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Leclerc heads Ferrari 1-2 in United States GP

NEWS STORY
20/10/2024

If today's race is anything like yesterday's Sprint we could well be in for some real fun and games.

As if Fernando seeking to "screw" Liam wasn't enough, we have Max and Lando starting on the front row again and both Mercedes drivers starting from the back.

Mercedes opted not to make drastic changes to Lewis' car after all and consequently the seven-time world champion will start from 18th, however teammate George will start from the pitlane after his team had to work on his car overnight following his Q3 crash, fitting Singapore-spec parts to the damaged Mercedes.

Going back to Fernando, the Spaniard starts 8th, while his nemesis starts from the back of the grid after taking on a new engine. Still, if the Spaniard is determined to mess with the RB driver we're sure he'll find a way.

We're bored stiff with saying it but we feel we have to, races cannot be won at the first corner, but they can be lost, so both Max and Lando are going to exercise caution... which is easier said than done when you consider that Carlos, Charles and Oscar will be breathing down their necks.

The battle between the Ferrari pair yesterday was a joy to behold, and one cannot help but feel that the Spaniard has a point to prove.

Starting fifth Oscar will not be able to assist his teammate at the start, but at least he's not in Max's position who will be waiting all afternoon for Sergio to appear on the scene.

Despite the Alpines looking better this weekend, we expect the Haas drivers to be more likely of pulling off a surprise, while Fernando will be happy simply to be in the mix.

Watching the Mercedes pair work their way through the field should be fun, though the German team has had a tough weekend, the car once again fluctuating wildly in performance between sessions.

While the Red Bull, certainly in Max's hands, looks much improved, the McLaren is clearly an all-rounder, and we wouldn't be surprised to see another Singapore, with Lando leading home his Dutch rival.

While a two-stop is clearly the quickest strategy and with nine of the ten teams having already used one set of hards in the only free practice session, it's clear the most likely option involves the use of two sets of the mediums and the remaining one hard.

As to how their use will be split between the stints, we expect that everyone will try and start the race on the yellow-banded rubber. So, to sum up, the quickest strategy, based on a preliminary analysis, is a first stint on the medium, with a pit stop between laps 16 and 22 to switch to the hard, then a second stop between laps 35 and 41 to finish back on the medium.

Those who want to run their final stint with the hard could pit for the first time between laps 11 and 20 and a second time between laps 32 and 38.

Finally, a third but unlikely route would be to use all three compounds: start on the soft (first stop between laps 10 and 14), switch to the hard (second stop between 34 and 40) and finish with the medium.

Another factor to watch out for today is track limits, with a number of drivers already having been punished for violating them.

Air temperature is 28 degrees c, while the track temperature is 45 degrees.

The pitlane opens and Norris leads the way, followed by Magnussen, Russell, Zhou, Bottas and Hamilton.

Norris warns that his car is "nervous" into Turn 19, while Russell's car is bottoming in Turn 11 and Hamilton's is "slightly right-hand down.

Russell complains that his drink hasn't defrosted... much like the yoghurts we bought the other day.

"Strategy will be a big thing today," says Russell, "pit stops will be a big thing, they can win us a race or lose us a race. We've made some tweaks that should make the car better. It's going to be a tough one.

"Yesterday's race wasn't bad, but it just wasn't as good as the Ferraris. I've gone through the data and I'm going to try and do a better job from my side."

All are starting on mediums bar Stroll, Colapinto, Hamilton, Lawson and Russell who are on hards. All on fresh rubber bar Stroll.

"This is far back," says Hamilton ahead of the formation lap.

They head off, all getting away cleanly bar Russell who waits in the pitlane.

The grid forms.

They're away! Norris and Verstappen both get away well, into Turn 1 the Dutchman is on the inside of the McLaren and forces the Briton out towards the edge of the track.

However, as he focusses on his title rival, the Dutchman allows Leclerc through on the inside, and as Norris rejoins the track he has lost out to Leclerc, Verstappen and Sainz.

Moments later, Ocon is hit by Albon in Turn 1 and spins, dropping to last in the process, allowing Hamilton to take advantage of the confusion and move up to 12th.

As Sainz pushes Verstappen, replay shows that Piastri and Gasly were very close to colliding.

At the end of Lap 1, it's: Leclerc, Verstappen, Sainz, Norris, Piastri, Gasly, Magnussen, Tsunoda, Perez and Alonso.

Sainz continues to pressure Verstappen while a DRS train forms behind Piastri.

Hamilton is off and stuck in the gravel at Turn 19, the same corner his teammate came to grief yesterday.

The Safety Car is deployed as Hamilton climbs from his car. "Lewis, Lewis," cheers the crowd.

He's lost the left-rear wheel, but we've yet to see a replay.

The stewards have noted the Albon/Ocon incident.

Replay shows Hamilton simply lost the rear due to a lack of grip.

"We've reported the incident at Turn 1," Norris is told. "He clearly pushed me out. He had no intention of making the corner," claims the McLaren driver. "Even he didn't make the corner, I just had to avoid crashing into him or him crashing into me."

"He overtook me by going in so hard, same as Budapest. Identical," he adds.

The Safety Car is withdrawn at the end of Lap 5, as Verstappen clings to the rear of the leading Ferrari.

It's not clear why but Stroll dropped to last at the restart, while Russell is up to 16th.

There's a vicious battle at the back involving Ocon, Stroll and Albon, the Williams driver having pitted.

Leclerc posts a new fastest lap (38.951) as Hulkenberg passes Alonso for tenth.

2.1s down on his teammate, Piastri is under pressure from Gasly and Magnussen.

"No power on the exit of the corners, no power," warns Sainz, who adds that there is the smell of fuel.

"It smells like fuel in the car guys," says the Spaniard again.

Zhou drops from 15th to last after spinning in Turn 1.

Guess what, Lawson is all over his old mate Alonso as they battle for eleventh.

"It seems better," Sainz is told as he maintains a 2.2s gap to Norris, "just hang in there."

Lawson passes Alonso to claim 11th, the Spaniard attempts to fight back but runs wide in the process.

"Feedback on Plan A," Piastri is asked. "Ambitious," he replies.

As Russell force Bottas wide to claim 14th, Verstappen is told that he's free to hold sixth gear.

"If you keep this gap to Verstappen we're happy with Plan A, but we're basically still Plan B," Leclerc is advised.

Check out our Sunday gallery from COTA here.

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1. Posted by Kkiirmki, 20/10/2024 23:42

"An amazing result for the Scuderia. While McLaren and Red Bull squabble over ride height devices and rear wings and try their best to trip over one another, Ferrari are quietly sneaking up on the both of them. If they're not careful, Ferrari may beat them both to the constructors championship. "

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