646 replies to this topic

[Richard T]

To kick off the day we have a security investigation in the area of turn 1.

 

 

Circuit of The Americas in conjunction with local law enforcement officials today investigated a suspicious incident in the turn one area of the racetrack. During routine security checks prior to the venue’s opening, public safety officials, including representatives of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), responded to the incident and found nothing wrong.
 

As a precaution, Circuit of The Americas delayed opening the entire facility to patrons until 8 a.m. CT while follow-up security checks were completed. Patrons are now entering the facility and operations are proceeding as normal.

 

Fans are now entering the racetrack!

 

Todays grid: 

1. Sebastian Vettel      Red Bull-Renault
 2. Mark Webber           Red Bull-Renault
 3. Romain Grosjean       Lotus-Renault
 4. Nico Hulkenberg       Sauber-Ferrari
 5. Lewis Hamilton        Mercedes
 6. Fernando Alonso       Ferrari
 7. Sergio Perez          McLaren-Mercedes
 8. Heikki Kovalainen     Lotus-Renault
 9. Valtteri Bottas       Williams-Renault
10. Daniel Ricciardo      Toro Rosso-Ferrari
11. Paul di Resta         Force India-Mercedes
12. Nico Rosberg          Mercedes
13. Felipe Massa          Ferrari
14. Jean-Eric Vergne      Toro Rosso-Ferrari
15. Jenson Button         McLaren-Mercedes
16. Adrian Sutil          Force India-Mercedes
17. Pastor Maldonado      Williams-Renault
18. Giedo van der Garde   Caterham-Renault
19. Jules Bianchi         Marussia-Cosworth
20. Esteban Gutierrez     Sauber-Ferrari
21. Max Chilton           Marussia-Cosworth
22. Charles Pic           Caterham-Renault

Weather seems to be a bit muggy but is due to clear up in time for the race. Here's to a cracker! 

 

Starting times: 

Local: 13:00

GMT: 19:00

CET: 20:00

 

Leave your predictions below and see you at the live chat!

 

[Iranie]

Second race in Austin! The question remains; will Vettel take one more consecutive win or will he (finally) bump into problems?

 

 

All you need to know

56 laps, 308.896 km (191,912 mi)

Two DRS-zones, on main and back straights.

1:39.347 - S Vettel (2012)

 

2012

Hamilton

Vettel

Alonso

 

 

Grid

 

                      Sebastian Vettel
Mark Webber
                       Romain Grosjean
Nico Hülkenberg
                       Lewis Hamilton
Fernando Alonso
                       Sergio Perez
Heikki Kovalainen
                        Valtteri Bottas
Daniel Ricciardo
                        Paul di Resta
Nico Rosberg
                       Felipe Massa
Jean-Eric Vergne
                       Jenson Button
Adrian Sutil
                      Pastor Maldonado
Giedo van der Garde
                      Jules Bianchi
Esteban Gutierrez
                       Max Chilton
Charles Pic

 

Pointers

 

1) Mostly one-stop race?

  - someone might fail trying

2) Interesting recovery drives 

  - Rosberg, Massa, Button, Gutierrez

   - starting with the harder tyre?

3) Something to prove

 - Perez, Kovalainen

 - how's Heikki's racecraft after such a long break?

4) Grosjean the man to beat the Bulls?

 -  Start is essential

 -  Vettel probably unbeatable

 - The ace up in the sleeve: tyre wear?

5) Temperature changes

 - someone might gain, someone might lose

6) Lotus vs Ferrari

 - can Lotus reduce the gap?

7) Williams wants more points to secure the 9th in WCC

 - Bottas pressurized

Edited by Iranie, 17 November 2013 - 14:35.

[Richard T]

I may agree your OP was better but i was a minute quicker ;) 

[Antonov]

I hope for a start crash and subsequent red flag. Has been too long.

[Kunis]

Support Hulk for the podium!

[dau]

I may agree your OP was better but i was a minute quicker ;) 

This calls for a fight to the death. I'll get the popcorn.

[SR388]

America is an amazing country. I wish I lived there. I hope those texans get a great race. Go Hamilton!

[dau]

This calls for a fight to the death. I'll get the popcorn.

Well, that was anticlimactic. 

[Ferras]

noob question:

 

can Gutierrez start on any tyre due to his penalty?

[Richard T]

This calls for a fight to the death. I'll get the popcorn.

Dude, I ain't gonna kill him...

 

 

I leave that to the forum host!    

[Fudce]

noob question:

 

can Gutierrez start on any tyre due to his penalty?

No - He qualified 10th, and set that time on the option tyres. He then moves back ten places.

 

Last race, Kimi may have qualified in the top ten, but was thrown out of qualifying, so technically didn't set a time in qualifying, so didn't set a fastest lap on any set of tyres.

[Disgrace]

I might go back on my initial thought to skip the race as the tyres are actually a lot less of a joke here, which did lead to good racing last year.

 

It will be interesting to see how much ground Rosberg and to an extent, Toni Elias Massa will also make up.

[Longtimefan]

Expecting the race to be over in 1-2 corners yet again. zzzzZZZ

Some rain would be nice but I can't see it happening.

[Shiroo]

probably the best new build track.

[SR388]

probably the best new build track.

I agree, they should build one out in East Tennessee. Lots of hills.


Get excited folks! It's the penultimate Grand Prix! I can't wait to see the battle for 2nd place!

[aray]

RB 1-2.....(unless it rains by miracle)...

[froggy22]

Not gonna be able to see this live, so i hope its a poor race

[Anja]

probably the best new build track.

 

The track is indeed good, but the race also benefits massively from great atmosphere. No other track built in the last decade or so is even near something like that - for me that's what makes this GP a modern classic already.

[V3TT3L]

To kick off the day we have a security investigation in the area of turn 1.

 

 

Simples... somebody will dive-bomb at the first corner 

 

MalTornado 

[Atreiu]

I hope Vettel has a horrible start on purpose just so he can have a harder and more fun race. Like I do on videogames when it gets too easy.

[RosannaG]

Dedicated to my fellow male forumers. 

 

The cowgirls doing the formation walk...

 

https://twitter.com/...0660992/photo/1

[F1ultimate]

Dedicated to my fellow male forumers. 

 

The cowgirls doing the formation walk...

 

https://twitter.com/...0660992/photo/1

 

The lead girl clearly lifts and squats. She has the muscles of a horse. 

 

 

As for the race, I'm hoping to be entertained. Last year we witnessed close wheel to wheel racing between Schumi, Kimi, the Williams drivers and others.  

[Risil]

I love the cowboy hats they get on the podium. Whisky instead of champagne would be good but you can't have everything. A few of the corners are a bit too fussy and tight and the scenery isn't much to look at compared to a lot of American venues, but this is one of the best tracks on the calendar. Yay!

 

Here's hoping something a bit unpredictable happens.

Edited by Risil, 17 November 2013 - 15:53.

[Shiroo]

Dedicated to my fellow male forumers. 

 

The cowgirls doing the formation walk...

 

https://twitter.com/...0660992/photo/1

 

Why the heck these girls have bra visible?

[tmzxaar]

It's going to be interesting to watch the Hul-Ham-Alo.

I'm also looking forward to see what can Kovalainen do, and Rosberg from 12th. Even though we know the winner already, it will be a great race to watch!

[senna da silva]

The lead girl clearly lifts and squats. She has the muscles of a horse. 

 

 

I don't know but I've been told a big leg women aint got no soul.

[SR388]

Dedicated to my fellow male forumers.

The cowgirls doing the formation walk...

https://twitter.com/...0660992/photo/1

Wouldent mind knocking boots.

[InSearchOfThe]

Minus RBR, the story is on the 2nd row. GRO vs. HUL. Looking for fireworks in turn1. Or 2, or 3......

[wrcva]

Dedicated to my fellow male forumers. 

 

The cowgirls doing the formation walk...

 

https://twitter.com/...0660992/photo/1

 

they should have hired the cheerleading squad of Dallas Cowboys   http://iameviltebow....ickOverload.jpg

[SophieB]

Dude, I ain't gonna kill him...

 

 

I leave that to the forum host!    

 

When people do battle to bring us great opening posts, truly we are all winners. Good work, guys.

 

Meanwhile:

@suziperry 29m

There are some disgruntled drivers starting today ... This may lead to something, it may not but....

 

Anyone have any idea what Suzi is going on about?

[JHSingo]

Only thing really worth discussing is how much Sebastian Vettel will be leading by at the end of the opening lap. I'm going to go with 2.5 seconds.

[REDalert]

Why the heck these girls have bra visible?

I agree, would be much better without bras 

[SR388]

they should have hired the cheerleading squad of Dallas Cowboys http://iameviltebow....ickOverload.jpg

They have been the most successful part of that team for a decade now.

[SR388]

Only thing really worth discussing is how much Sebastian Vettel will be leading by at the end of the opening lap. I'm going to go with 2.5 seconds.

He will be 1 lap ahead.







Probably 3.6 seconds.

[Longtimefan]

Only thing really worth discussing is how much Sebastian Vettel will be leading by at the end of the opening lap. I'm going to go with 2.5 seconds.

He won't..

I tweeted Mark and said I'd send him a tenner if he 'accidentally' missed his braking point into turn one and pranged the other RB.

[george1981]

I think tyre wear will be the biggest factor that decides this race. Everyone will be trying to nurse their tyres to get through on a one stop strategy. I'd like to see the Mercedes acknowledge that they can't make a one stopper work and go for a two stopper from the off. If they've set the car up to overtake they could get some decent points.

Rosberg especially, he's got a more fresh sets of tyres and can start on what ever type he likes.

[Atreiu]

And I hope Hamilton just decides to stop once more and go fast instead of doing endless tyre nursing.

[Iranie]

Only thing really worth discussing is how much Sebastian Vettel will be leading by at the end of the opening lap. I'm going to go with 2.5 seconds.

 

Grosjean leads by 0.8 seconds. I like to live dangerously. 

[Atreiu]

Grosjean leads by 0.8 seconds. I like to live dangerously. 

 

Vettel by 1.3.

[SealTheDiffuser]

Support Hulk for the podium!

 

Support Hulk for Victory!

[artista]

When people do battle to bring us great opening posts, truly we are all winners. Good work, guys.

 

Meanwhile:

@suziperry 29m

There are some disgruntled drivers starting today ... This may lead to something, it may not but....

 

Anyone have any idea what Suzi is going on about?

 

I think one is Maldonado and, according to Spanish TV (not the most reliable), Williams' engineers and so on have taken very badly what Pastor told yesterday.

 

The only other driver I can think about is Pérez, but he's already on his way out of the team and being disgruntled won't change a thing. Unless she's thinking about drivers considering doing something really stupid on track, but I don't think Checo would.

[NexusIcon]

VET

GRO
WEB




HUL
ALO
HAM
KOV
ROS
PER
BUT

There's our top ten. Get your dollars on that... (don't)

Edited by NexusIcon, 17 November 2013 - 17:23.

[SealTheDiffuser]

disgruntled drivers: MAL, GUI (grid penalty 10 ), MAS, BUT, ROS maybe

[Farhannn15]

Vettel by 1.3.

Vettel by 1.9

[SophieB]

I think one is Maldonado and, according to Spanish TV (not the most reliable), Williams' engineers and so on have taken very badly what Pastor told yesterday.

 

The only other driver I can think about is Pérez, but he's already on his way out of the team and being disgruntled won't change a thing. Unless she's thinking about drivers considering doing something really stupid on track, but I don't think Checo would.

 

Oh, now my head is filled with delicious visions that will never come to pass. Like of the Williams staff expressing their anger by maybe making him get out and change his own tyres at the pit stops. Or maybe Pastor is so mad at them, he just refuses to race at all in a massive sulk and Ms Wolff has to step forward to save the day...

[Andrew Hope]

The lead girl clearly lifts and squats. She has the muscles of a horse. 

Good eye. First girl reminds me of the road between Dallas and Forth Worth: no curves.

[artista]

Oh, now my head is filled with delicious visions that will never come to pass. Like of the Williams staff expressing their anger by maybe making him get out and change his own tyres at the pit stops. Or maybe Pastor is so mad at them, he just refuses to race at all in a massive sulk and Ms Wolff has to step forward to save the day...

 

I was thinking about something much more boring, like Maldonado not driving in Brazil, but watching him change his own tyres during a pit-stop would be great!

[P0inters]

Only thing really worth discussing is how much Sebastian Vettel will be leading by at the end of the opening lap. I'm going to go with 2.5 seconds.

Hmmm , I'll go with 2.8....either that or he'll be out of the race.  Wishful thinking.

[BullHead]

One of the RBs out. GRO and HUL for the stetsons

[SophieB]

@SkyF1Insider 10m

Jenson's parade car broke down and started rolling backwards on the hill. Luckily webber was there to pick him up !