Formula One Vault

PREVIEW – United States Grand Prix

Round eighteen of the season sees Formula One head to Austin in Texas for the Americas leg of the 2016 season. The first purpose built circuit in the United States was built in the early 2010’s as the home of Formula One and non-oval racing in America.

Designed by F1’s favourite architect Hermann Tilke the circuit has some of the best corners in the world from legendary circuits. Maggots and Becketts from Silverstone, Hockenheim’s hairpin and stadium and Istanbul’s turn eight, with other ideas from Interlagos and the Red Bull Ring. The circuit provides drivers with elements of nearly everything the love about F1.

The circuit corners mixed with long flat-out sections makes the circuit fast with high speed racing around the 3.4 mile circuit. This circuit in recent years has been dominated by Lewis Hamilton who has won three out of the four races here and is the most successful driver currently on the grid winning four out of the five last Grand Prix’s in America.

But can he halt the charge of Nico Rosberg at the circuit where he took last year’s world championship?

Facts and figures

Event timetable

What happened in 2015?

The race weekend was interrupted by Hurricane Patricia which limited track running and caused qualifying to be run on Sunday morning but only Q1 and Q2 were done as the rain meant the track got too wet. Hours later the best weather of the weekend moved in, but the track still proved to be difficult.

Lewis Hamilton got pass Rosberg who needed a win finished second with Sebastian Vettel third after a bad morning being knocked out in Q2. With the drama and conditions it allowed Hamilton to seal his third title the first time a British driver had successfully defended a world title, seeing him become Britain’s most successful driver after.

Full Race Report Full Result

2015 vs 2014 Race Data

Tyres