By Carol M. Creasey
A few hours before practice in Austin, FIA broke the news that one unnamed car was running a special ride-height device which if used from qualifying onward would be illegal.
Speculation was rife about this, and then Red bull announced that it was them, but said they were not using it in parc ferme conditions. Zak Brown of McLaren were particularly vocal about this issue, stating he wanted to have further details about it, and both his drivers, Piastri and Norris were also not happy, as it might hinder their chances in competing for the title against Verstappen. When Lewis Hamilton was asked for his opinion, among other things, he said he was wondering “how long they have had that, and they’ve been winning championships”. A lot of other observers have also been openly wondering about.
During the only practice session of the United States Grand Prix weekend, Lewis spun his car, but luckily was able to stay on track. George Russell did the same, but also managed to keep it on track. By the end of the session, Sainz topped the time sheets with Leclec 2nd, and Verstappen 3rd. Next came the McLarens with Lewis in 6th and Russell in 7th. Once again the times were very close.
By the time Sprint Qualifying came round, Lewis looked to be in a comfortable position to claim pole position, but on his push lap, there was a yellow flag, which totally ruined his lap, and he ended up 7th. Russell was 2nd with Verstappen on pole. Norris split the Ferraris in 4th, as they were 3rd and 5th.
Mercedes did not fare well in the Sprint Race either. Lewis made up one place to 6th, and Russell was overtaken by the Ferraris and Norris, thus slipping down to 5th. It was clear the pace just was not there, so changes would need to be made to the setups before qualifying for the main race later in the day. Verstappen won the Sprint Race.
Later came Qualifying for the main race on Sunday. Lewis had been particularly excited about racing in Texas, as he has a huge following there, so it was hugely disappointing for him to not make it out of Q1, and end up 18th. Russell beached his car after claiming 6th position. Norris got pole.
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As Russell’s crash had broken many of his new parts, Lewis offered to let him have his upgraded parts, and even suggested to the team that if they changed the setup of his car, he would start from the pit lane and see if he could work his way up. However, the team opted not to change the setup or the engine, and he lined up in 17th due to penalties. The team had to work on Russell’s car all night, therefore breaking the curfew, and he had to start from the pit lane.
When the main race started Leclerc had an amazing start, moving him from 3rd into the lead. Lewis had a great start, and immediately made up five places to 12th, and his race was looking good. But on the 2nd lap, disaster struck, his car was on the gravel, and he was out of the race. Everyone was so shocked, there was complete silence. Later when interviewed, Toto admitted it was 100 per cent the car’s fault. Lewis knows how to drive, but the new package is making it unstable around corners, and dangerous to drive.
Later Russell got a five second penalty for pushing Bottas off, but Verstappen did not get penalized for doing the same thing at the start of the race. One has to wonder why the stewards are not consistent with their decisions. Ultimately, George managed to get himself up to P6. Some fans were later saying that Mercedes knew the upgrades weren’t working, and this is why they did not take up Lewis’s offer to give Russell his upgraded parts, which is just crazy.
It is such a shame some do not trust the team that together with Lewis has enjoyed so much glory. After the race, Toto was just as gutted as Lewis that he did not finish, and he has spoken encouragingly to Lewis about the upcoming race in Mexico. With just five races to go, Mercedes have openly stated that they want Lewis to leave the team on a high note, so let’s hope the fans will have something to be happy about in Mexico.
Be sure to follow Carol on X @eagertogo and visit her website www.carolmcreasey.com!
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