Lewis Hamilton wins 2017 US Grand Prix; Verstappen robbed of third
MAX Verstappen had his breathtaking day shattered as a devastating message came through seconds after the US GP.
F1: 2017 Austin GP
Lewis Hamilton has one hand firmly on the F1 2017 title after a blistering win in Austin.
LEWIS Hamilton has taken home the US Grand Prix after surviving an early scare from Sebastian Vettel to cruise home in first place. The win sees Mercedes take its fourth consecutive Constructor’s Championship over Ferrari and sets Hamilton up to claim the Driver’s Championship in Mexico next week.
Daniel Ricciardo was forced out of the race early in the mix after experiencing an engine malfunction while teammate Max Verstappen’s charge through the field fell agonisingly short of the podium.
8:30am
Verstappen speaks after ‘unbelievable’ penalty
Max Verstappen has spoken to the media after suffering a heartbreaking penalty which saw his 11th career podium snatched out of his hands.
The 20-year-old was docked five seconds for his overtake of Kimi Raikkonen after stewards deemed Verstappen ran Raikkonen off the track to take third place before the finish line.
“It’s one steward that makes the decision against me,” Verstappen said. “For what? Everyone is running wide. The way they did it is unbelievable.
“It’s not good for the sport and they have to be really clear on the rules that it’s not allowed anywhere.”
Max Verstappen demotion is total bullshit. That was a GREAT move, and again (3rd time I'm counting) controversy will turn off US #F1 fans
— Adam Hay-Nicholls (@AdamHayNicholls) October 22, 2017
How many time penalties have been given this weekend? Just the one. For the gutsiest move of the lot. Joke. #Verstappen #F1
— Liam Bradford (@LiamBradford84) October 22, 2017
“Christian Horner is absolutely seething,” Sky Sports presenter David Croft said as the Verstappen-less podium gathered.
Horner let the stewards have it after the race. “There’s been cars going off track all day today and there’s been no action at all so I think it would be unbelievably harsh to give Max a penalty for that,” the Red Bull team principal said.
“It just doesn’t feel right. It’s wrong. We’ll have a look at it but for that was fair, hard racing.
“That’s bad judgment by the stewards.”
The 43-year-old said fans were robbed when the Verstappen verdict came through.
”It is an appalling decision. They have robbed all of the fans here,” he said. “It was a great Grand Prix and they have screwed it up.”
Meanwhile, a deflated Daniel Ricciardo has shared his thoughts after a disappointing engine failure saw him depart Austin within the first 20 laps.
The Aussie was driving out of his skin to pressure Valtteri Bottas in third before the mechanical blunder.
“I don’t at all regret any move I made today,” Ricciardo said.
“I’m disappointed now, but at least in the 15 laps I raced, I did what I could.”
7:40am
Lewis Hamilton takes Austin, Max’s last-second penalty
Lewis Hamilton survived an early scare in Austin to take another win for the 2017 season on his warpath to claim a fourth world championship.
Despite missing his chance to take home the title today, the 32-year-old’s win gifted Mercedes their fourth consecutive Constructor’s Championship.
The Brit successfully regained first place after Vettel thwarted him on the first corner of the race.
Vettel fought hard to take second and claimed a new all-time lap record late in the mix.
But Max Verstappen’s breathtaking overtake over Kimi Raikkonen in the final lap stole the show. The youngster crossed the line in third place after starting 16th with a grid penalty. “Max, you are brilliant. Fantastic drive!” Christian Horner said.
But it wasn’t all flowers and sunshine for the 20-year-old as stewards moved in to take his 11th podium from his hands. Verstappen was penalised with a five-second penalty for his overtake.
Top 10:
1. Lewis Hamilton
2. Sebastian Vettel
3. Kimi Raikkonen
4. Max Verstappen
5. Valtteri Bottas
6. Esteban Ocon
7. Carlos Sainz
8. Sergio Perez
9. Felipe Massa
10. Daniil Kvyat
7:23am
Vettel makes history
Lap 50:VET goes around outside of BOT at Turn 1 as VAN looks on. #F1 #USGP pic.twitter.com/qk0a7CqHhD
— Jeff Pappone 🇨🇦 (@jpappone) October 22, 2017
Kevin Magnussen has spun out in a collision with Marcus Ericsson after letting Sebastian Vettel lap him.
Vettel has seven laps to see through without dropping below sixth to ensure the championship doesn’t go to Lewis Hamilton today. The German set an all-time lap record at Austin as he overtook Valtteri Bottas and Kimi Raikkonen to slot into second place behind Hamilton for the final sector of the race.
7:15am
Hamilton pressured by Verstappen, Vettel mind games
Ferrari and Red Bull pitted Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen for a second time before the 40th lap — and it appears to have paid off.
Both drivers have upped their pace going into the final quarter of the race as Lewis Hamilton attempts to keep first place.
Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen has squeezed ahead of Valtteri Bottas to take second Vettel attempts stay above sixth position to keep the 2017 championship alive.
6:55am
Honest Ricciardo responds to flop
Daniel Ricciardo has responded after his disappointing exit from the US Grand Prix. The Aussie was scolded for his aggressive wheel-to-wheel racing with Valtteri Bottas early in the mix before running off the track with power loss.
“I was racing with a full heart,” he told England’s Channel 4. “I had to try with Valtteri (Bottas), I wasn’t going to sit around in fourth all afternoon and wonder what might have been. I had a lot of hesitation on power — I could tell something was going on.”
Meanwhile, race leader Lewis Hamilton has a 6.5 second lead over Sebastian Vettel as the race enters its 35th lap.
Fernando Alonso has been forced out of the race with yet another mechanical issue thwarting his 2017 season. The Spaniard was pushed back to the pits midway through the race after claiming eighth.
“We were 7th, because we were 7th quickest, but unfortunately we missed another opportunity. We’ll have to change another engine,” he said.
6:45am
Rampaging Verstappen on a warpath
Max Verstappen has taken responsibility as the last remaining Red Bull and is racing out of his skin to pressure Lewis Hamilton in first place.
The 20-year-old started at 16th on the grid after an engine penalty and briefly led the race as Hamilton took the pits. He now sits back in fifth with Kimi Raikkonen ahead of him in fourth.
Sebastian Vettel is determined to keep the 2017 season alive with an impressive run to regain second place.
6:30am
Ricciardo retires from US Grand Prix
Daniel Ricciardo has been forced out of Austin.
The Aussie driver pulled off the track in the 17th lap after losing power through a corner.
“Engines gone, engines gone,” the deflated 28-year-old announced over the team radio. The US Grand Prix will be the first race since Italy to see Ricciardo off the podium.
Meanwhile, two-time champion Fernando Alonso has scolded his engineers with a trademark quip over the radio.
The McLaren driver has already pitted for soft tyres and sits back in 10th place. “It would be nice to know what strategy we are doing and I will drive differently,” he said.
6:20am
Hamilton gets revenge
Lewis Hamilton has overtaken Sebastian Vettel in the seventh lap.
Hamilton was thwarted by a killer start from the German through Turn One of the first lap but regained his spot through Turn 12 with an overtake on the outside of the Ferrari.
The Brit has a two second lead over Vettel with teammate Valtteri Bottas sitting in third as Daniel Ricciardo ramps up the pressure from fourth position.
Meanwhile, Max Verstappen is already making a move for the driver of the day accolade. The 20-year-old has blasted his way into fifth after starting with a penalty.
6:10am
Incredible start thwarts Hamilton, Dan scolded
Lewis Hamilton has lost first place through Turn One after a trailblazing start from Sebastian Vettel saw the German overtake the Brit. Vettel shot out of the gates and shut down Hamilton on the inside.
“What an incredible initial launch in that Ferrari,” Martin Brundle said.
Daniel Ricciardo had a cheeky exchange with Mercedes rival Valtteri Bottas, forcing the Finn off the track in the first lap — but it didn’t end well for the Aussie.
Bottas expertly recovered from the brief setback and found his way in front of the Red Bull.
“We have a very interesting race ahead of us,” Brundle said.
That's not big or clever from Ricciardo - coming from so far back in the braking zone is frankly reckless and dangerous #F1
— Peter Kitchen (@pkitchen_Star) October 22, 2017
This Ricciardo and Bottas fight will not end well. Drive through penalties pending if they don't take each other out first.
— Philip Mwaniki (@Mwanikih) October 22, 2017
5:45am
Michael Buffer’s mixed reception
Legendary boxing announcer Michael Buffer has opened the US Grand Prix with a lengthy introduction for each of the 20 drivers as they walked through a smoke-filled tunnel to the grid.
The process took several minutes as Buffer reeled through the grid with a few name slips, referring to Daniel Ricciardo as “Ricky-ardo”.
Some fans weren’t too pleased with the USA’s attempt at sensationalising the race.
Holy crap, why are #F1 drivers being made to walk out of a smoke-filled tunnel? This is a) rubbish b) going to take forever. #f1austin
— Rachel Holdsworth (@rmholdsworth) October 22, 2017
This is a cringe fest. #Formula1 #F1
— Liam Bradford (@LiamBradford84) October 22, 2017
This. Is. Stupid.
— Matt Singh (@MattSingh_) October 22, 2017
Why is this BS on my screen instead of Martin Brundle’s gridwalk? #F1 #USGP
Michael Buffer announcing the F1 drivers... Huh?? 😂
— Adam McKola (@AdamMcKola) October 22, 2017
5am
Ricciardo: ‘I had no idea’
Red Bull young gun Max Verstappen has been forced to start on the second last row after an engine upgrade saw him penalised in qualifying.
The 20-year-old will start at 16, 12 spots behind his Australian counterpart Daniel Ricciardo.
Renault has given one version of an updated power unit, which includes parts from next year’s upgraded engine, to each of its teams — meaning only one driver from each would be racing in a superior engine.
Ricciardo said he was oblivious to his teammate’s engine boost after qualifying fourth.
“Did we? We had different engine specs? I had no idea,” Ricciardo said per Motorsport.com. “Seriously … I didn’t know. Whose was faster?”
Ricciardo may be given the option to upgrade his Red Bull for the upcoming Mexico Grand Prix.
“I believe I will have to take another penalty and I believe I will have a grid penalty in the next three races,” he said. “I would like to say ‘no I won’t’, but it is probably more likely than not at this stage.
“Maybe they told me and I chose not to listen … but if that is the case, I’ll just charge my way through.”
4:30am
The challenge isn’t over yet
Lewis Hamilton believes he has Sebastian Vettel at “check” point in F1’s title race — but is not expecting to turn that into checkmate in Sunday’s US GP.
For the fifth time in the last six races, Hamilton will start at the head of the grid in Austin after securing his 11th pole of the season, although Vettel qualified alongside him for the seventh time in 2017 after crucially picking up two places on his final Q3 run and knocking Valtteri Bottas off the front row.
Hamilton can clinch his fourth title if he wins on Sunday and Vettel finishes lower than fifth but, with their starting positions making that prospect look unlikely, Hamilton believes Ferrari and his great rival cannot be counted out yet.
“It’s a bit like a game of chess,” said Hamilton.
“Right now it’s check but there is still a long, long way to go. There are still 100 points available,
“Sebastian and his team have been working as hard as they can, as are we. Who knows? It’s going to go to the wire.”
“I hope tomorrow I can get a good start and really put the nail in the coffin.” Hamilton added.
With a 59-point title lead over Vettel, Hamilton does not need to win Sunday’s race to still have a chance of clinching the title at next week’s Mexico GP. Even if Vettel wins in Austin and Hamilton was second, the Englishman would wrap up the title in a week’s time by finishing ahead of the German driver in Mexico.
However, Hamilton says he isn’t focused on anything except taking as many race wins as possible over the rest of the season.
“My outlook is to not only defend but really maximise and win these races,” he said.
“I want to win these races: that’s what I’m working for. In winning races, championships are won, and that’s what I’m here to do.”
Vettel, meanwhile, is refusing to give up on his dream of winning a world title at Ferrari this year and, for different reasons, is similarly focused on the same race-winning goal.
“It’s pretty straightforward: we have to win and then see what happens,” said the German.
“We are not in the position we would like to be, but still we have a chance and we will go. We had the car in the last three races so I don’t see why we shouldn’t have the package in the next four races.”
— James Galloway, Sky Sports
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