It’s time for the 19th round of the Formula 1 World Championship, the United States Grand Prix, at what can now be considered one of the classic circuits on the calendar, COTA (the Circuit of the Americas), on the outskirts of Austin, Texas. There are 58 points on offer this weekend as this is the fourth Sprint of the year at a venue that is hugely popular because of the great atmosphere of the city that claims to be the “music capital of the world.”
The track. The 5.413 kilometre-long COTA track is very complete, featuring a combination of high, medium and low speed corners, two DRS zones, with an elevation change of over 40 metres. The climb to turn 1, a left hander that is almost a hairpin, is a key point for overtaking, as are turns 12 and 13. The final sector features demanding changes of direction while track temperature can exceed 40 degrees, providing a stern test for the power unit and the tyres, that need careful management to deal with the track surface, this being an important consideration when planning strategy for both qualifying and the race.
The importance of preparation. Coming to a race having prepared thoroughly in the simulator and during meetings in the factory is always important, never more so than when it’s for a Sprint format weekend. That is because there is only one hour of free practice to prepare prior to Sprint Qualifying on Friday afternoon.
Programme. Track action starts on Friday with the one and only free practice session at 12.30 local (19.30 CEST), followed by Sprint Qualifying at 16.30 (23.30 CEST). On Saturday, the Sprint race begins at 12.00 (19.00 CEST) followed by qualifying for the Grand Prix itself at 16.00 (23.00 CEST). On Sunday the main event gets underway at 14.00 (21.00 CEST) run over 56 laps, for a distance of 308.728 kilometres.
Fred Vasseur Team Principal
After two street circuits, we return to a permanent track at COTA, which offers a very interesting mix of corners. It’s a layout that demands precision from everyone - the team in terms of set-up and the drivers in feeling at one with the car. The weekend will be even more challenging with the Sprint format, giving us just one free practice session before heading straight into competitive sessions.
We know we haven’t maximised the potential of our package in the last few races, but the team is united and fully determined to turn things around.
