up Stroll/ Alonso debris diffuser damage, plus sidepod injury in Latifi’s Turn 12 gaffe. Felt this ruined his handling and contributed to his four track-limits violations and penalty. Started 17th ---- Result 17th 2
Qualified last with Albon 11th. Solo spin in the early stages after getting stuck in on lap one was poor, meant he had to pit to shed his starting mediums. Gained with a stop during first safety car period on an effective one-stopper, then botched his defence against Schumacher. Rightly penalised. Started 8th ---------- Result 12th 7 Just 0.028s from Q3. Undid fine work flatspotting fronts at Turn 1. Went to the hards under first safety car after short second stint. Gained ground, but couldn’t keep tyres alive and slipped back. Penalty for late Turn 12 off under pressure from Tsunoda and not letting the Alphatauri through immediately. Started 18th ---- Result 11th 7
Marked down for Q2 slip beyond track limits out of Turn 12 – even though it was a tiny error – that cost a Q3 berth. On lap one, passed Magnussen and progressed well in stint one. Was a loser in first safety car period and a gainer under the second, but fell back towards end on ageing hard tyres. Started 4 7th ------------------------- Result R Felt Alfa’s floor upgrade helped him make Q3. In the race, Perez’s lunge and their clash cost him momentum and a place to Albon on lap one. Is scored down mainly for his Turn 19 off – pushing too hard chasing Gasly and at the same time getting caught out in a gust of wind that left him beached and out.