Formula 1 Pirelli United States Grand Prix: 1-10.
Ferrari is back!?
COTA always brings out the best racing in the United States for Formula 1, in my opinion.
The uphill climb to turn one that leads into winding turns provides some of the best camera angles in the series.
Aside for aesthetic features, the 2024 United States Grand Prix did not disappoint.
Charles Leclerc won with ease after his turn-one overtake, and teammate Carlos Sainz followed behind for a huge Ferrari 1-2.
Race Review: 6/10
The start and finish of this race were everything, and the laps in between were rather boring. But the start and finish were so strong that it boosted the rating to a six.
To start off the race to turn one with Max Verstappen and pole-sitter Lando Norris was about what every expected. Verstappen pushed on the inside, sending himself and Lando wide.
This let Leclerc squeeze in the inside, overtaking both drivers in one corner. It was a textbook example of letting others battle for your benefit. After the overtake, Leclerc was gone.
His pace and tire management let him win relatively easily, with the Ferraris looking very speedy.
Norris was able to maintain his tires, which gave him the advantage to push Verstappen at the end of the race. Norris struggled to make any moves for several laps because Verstappen was masterfully putting his car exactly where it needed to be (no surprise from the best driver on the grid).
Eventually, Lando made his move, running wide with all four tires off the track. Usually, teams will tell the driver to give back the position to avoid a five-second time penalty, but McLaren and Lando decided to keep the spot because only a handful of laps remained.
This choice hurt Lando, he was given the penalty and was unable to create a five-second gap, sending him to fourth. Verstappen took third place.
BEST DRIVER: Charles Leclerc and Ferrari
I hate to pick a winner, but it was a stellar weekend for the Ferrari driver.
The win was not only big for team morale, but the team in red is creeping closer in the standings with only a few races left.
The driver’s championship was once thought to be a race between Norris and Verstappen, but Leclerc only sits 22 points behind Norris. If Leclerc can pass the Brit in the closing stages of races, it would be a huge knock against McLaren for fumbling the progress of its car.
Ferrari now only sits EIGHT points back of Red Bull in the constructor’s standings (48 back from McLaren). While McLaren might be out of reach, beating Red Bull would bring a huge spark to the paddock if Red Bull falls to third place.
While this win was big for the two red cars, it means a whole lot more for the end-of-season rankings.
MOST DISAPPOINTING DRIVER: Lando Norris
There is a harsh reality of life for Norris this season. He wins the pole. He loses the lead on lap one. He finishes somewhere that IS NOT first.
The McLaren car is a rocket ship, but it is most effective in clean air. Since Norris is consistently in dirty air (following a car) his pace suffers.
He has three wins this season but should have a bunch more if it were not for his first-lap failures. While it is hard to account for the randomness of racing, Norris has consistently failed to put himself in the best position possible for his team.
With only five races left, Norris and McLaren will need big results to push Norris to a championship hopeful but will also need to close out their constructors title.
