So is this where the battle between the two reaches its conclusion? Ahead of the seventh United States Grand Prix to be held in Austin, let us give you a steer on what to look out for this weekend.
The difference? Vettel has won just the once, while Hamilton has won five times, including taking victory at the first ever race there, and at every United States Grand Prix since Still, imagining Hamilton does win, if Vettel can at least finish second, the title fight goes on to Mexico a week later. Meanwhile, over in the Ferrari camp, some would say Kimi Raikkonen looks to have gone distinctly rogue following the announcement that he would be replaced at Ferrari by Charles Leclerc in , and now appears to only be looking out for number one in the number two Ferrari.
Ayrton Senna set the record by winning the Monaco Grand Prix every year from to The Circuit of The Americas features a maximum elevation change of feet from its highest to its lowest points. Only once since have both Red Bull drivers finished in the top five in Austin — when Sebastian Vettel won in and Mark Webber finished third. Daniel Ricciardo will be looking to fight back against Max Verstappen in qualifying in Austin.
Ricciardo has been out-qualified by his Dutch team mate at the previous 11 tries, the worst run of his F1 career. Kimi Raikkonen is currently on a race streak of not gaining a place on the opening lap of a race. The canny creators of the Circuit of The Americas clearly took that on board when designing the track, exploiting the natural peaks and troughs of their chosen site to the south-east of Austin to create this fantastic roller coaster of a circuit, one which became a favourite for the drivers overnight.
You can also expect the drivers to be feeling some pain in their left-side neck muscles in Texas. As for pit stops, should the drivers go for one or two? Well, Lewis Hamilton won last year after only stopping once, but Sebastian Vettel was just 10 seconds down the road after stopping twice. The rest of the field featured a similarly mixed bag of strategic options — and there should be more of the same in …. Have you picked your Fantasy F1 team yet? Hamilton was instructed to pit opposite Raikkonen, and though the Ferrari tried to fake the Mercedes, he remained out.
Hamilton pit early, and gained about eight seconds as a result. He wound up passing Raikkonen, and after the Ferrari stopped a few laps later, Hamilton had a second lead but questions about whether or not he will be doing a two-stop strategy. Hamilton, Raikkonen, Verstappen and Bottas were the top four after the first round of pit stops.
The race came down to the final laps, and Vettel helped save his title hopes — for at least another race — by passing Bottas in the penultimate lap. Hamilton got close to Verstappen, and second place would have given him the title, but in the very final laps, Verstappen managed to stay ahead.
Leclerc wound up being the fourth driver to retire from the race on Lap 33, likely due to damage sustained early in the race. Below is the live blog from Sunday, in reverse order, as well as the full finishing order from Sunday. Hamilton makes a move on him, and they scrap through multiple turns.
Hamilton had Verstappen, but lost the place and went wide — with two laps to go that will probably do it. Bottas goes wide and Vettel makes it past him! Vettel up into fourth, which means Hamilton would need a first-place finish to win it. Raikkonen will come home first, ahead of Verstappen and Hamilton!
What a race! Hamilton is having troubles getting and staying into DRS range of Verstappen, while Bottas pulls out of it from Vettel. Hamilton gets some DRS on Verstappen, but not quite enough. If he can pass Verstappen, he wins the race. There continues to be a battle in the midfield, but Hartley is just outside the points in 11th, and is a full pit stop behind Perez in 10th.
Vertstappen is 1. Hamilton pits! Raikkonen retakes the lead as Hamilton fits another pair of soft tires. He rejoins in fourth, three seconds up on Vettel, with Bottas, Verstappen and Raikkonen ahead of him. That switch happens, and Hamilton begins chasing down Verstappen. USGP F1 pic. Hamilton is lapping rather slowly, and Raikkonen continues to gain on him.
Vettel is also gaining on Bottas. It seems like Hamilton will need to stop again, and very soon. Vettel sets a purple lap. Hamilton seems to be slowing down, trying his best not to stress his tires. He has a Vettel pits and rejoins in fifth, leaving Magnussen and Ericsson the only two who have yet to pit. Hamilton continues to be lapping conservatively, saving his tired. Raikkonen makes up about three seconds on Hamilton by Lap Raikkonen pits on Lap 22, with Hamilton right behind him prior to the stop.
So Hamilton regains the lead, while Raikkonen rejoins the track in fifth, behind Vettel. A first for Hamilton and fifth for Vettel would also give Hamilton the championship.
Vettel goes through ahead of Bottas, while Verstappen pit on the prior lap and has successfully passed Bottas after the stops, he has about a 2-second lead. Ocon passes Gasly after pitting. Hamilton is already gaining on Raikkonen heavily, and is made up nearly three seconds in two laps.
By Lap 16, Hamilton is just 3 seconds behind Raikkonen, who should be stopping soon. Sainz is under investigation for going off the track and gaining an advantage.
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