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It’s time once again to unfurl
the Stars and Stripes as Formula 1 heads to Austin, Texas this weekend. For
the event at the Circuit of the Americas, on the calendar since 2012, the
teams will have a trio of compounds that features an extra step between the
Hard and the Medium-Soft pair. It will be an interesting experiment to see
if this could lead to a greater choice of strategies on one of the most
complete tracks on the calendar.
The compounds
The United States Grand Prix will be the second race of the season for which
Pirelli is bringing three non-consecutive compounds, the last time being
Spa-Francorchamps and the available tyres will once again be the C1 as Hard,
the C3 as Medium and the C4 as Soft. In Belgium, bad weather meant it was
not possible to find out how this choice might have affected strategy and so
the event in COTA could be the first real test of this choice, which sees
the use of a harder Hard than last year at the American track, while the
Medium and Soft are the same.
The increased performance difference
between the hardest compound and the middle one should, theoretically, give
rise to two scenarios. If drivers prefer the C1, the slowest but also the
most consistent of the three, then they could run a one-stop race combining
it with the C3. On the other hand, using the latter along with the C4, with
its improved resistance to degradation, would produce quicker lap times but
would almost certainly require two stops. Another similarity with the
Belgian round is that Austin is also running to the Sprint format, which
means teams only have one hour to try the various options over long and
short runs, which could add to the uncertainty as to how the weekend might
pan out.
In 2024
15 drivers started last year’s race in Austin on the Medium tyre, including
the trio that made it to the podium, while the remaining five went with the
Hard C2. The Soft was never really an option on race day, with only Alpine’s
Esteban Ocon fitting it on the last lap to pick up a precious extra point in
its battle with Williams, for setting the fastest time.
The most
popular strategy was a one-stop, with only a handful of drivers on a planned
two-stop, as well as Albon who had to pit after just three laps. Although
the Medium showed significant signs of wear in the Sprint, in the main event
drivers managed to extend the stint with careful management, helped by a
Safety Car period, despite the weight from being on full tanks. Less
graining than on the previous day also made the one-stop more effective.
The track
The Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas is run over 56 laps in an
anticlockwise direction. The 5.513 kilometre-long track boasts 20 corners,
incorporating sections reminiscent of legendary Formula 1 circuits, with
corners taking inspiration from Silverstone’s Maggots-Becketts sequence,
Suzuka, Hockenheim, and even Istanbul Park’s famous layout. One of its most
distinctive features is a 41 metre elevation change, most noticeable with
the steep climb immediately after the start line. The variety of corners
requires a versatile set-up that can provide top-end speed while still
ensuring stability through the more technical sections.
Tyre loading
is evenly balanced across the front and rear axles, but lateral forces are
greater than longitudinal ones due to the many high-speed corners and rapid
direction changes. Tyre degradation is typically thermal in nature and is
also influenced by ambient temperature, which can still be quite high in
Texas in October. Last year, during the race, the mercury rose above the
30°C mark and next weekend looks set to be similar. The track was partially
resurfaced last year, making it smoother and less bumpy than in the past.
Keyword:
Track evolution
During last year’s Austin race weekend, track evolution played an important
role. This phenomenon refers to the progressive increase in grip that the
track surface provides the more laps the cars run, not only within each
session but also throughout the entire weekend. This is due to the rubber
left by the tyres on the track surface, which makes the circuit faster,
leading to a constant reduction in lap times. Track evolution also affects
tyre behaviour, making them less prone to sliding and degradation. This was
one of the reasons why last year at COTA, drivers were able to extend their
stints on the Medium compound further than suggested by data from the Sprint
race, completing Sunday’s race with just one pit stop.
Statistics corner
The United States Grand Prix is the second round on the calendar in the USA
after Miami with Las Vegas still to come. Over the year, the event going by
this name has visited six different venues: from the inaugural 1959 race in
Sebring to the 45th edition held in Austin. However, with 12 races held
here, COTA is not the circuit that has hosted the most editions, as that
record goes to Watkins Glen (New York), which staged 20 Grands Prix between
1961 and 1980. The famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway hosted eight races
between 2000 and 2007, while four editions took place on the Detroit street
circuit (1985-1988) and three in Phoenix (1989–1991). Sebring, in 1959,
Riverside, the following year, and Dallas, in 1984, each hosted just one
race.
Lewis Hamilton holds the record for the most wins (five in
Austin and one in Indianapolis), just one fewer than Michael Schumacher (who
won five times at Indianapolis). The two are tied for pole positions with
four apiece. Hamilton also clinched two of his world titles in Texas, his
third in 2015 and his sixth in 2019. As for the constructors, Ferrari holds
the record for the most wins on eleven: two at Watkins Glen, five at
Indianapolis, and four in Austin. |
