Disregarding the post-race disqualifications due to excessive plank wear, Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and Scuderia Ferrari Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc concluded the United States Grand Prix at COTA in second and sixth positions, but their discussions with their respective teams are far from over given the events that took place on track in terms of tyre strategies.
The seven-time F1 Champion experienced a significant time loss between the first and second stints compared to the Dutchman. The data clearly illustrates that Charles Leclerc’s one-stop strategy was doomed from the outset.
Lando Norris and McLaren initially secured third place at the finish line, later upgraded to second given the disqualifications of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, but encountered some tire wear issues toward the end of their stints, which did not allow them to match the pace of Red Bull and Mercedes in certain key moments of the United States Grand Prix.
Carlos Sainz delivered a solid performance, finishing just a few seconds behind his former teammate. Sergio Perez showcased solid race pace, despite not achieving the desired result.
Aston Martin’s impressive speed went somewhat unnoticed as both cars started from the pit lane due to setup changes. Lance Stroll utilized the updated floor, while Fernando Alonso stuck with the old specification in order for the team to make comparative tests and evaluate its latest upgrade. In the upcoming Mexico race at the 4.304-kilometre Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City, the Silverstone-based team will aim to confirm their weekend’s performance. Alpine and Alpha Tauri demonstrated strong race pace in the lower half of the grid, finishing in sixth and eighth places, respectively.
Logan Sargeant earned his first Formula 1 point on home turf, bouncing back from a challenging weekend in Qatar. Although Alex Albon finished in ninth place, the rookie’s performance was exceptional.
Looking back on the fight for the race win, it must be pointed out that Lewis Hamilton lost between 6-9 seconds due to a strategy error, marking the second consecutive race in which Mercedes failed to maximize their car’s potential. Their race strategy, which waited until lap 20 to pit Lewis Hamilton, cost them valuable time, allowing the Dutchman to take control and secure a solid gap for the final stages of the Austin event at COTA.
Toto Wolff, the Mercedes Team principal, emphasized the positive aspects of their car’s performance and the promising direction provided by recent upgrades. He acknowledged that the car displayed excellent pace but emphasized the need to remain humble and not take it for granted. In terms of pure performance, Max Verstappen was the fastest on average in the fast-flowing sector 1, with Lewis Hamilton not far behind. The latest upgrades aimed to enhance the car’s high-speed performance, a contrast to their initial focus on slower corners.
The RB19 single-seater maintained its unmatched top speed and efficiency, particularly in the middle sector. In the final sector, the W14 emerged as the fastest car. Throughout the race’s 56 laps at the Circuit of the Americas, Max Verstappen held a slight advantage over Lewis Hamilton, except for the four laps mentioned earlier, during which the British driver’s performance excelled.
McLaren, Ferrari, and Aston Martin closely contested the race in COTA, although various factors influenced their performance. The gap in race pace between Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz was minimal compared to previous races. While McLaren excelled in the first sector, the middle sector favored Scuderia Ferrari’s top speed, matching even Max Verstappen. In the final sector, Lance Stroll’s upgraded Aston Martin outpaced both Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris.
Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso’s performance was impacted by their pit-lane start and differing tire compounds. Stroll utilized upgraded parts, while the former Ferrari man stuck with the older configuration. The two Aston Martins were separated by a slim margin until the Spaniard’s retirement due to floor damage. In the final stints without traffic, Lance Stroll’s lap times neared Carlos Sainz’s and even matched Lando Norris’.
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These promising results bode well for Mike Krack’s team, who seek to confirm their performance in Mexico, a circuit potentially favorable for their car.
The two-stop strategy clearly proved superior, with Charles Leclerc and Ferrari opting for an alternative route despite noticeable tire degradation from Saturday’s sprint race and from the early laps on Sunday’s main event. Unfortunately, their gamble did not pay off and the Monegasque dropped from pole to sixth place on track.
At the time of Carlos Sainz’s first pit stop, his Maranello teammate held a nearly four-second advantage but finished the race trailing the Spaniard by nine seconds. Theoretically, if the Monegasque had a two-tenths per lap advantage in the last fifteen laps, he could have passed Lando Norris on the track in the final laps of the United States Grand Prix to secure a podium finish, as explained by F1 expert Andrea Vergani for formu1a.uno.
However, the final result told a different story, compounded by post-race disqualifications. Despite the disappointment, Charles Leclerc demonstrated excellent race management, historically a weak point for Scuderia Ferrari. In total, Carlos Sainz trailed Max Verstappen by three-tenths, highlighting Ferrari’s missed opportunity to fully exploit the car’s potential, even though they gained points on Mercedes on Sunday in COTA.
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