US Grand Prix - Las Vegas

[René]

The second 'triple header' of the season will start in the streets of Las Vegas. Unfortunately no more old school tracks on the calendar but last year's race in Vegas wasn't bad and the track was actually more than half decent. The glitz and glamour was definitely over the top but what else can you expect from this place! 



One thing is for sure, this race will be the first match point for Max Verstappen. It's not clear yet if Red Bull is back to its old form given the exceptional circumstances in Brazil but I think Max is simply too strong to let this go. For Lando to win, he basically needs to finish first in the remaining three races and Max should have two DNF's and a low scoring position. That's not going to happen. A DNF for Norris would of course mean the end of his title dreams.



But hey, let's hope for a good race and I hope for a strong Ferrari. They can still win the Constructor's which would be fantastic and a great stepping stone to next years' title fight.

[Carl]

The Caesar's Palace parking lot was designed to reflect the anal-retention among Roman Emperors.

[René]

Nov 20, 2024 19:58:58 GMT Carl said:

The Caesar's Palace parking lot was designed to reflect the anal-retention among Roman Emperors.

View Attachment

And it wasn’t even a Tilke design!

[René]

Sir Lewis is leading the way in Vegas!



Still early days and the sessions were a bit difficult to read due to different tyre programs and a red flag but Mercedes look good and so do McLaren and Ferrari. Red Bull does not and the news broke that they have brought the wrong (high drag) rear wing to Las Vegas! An uncharacteristic mistake and apparently they are stuck with it. 



FP1 times

1 Lewis HAMILTON 1:35.001
2 George RUSSELL +0.396
3 Lando NORRIS +0.953
4 Charles LECLERC +1.006
5 Max VERSTAPPEN +1.037
6 Carlos SAINZ +1.217
7 Fernando ALONSO +1.261
8 Oscar PIASTRI +1.450
9 Pierre GASLY +1.477
10 Sergio PEREZ +1.535
11 Kevin MAGNUSSEN +1.810
12 Lance STROLL +1.816
13 Alexander ALBON +1.947
14 Esteban OCON +2.151
15 Nico HULKENBERG +2.199
16 Valtteri BOTTAS +2.764
17 Franco COLAPINTO +3.024
18 ZHOU Guanyu +3.349
19 Yuki TSUNODA +3.573
20 Liam LAWSON +3.729

FP2 times

1 Lewis HAMILTON 1:33.825
2 Lando NORRIS +0.011
3 George RUSSELL +0.190
4 Carlos SAINZ +0.280
5 Charles LECLERC +0.488
6 Pierre GASLY +0.826
7 Kevin MAGNUSSEN +0.861
8 Oscar PIASTRI +0.973
9 Nico HULKENBERG +0.993
10 Yuki TSUNODA +1.172
11 Valtteri BOTTAS +1.195
12 Esteban OCON +1.396
13 Lance STROLL +1.426
14 Fernando ALONSO +1.615
15 Liam LAWSON +1.846
16 ZHOU Guanyu +1.940
17 Max VERSTAPPEN +2.009
18 Franco COLAPINTO +2.043
19 Sergio PEREZ +2.230
20 Alexander ALBON +5.804


And more breaking news: General Motors are closing in on a 2026 F1 entry. No connection anymore to Andretti so they will enter as a full works team.

[chrisb]

Interesting developments- it would be great for the world of F1 if both Michael Andretti and Cadillac were afforded entries,  unlikely yet forever optimistic-

Don't recollect last years race, so it must have been memorable either that or memory is up to its usual tricks, as I do remember those dreadful GP's of the previous era's, however, at least they sounded great, 

Although there are many places in the USA I have visited and adored, there is one place I had never had any intention of ever going to, wonder which place is that 

[René]

A small correction to my previous post regarding GM. There will still be a connection to Andretti Global as the structures and facilities already in place will be used by GM. Michael Andretti though has stepped down from the day to day leadership of the company. It will be a full works entry from General Motors, most likely under the Cadillac name like in the IMSA/WEC championships. 

[mikael]

Nov 22, 2024 10:27:20 GMT René said:

Sir Lewis is leading the way in Vegas!

Happy to read this, actually!

Last Sunday evening I came, coincidentally, across a program called "The Formula One Hour", broadcast (in my area) by a minor, local (Danish) TV station. This interesting program was one I had completely overlooked and missed so far. The hosts in the studio were Jason Watt and a knowable (female) journalist (clearly a true F1 fan). It was a pleasant surprise. Jason Watt, in particular, was pleasant and interesting to listen to.

Among other things, they discussed how it could be that Lewis Hamilton's last season by Mercedes is so miserable (in their words).

In addition to the fact that the remaining driver (Russell) always gets the new parts first, Watt claimed that "mild sabotage" is not uncommon in F1 when a driver is about to leave a team. The purpose is to play a trick on the acquiring team (psychological warfare); to show them: "Look, you made a mistake - the guy's no good any longer; he's finished". In the light of Toto Wolff's comments on that "Lewis may be past his "shelf live"", it seemed interesting and feasible - possibly.

Watt told that he and Jan Magnussen talked about this topic when Kevin was about to leave Renault. Jan was certain that tricks were played on Kevin; for example, the tyres were not pumped quite up to the pressure agreed on; accordingly, the car behaved "strange". Just small but important things like this - no bent rods or anything else easy to discover. Watt claimed that it's absolutely feasible that similar tricks are played on Hamilton. Because, he claimed, it seems quite unlikely and infeasible that such an experienced driver, of that caliber, cannot figure out the behavior of the car.

Jason Watt in his prime, in the late 1990's.

[René]

It’s an interesting one Mikael. I’ve read other comments that go in that direction and I believe Hamilton himself made remarks about not understanding what’s going on with his car at times which is strange for a driver of his caliber. It will always be difficult to prove something like that but you can be sure that the main focus of the team is on Russell which must be a strange experience for Lewis. And this ‘mild sabotage’ doesn’t sound too far fetched. 

But Lewis definitely has not forgotten how to drive. He probably won’t beat Leclerc in qualifying next year but I’m sure he will be fantastic in the races.

[Carl]

It's entirely possible, even probable, that sabotage takes place wherever monstrous egos are involved. Toto and Horner would be tempted to kill rather than lose a game of Monopoly.

But Lewis Hamilton has been paranoid ("Someone doesn't want me to win") and childish ("He hit me!! He hit me!!!!) since he was signed by the depraved Rasputin, Ron Dennis.  With perception so malleable, we may never know whether...

... the gaslights have been flickering at Mercedes

Angela Lansbury was a convincing saucy seductress in her first film

[René]

Pole position for George Russell!



The Mercedes pace was real and George did everything right to secure P1. Lewis was equally fast but somehow messed up in Q3 to end up tenth. Ferrari looks particularly strong with a P2 and P4 as their race pace was by far the best. I would bet on a Ferrari win, not only because I wish so but I think they have the best cards. A magic lap from Pierre Gasly in the Alpine was the biggest surprise. 

Max made the best of the situation to qualify in front of Norris. The Red Bull engineers gained back some top speed with a refined setup and rear wing trim. McLaren did not look convincing. 

Big crash from Franco Colapinto. He’s fast, impressive at times, but he can’t keep doing this. He had the speed to reach Q3 so that was rather unfortunate and a nightmare for the Williams mechanics. 



What keeps puzzling me most though is the (lack of) speed of Checo Pérez. I mean, this is the type of track where he normally excels. What’s going on there? We know he is not on Max’s level but he was never this far off either. What we’re seeing this year is really strange. Is this purely a mental issue or are we seeing some form of ‘mild sabotage’ as was discussed yesterday about Hamilton? I know he brings a lot of money and I know he has a contract for next season but it doesn’t look like he’s supported by the team to move him forward. Don’t want to go into conspiracy theories (at all!) but I can’t remember a fall back in performance from a driver like this. 

The grid

1 George RUSSELL Mercedes 1:32.312
2 Carlos SAINZ Ferrari +0.098

3 Pierre GASLY Alpine +0.352
4 Charles LECLERC Ferrari +0.471

5 Max VERSTAPPEN Red Bull +0.485
6 Lando NORRIS McLaren +0.696

7 Yuki TSUNODA RB +0.717
8 Oscar PIASTRI McLaren +0.721

9 Nico HULKENBERG Haas +0.750
10 Lewis HAMILTON Mercedes +15.794

11 Esteban Ocon Alpine 1:33.221
12 Kevin Magnussen Haas 1:33.297

13 Zhou Guanyu Sauber 1:33.566
14 Franco Colapinto Williams 1:33.749

15 Liam Lawson RB 1:34.257
16 Sergio Perez Red Bull 1:34.155

17 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 1:34.258
18 Alex Albon Williams 1:34.425

19 Valtteri Bottas Sauber 1:34.430
20 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 1:34.484

[robmarsh]

As per Carl, anything is possible as far as Horner and Woolfe are concerned.

[chrisb]

I too René am puzzled by Checo, it is very rare for a GP winner to fall so ungracefully so quickly without there being a fathomable reason - surely RB wouldn't sabotage their own driver would they? it is very strange 

George's lap was excellent- although the red cars look ominously good in race trim, so maybe your hopes will be realised, 

I know it's a better circuit than some, certainly miles better than the car park of years ago, just watching the cars going around it just reminded me of a very large go-kart track, perhaps I am way off there 

[René]

Congratulations to Max Verstappen on his fourth world title! Equal to Prost and Vettel now.

A very different season compared to last year but in the end a very much deserved championship. It was the early season dominance that effectively sealed the title, a bit like Button in 2009. It could have been an even better season and maybe a different champion, if the other top teams had their act together sooner. But Max was simply very strong, maybe even more in the races where he didn’t have the fastest car. Often on the limit and sometimes over the edge but he was always there. A title for Lando was never really on the table, was it? Next year is gonna be a blast. 

[chrisb]

I do feel there are reasons to be optimistic for next year, I do hope so, 

I managed to watch the race, and it was great to see George and Lewis having good drives, and one hopes for next year. 

There is still a championship, the constructers one,  to fight for and it would be good to see someone other than RB win it, 

It has the sense of this year being quite toxic and I hope next year is less so 

[René]

And congratulations to George Russell, the man of the Las Vegas weekend!



There was no one going to take this one away from him, was there? George was sublime in a Mercedes that was clearly the best car to have in those cold and slippery conditions. Lewis also drove a brilliant race to make up for his yesterday mistakes.

The Ferraris were miserable on the medium tires which cost them the win unfortunately but they did gain ground on McLaren, who had a low key race, in the Constructors championship. There was some serious tension by the way between Leclerc and Sainz regarding Carlos overtaking Charles after the pitstops while Charles’s tires were still cold. Something that was discussed before the race. But I don’t think Carlos gives a damn anymore and wants to take every podium or win while he still can. 



Las Vegas Grand Prix 2024 classification

1 George RUSSELL 1:22:05.969 50 laps
2 Lewis HAMILTON +7.313
3 Carlos SAINZ +11.906
4 Charles LECLERC +14.283
5 Max VERSTAPPEN +16.582
6 Lando NORRIS +43.385
7 Oscar PIASTRI +51.365
8 Nico HULKENBERG +59.808
9 Yuki TSUNODA +62.808
10 Sergio PEREZ +63.114
11 Fernando ALONSO +69.195
12 Kevin MAGNUSSEN +69.803
13 ZHOU Guanyu +74.085
14 Franco COLAPINTO +75.172
15 Lance STROLL +84.102
16 Liam LAWSON +91.005
17 Esteban OCON + 1 lap
18 Valtteri BOTTAS + 1 lap