Fraser MasefieldLewis Hamilton will join Argentine legend Juan Manuel Fangio on five world titles should he outscore title rival Sebastian Vettel by eight points at this weekend’s US Grand Prix in Austin, Texas.
For the Englishman, greatness is already guaranteed as he is already one of only five drivers in history to have secured four world titles with only Fangio and Michael Schumacher above him.
His season has been a masterclass of consistently brilliant driving under pressure. Even when Ferrari appeared to have the upper hand towards the mid-point of the season, Hamilton was able to hang with Vettel and score key second places at Silverstone and Belgium.
Combine Hamilton’s driving excellence to some decidedly puzzling Ferrari race tactics on occasion, not to mention Mercedes’ mastery of the same department, and Hamilton looks a nailed-on winner.
The Englishman also loves the Circuit Of The Americas. He really, really loves it! Of the six grands prix held on the circuit since 2012, Hamilton has won five including the last four. The writing certainly seems to be on the wall for Vettel in this one.
This coming race weekend is also a big one for the Acronis Mission Control Centre in Silverstone, home of the Racing Point Force India team.
Despite the misfortune of losing all of its constructors’ points from the opening twelve rounds, the team has bounced back strongly, gaining 43 points from the last five rounds and are nipping at McLaren’s heels. Without the penalty, they would be a comfortable fourth in the standings!
It should all make for a fascinating race weekend on a circuit that is one of the most challenging on the calendar. The Hermann Tilke-designed track combines some of the best aspects of many of the great circuits worldwide and there is a spectacular climb for the drivers into Turn 1, where the elevation change is almost 30m.
The rest of the circuit is a fast-flowing treat with some sections to test the car’s brakes to the limit. Force India have gone for an aggressive strategy on the tyre choice for Austin, bringing nine sets of ultrasofts for both drivers, with only two sets of supersoft and soft compound rubber.
Enjoy the race weekend.
Top image: Circuit of the Americas, Austin, Texas, USA. © Force India F1.
Craig Scarborough
Motorsport Technology