2013 United States Grand Prix

[Phil]

I'm really looking forward to this one. I think last years GP in Austin was one of the best races of the year. I'm not holding my breath this year that it'll be equally as exhilirating as watching Hamilton hunt down Vettel, but I still have very high hopes for the race. I also quite like the track. Really looking forward to it and definately one of the race highlights for this year for me. I hope it won't disappoint.

Really hoping for a strong weekend for Hamilton too. It would be nice for him to finish this season on a high (even if this isn't the last race yet).

[SectorOne]

I just re-watched last years race and it was really good, overtakes all over the place.
I think a lot had to do with the low grip and the fact that teams had problems getting heat in the harder compound tires.
Probably linked together now that i think about it.

[miguelalvesreis]

Damn'it! It seems soooooo easy!!!

[godlameroso]

Also this track gets plenty of use year round so there is a very well defined racing line

[Hail22]

Expect to see very few 2014 parts being tested by several teams during FP1.

Unfortunately for the sport Vettel will get pole and will auto-pilot the race for an easy win.

I'm looking forward to FP1 / FP2 to see whether my source is spot on about "Several teams testing 2014 parts" I'd assume the parts will be minor / small in terms of size / not easily identifiable.

[raymondu999]

Unfortunately for the sport Vettel will get pole and will auto-pilot the race for an easy win.

Unfortunately for the show, I'd agree. Sport? No.

[Vasconia]

Unfortunately for the sport Vettel will get pole and will auto-pilot the race for an easy win.

Unfortunately for the show, I'd agree. Sport? No.

Well, theoretically if the same guy always win spectators could start leaving the sport. They used to say the same with Schumacher but as far as I remember more people used to go to the races and F1 expanded to more countries with better results than nowadays.

My prediciton is another smashing victory for Vettel with one Mercedes in the podium with the RB guys.

I am praying to be wrong but...

[raymondu999]

Unfortunately for the sport Vettel will get pole and will auto-pilot the race for an easy win.

Unfortunately for the show, I'd agree. Sport? No.

Well, theoretically if the same guy always win spectators could start leaving the sport.

Leaving the show. No one can "leave" a sport because they can't be "with" a sport in the first place - they were always with the show.

I'm not saying that Vettel winning everything isn't boring - it can be boring, and a lot of people probably find it boring right now. But there is a difference in the semantics between "show" and "sport." Boring/exciting is a term that relates to the SHOW of the sport, not the sport.

[GrizzleBoy]

Predictions...

Vettel will get his first win here, Hamilton will have a terrible race behind Saubers and Webber´s car will break down.

Unthinkable.

[Jonnycraig]

Unfortunately for the sport Vettel will get pole and will auto-pilot the race for an easy win.

Unfortunately for the show, I'd agree. Sport? No.

Well, theoretically if the same guy always win spectators could start leaving the sport. They used to say the same with Schumacher but as far as I remember more people used to go to the races and F1 expanded to more countries with better results than nowadays.

As said above, it's the show that suffers, not the sport. When Barcelona win everything we marvel at the football, when Federer wind everything we marvel at the skill, when Bolt obliterates everyone, were gobsmacked by his speed. When Vettel sweeps all before him, sections of the viewers insist 'well, he's not as good as Driver X/Y/Z...'

From a sporting point of view, F1 is experiencing one of its greatest moments. One of the all time great drivers is paired with one if the all time great designers to devastating effect. Ultimately though, the average F1 fan doesn't want to see that, they want to see their driver win.

[Vasconia]

Leaving the show. No one can "leave" a sport because they can't be "with" a sport in the first place - they were always with the show.

I'm not saying that Vettel winning everything isn't boring - it can be boring, and a lot of people probably find it boring right now. But there is a difference in the semantics between "show" and "sport." Boring/exciting is a term that relates to the SHOW of the sport, not the sport.

Ok...I think you have understood me but thaks for the correction.

[Vasconia]

[
As said above, it's the show that suffers, not the sport. When Barcelona win everything we marvel at the football, when Federer wind everything we marvel at the skill, when Bolt obliterates everyone, were gobsmacked by his speed. When Vettel sweeps all before him, sections of the viewers insist 'well, he's not as good as Driver X/Y/Z...'

From a sporting point of view, F1 is experiencing one of its greatest moments. One of the all time great drivers is paired with one if the all time great designers to devastating effect. Ultimately though, the average F1 fan doesn't want to see that, they want to see their driver win.

In my opinion the best thing in this F1 is the great competence between, at least, four teams, something very unusual. In the past we saw great battles between Mclaren and Ferrari, Ferrari and Williams, Williams and Mclaren,etc. But not we have 4 teams that battle for the podium each race, this is awesome.

Anyway fans miss a true great battle between two drivers, like Schumi-Hakkinen/Alonso/Montoya or Prost/Senna in the past. With Alonso and Sebastian we only saw some nice battles in 2010(Hungary,Singapur) but since then not many great moments, I am a battle with some equality and emotion.

[henra]

From a sporting point of view, F1 is experiencing one of its greatest moments. One of the all time great drivers is paired with one if the all time great designers to devastating effect

Even though it is not particularly attractive for the spectators I have to agree a bit. The Level of dominance of this combination this year is in its own right fascinating even though during the race itself it manifests itself in a bit of boredom.
Still in such a tightly regulated world and with such excellent competing Drivers (Schumi did not always have an opposition of the quality of Alonso and Hamilton when he had his winning streak) seeing one Car/Driver combination put 1s per lap on the rest of the grid is something to remember in the bigger scheme of things.

[spiritone]

Well i have to disagree. The only people that might enjoy domination are vettel fans. I don't blame them for that but for the rest of the fans it's become boring. When someone wins by a few seconds its interesting, when he wins by 30 sec's its boring. For me, when a car wins by a few seconds the driver gets some of the credit, when the win is by 30 seconds the car gets the major part of the credit. Thats just me. Whats happened here, in my opinion, is that because it's the end of the v8 formula RBR is really showing the advantage they have had all along. I love the tech side of F1 but i will say as far as real racing ( cars actually racing for the lead) this has been a very disappointing year. I know the argument is that the other manufactures should up their game, but what is the incentative. The formula is changing so why spend resources on a year when there is no chance to catch up. I give credit to newey ( who is my favorite designer) who has built an absolute rocket. Watching incar video shows it is an slot car.

For all the fans that are not vettel fans the rest of the year is a writeoff. I wouldn't want to be a promoter of these last few races, especially the U.S. gp, because north american fans like to see close racing. Pretty hard to top last years race but i expect this year to be a runaway. I'll be watching at home this year. Spending my money this year on the tulsa shootout.

[theformula]

I don't know how many other people noticed this, and i'm surprised people haven't brought it up, but through the last part of the maggots and beckets type section of the track (turn 6), Lewis visibly took a different line to everyone else on track (and i mean EVERYONE). He took a much tighter line, whereas all the others kind of drifted out like Vettel did, which was the traditional racing line (as seen on the onboard). He did this in both qualifying and the race. And if i recall correctly, he was mighty in that first sector and i think was the fastest through it as well.
So my question is, has Lewis found a line that is actually better than the line all the other drivers were taking (the traditional line)?
It certainly seems like it as he was super quick through that section.
Also, did anyone else spot that he was doing this?
It will be interesting to see if he does indeed take that very same line when we go to austin. I'll be keeping a close eye that's for sure.