2021 United States Grand Prix - Austin, Oct 22 - 24

[Zynerji]

Tomorrow will have similar levels of wind, same direction. It won't rain, but reading the weather will be crucial to time your stops, as the clouds affect track temperature a good deal. A few degrees of track temperature can make a difference in getting more or less out of the tires.

I'm showing only 20% chance of rain, but that can increase quickly overnight with the gulfs warm air...

[Hammerfist]

After doing so few laps and HAM setting his fastest top speed at the last run in Q3, it seems that Merc is running here very conservative regarding race mapping PU mode and could be just a damage limitation race after all ...

Then after setting all day the fastest S2, BOT seems to me he has set up the car for a 2 stop race strategy in contrast with the majority of the front drivers who are set for just a one-stop, presumably ...

Whoever goes for a one stop strategy is effectively committing suicide. COTA has extremely high deg. Last time this race was run it was very clear to see that the 2 stopper is the preferred strategy because it is faster by a mile. I will be watching for those who haven’t learned their lesson and I will be laughing at them.

[Mr.S]

Max showing Lewis who is the owner of the yard here & who is No.1. Great job !

Perez - Missed P2 by a small margin ! Needs to get a good start !

[JordanMugen]

Great pole by Verstappen in the Red Bull Acura!

Sky reporting RBR have rear wing cracks. Emergency glue gun mods ongoing…

"One of the mechanics has found a hairline crack, so we are not taking any risks and are replacing the part," Horner told Sky Sports.
"It probably wouldn't have been a problem, but you can see the cars are having a hard time here. The mechanic had seen it right."

for the 2nd time today, or why did they wait until just before Qualifying to fix it?

It was found in FP3, the other wings were reinforced between FP3 and Q.

[JordanMugen]

Max showing Lewis who is the owner of the yard here & who is No.1. Great job !

Perez - Missed P2 by a small margin ! Needs to get a good start !

What, no love for the FIA that gimped his only real competition, by ensuring low rake cars are at a disadvantage....

What are you talking about? Mercedes have had a large advantage for years. The Red Bull is far, far from dominant, and the Mercedes is an extremely competitive car still and far from being "gimped".

FIA did not predict low rake cars to be disadvantaged, and have also restricted flexi rear wings and automated pit stops to the detriment of Red Bull. The new Pirelli tyre construction introduced mid-season seems to have assisted low rake cars too, due to more consistent sidewall shape.

[JordanMugen]

The biggest compromise to that level of adjustability is size and weight. I think they "lock in" certain measurements with non-adjustable parts to save both of those negative byproducts.

Yes, Formula One shock absorbers are not adjustable as far as I know unlike other racing categories. They are preset at the factory.

[toraabe]

Next year you have to in some way to seal the floor like skirts until 1982. Then you have to keep the floor as close as possible to the ground.

[Tizz]

I really don't think you should climb a tower where the elevator broke down because the ground is unstable...

Is that the reason? I’ll take a hard pass then.

No it's not.

I saw it on one of the F1 sites. Then Max said the track was built on a swamp. And the bumps... it al seemed to make sense. Should have checked better. Sorry guys.

[Wouter]

Nice to see how everyone makes up excuses why the W12 is not as fast as the RB16B.
Both cars were on the tarmac like a train, both equally good, but Mercedes has opened their PU completely
and Honda is always very conservative, so that PU can open even further.
Conclusion: The difference is in the PUs. Honda's PU is finally the most reliable and strongest PU on the field right now.

[Tizz]

Never thought Max would take pole. I think Hammi needs a good start otherwise Perez will poke his nose in straight away and force Hammi to back out. Max needs to keep his rear wing in one piece. Both his and Perez' had cracks yesterday. I guess some front wings will get destroyed tomorrow. McLaren vs Ferrari will be interesting...

[NL_Fer]

So any idea’s about how the tyres are going to play out tonight? I suspect Hamilton wil have an advantage on hards and Verstappen to prevent any undercuts by going early and try a two-stopper. Maybe Hamilton will try a one stop and keep Max behind in the final stage. Hope Perez can give some rear support this time.

[_cerber1]

Nice to see how everyone makes up excuses why the W12 is not as fast as the RB16B.
Both cars were on the tarmac like a train, both equally good, but Mercedes has opened their PU completely
and Honda is always very conservative, so that PU can open even further.
Conclusion: The difference is in the PUs. Honda's PU is finally the most reliable and strongest PU on the field right now.

Where was their power at Monza and Sochi when Verstappen couldn't get past McLaren?

[NathanOlder]

I think Mercedes have compromised their qualifying pace for better tyre life in the race tomorrow

It certainly had a lazy front end.

Yeah it was painful to watch the front end on the car. Looked very much like it was setup to look after the rears. Fingers crossed and the stints come back to Mercedes and we see Lewis attacking Max.

[Juzh]

Wouldn't changing the map for the final run of Qualy be against the rules?
I did find weird that after being 318 all day, Hamilton clocked 323 on his final run.

I don't know if he was close enough to get a benefit but I'm pretty sure that last run was the only one where Hamilton got a tow of Bottas

Lewis was towing bottas around, I think it was his turn to do it. Max was towing checo around I think.

MCS probably went for broke getting a tow off Bottas in the last attempt. Figuring P2 was imperative to have an opportunity off the line.

I hope those two wont take eachother out

Did you even watch qualifying?
Q2 - ham behind bot
Q3 first run - ham ahead bottas
Q3 second run - ham behind bottas

Not that it matters anyway because in all instances following car was waaaay to far behind to benefit from any slipstream. For example on last Q3 run hamilton was around 13s behind bottas, so all this conversation about slipstream is pointless. On this track any downforce disruption is more detrimental to laptime than what you can gain on back straight with slipstream.

[NathanOlder]

I don't know if he was close enough to get a benefit but I'm pretty sure that last run was the only one where Hamilton got a tow of Bottas

Lewis was towing bottas around, I think it was his turn to do it. Max was towing checo around I think.

MCS probably went for broke getting a tow off Bottas in the last attempt. Figuring P2 was imperative to have an opportunity off the line.

I hope those two wont take eachother out

Did you even watch qualifying?
Q2 - ham behind bot
Q3 first run - ham ahead bottas
Q3 second run - ham behind bottas

Not that it matters anyway because in all instances following car was waaaay to far behind to benefit from any slipstream. For example on last Q3 run hamilton was around 13s behind bottas, so all this conversation about slipstream is pointless. On this track any downforce disruption is more detrimental to laptime than what you can gain on back straight with slipstream.

Some users don't pay attention to live timing and just assume that if a car is behind another, they are getting a huge advantage in the tow. almost like every track is like Monza.