2015 Formula 1 United States Grand Prix

[rob the knob]

United States Grand Prix: Renault to take upgraded engine

United States Grand Prix on the BBC
Venue: Austin, Texas Dates: 23-25 October

Coverage: Live commentary on BBC Radio 5 live and updates on the BBC Sport website, with highlights on BBC One at 22:30 GMT

Red Bull and Toro Rosso will have an upgraded Renault engine available for Sunday's United States Grand Prix.
Renault say the changes - which concern the internal combustion engine - will improve "power and efficiency".
However, both teams will have to accept grid penalties if they want to upgrade in Austin, as they have already exceeded the season's allocation.

It is unclear whether Red Bull will use a Renault engine next season after a recent breakdown of their relationship.
Red Bull have been heavily critical of the French company over the past two years as it failed to produce an engine to keep up with Mercedes and Ferrari under F1's new turbo hybrid rules.

A split has yet to be finalised, but it would leave Red Bull without a confirmed engine partner for 2016.

Mercedes have already been crowned champions this season, but both Renault-powered teams still have points and positions to fight for in the constructors' championship.

Red Bull are fourth - 71 points behind third-placed Williams - while Toro Rosso are seventh and 21 points behind Lotus.
Speaking about the upgraded engine, Renault's director of operations Remi Taffin said: "The principal changes involve the internals of the ICE (internal combustion engine) to give improved power and efficiency.

"We know that introducing the new PU (power unit) will incur a grid penalty so the decision to use will be made in full consultation with the teams."

[rob the knob]

The United States Grand Prix - did you know?
UNITED STATES
19 Oct 2015

Did you know that Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel are the only current drivers to have won in the USA, or that the Circuit of The Americas is one of just four anticlockwise tracks on the calendar? Ahead of the 2015 Formula 1 United States Grand Prix in Austin, we present some of the more obscure facts and figures about the race...

The Circuit of The Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas is one of the most undulating tracks on the calendar, with a difference of 30.9m between the highest point (Turn 1, 157.4m above sea level) and the lowest point (between Turns 19 and 20, 126.5m above sea level).

This year's race is the fourth to be held at COTA. It is one of just four anticlockwise circuits on the calendar (the others are Singapore, Abu Dhabi and Brazil).

Austin is the sixth venue to have hosted the United States Grand Prix following Sebring (1959), Riverside (1960), Watkins Glen (1961-80), Phoenix (1989-91) and Indianapolis (2000-07). Of course, Indianapolis also plays host to the Indy 500 which was a round of the F1 world championship between 1950 and 1960.

A further four American venues have hosted rounds of the world championship under different race titles. They are Long Beach (1976-83), Las Vegas (1981-82), Detroit (1982-88) and Dallas (1984).

American drivers have won 33 rounds of the world championship (the tenth highest total for any nationality) - yet an American has never won the United States Grand Prix. However, US racing legend Mario Andretti did win the United States Grand Prix West at Long Beach in 1977.

Alexander Rossi will be the only American on the grid for this year's race. The Californian is the 152nd American to have started a world championship event, but only the 48th to have started a Grand Prix (the other 104 only took part in the Indy 500 between 1950 and 1960).

Statistically the most successful driver in United States Grand Prix history is Michael Schumacher with five victories. Jim Clark, Graham Hill and last year's Austin winner Lewis Hamilton all have three wins on American soil.

Aside from Hamilton (who won at Indianapolis in 2007 and COTA in 2012 and 2014), the only other current driver to have won in America is Sebastian Vettel, who took victory in Austin in 2013. Six other members of the grid have US podiums to their names - Felipe Massa, Fernando Alonso, Kimi Raikkonen, Romain Grosjean, Daniel Ricciardo and Nico Rosberg.

In terms of manufacturers, Ferrari have the best record in United States Grand Prix history with nine victories. However, the Scuderia are yet to triumph at COTA, with McLaren (2012), Red Bull (2013) and Mercedes (2014) taking the spoils in the three races to date.

If he finishes nine points ahead of Sebastian Vettel and two points ahead of team mate Nico Rosberg, Hamilton will become the first British driver in F1 history to claim back-to-back world titles. Moreover, he will become just the second British driver in history (after Jackie Stewart) - and the 10th all-time - to score three or more world championship crowns.

Hamilton has won nine races so far this season, and he'll need to win the remaining four if he wants to match Sebastian Vettel's single season record of 13 victories, set in 2013.

Vettel, incidentally, holds the lap record in Austin, going round in 1m 39.347s in the 2012 race. The German, who made his F1 debut in the United States in 2007, also claimed the first of his two successive United States pole positions in 2012. Nico Rosberg is the only other man to have taken pole in Austin.

And finally, Sauber will celebrate their 400th Grand Prix in the United States. Their first was the South African Grand Prix in 1993, and since then they have claimed one win, 26 podium finishes, one pole position, five fastest laps and 808 points. Will they add to that tally in Austin?

[phreezee]

Should be an entertaining weekend if it's in the wet.

The United States Grand Prix is bracing itself for a very wet weekend according to Formula 1's official weather provider, UBIMET.
The Austrian company, which is an official FIA partner, is predicting heavy rain throughout all four days, with the worst coming on Friday and Saturday before easing off slightly on race day.
UBIMET's F1 meteorologist Steffen Dietz has warned that both Friday practice sessions will experience "quite damp and wet conditions".
Temperatures will average a cool 23 degrees for most of Friday and Saturday.
Qualifying is likely to suffer the worst of the conditions according to Dietz as a strong frontal system arrives in Austin, delivering overcast skies and heavy rain.
Sunday sees improving conditions with fewer rain clouds and isolated showers.
Those showers are likely to come during the race, although the rain won't be quite to the extent of both Friday and Saturday.
Temperatures however will hover around 22 degrees, meaning tyre warming during dry spells could prove crucial to race pace.

[chongkee_]

I just hope they don't red flag the race. Would be interesting to see Rosberg race knowing he has not much to lose and lots to gain at this point.

[Mibz]

I was alerted to the fact that I made an online bet 3 years ago that paid out and my account has been inactive ever since. So I've got $85 on Vettel to win the race at like 11:1

Go fingerboy.

[rage2]

Could happen if it's raining! Looking forward to some Ruth's Chris if it pays out haha.

[Cos]

.

[Mibz]

Originally posted by Cos
Hell if you win $1k can I come to Ruth Chris'?

I mean, you CAN. Shouldn't be hard to get a table for one.

Let's not count our chickens before they hatch though :P

[rage2]

Originally posted by Mibz
I mean, you CAN. Shouldn't be hard to get a table for one.

[rage2]

FP3 happening right now, it's soooo wet out. Rosberg just went off and took out his front wing. McLarens (Alonso) is up there with everyone not Mercedes. Quali is going to be amazing this afternoon.

[Cos]

.

[rage2]

So drivers are going hard in FP3 because Quali is forecasting more rain. If it gets cancelled, grid will be FP3 times.

[redmethods]

Originally posted by rage2
So drivers are going hard in FP3 because Quali is forecasting more rain. If it gets cancelled, grid will be FP3 times.

They might have Qualifying tomorrow morning around 9.
Hope they do use FP3, would work out good for Ham.

[Cos]

.

[That.Guy.S30]

Trying to find the actual race on cable. Doesn't seem to be there.. anyone know?

I tried tsn and tsn2

[speedcat]

United States Grand Prix LIVE From Austin, Texas.
Sun 10/25
12:55pm-3:00pm
185 TSN5BO
240 TSN5HBO
1:00pm-3:00pm
16 KHQ
83 WDIV
202 KHQDT
207 WDIVDT

Qualifying is streaming now, started at 8:00am

[Chandler_Racing]

Any links to streams.

Can't find it on TELUS...

[Cos]

.

[That.Guy.S30]

Originally posted by speedcat
United States Grand Prix LIVE From Austin, Texas.
Sun 10/25
12:55pm-3:00pm
185 TSN5BO
240 TSN5HBO
1:00pm-3:00pm
16 KHQ
83 WDIV
202 KHQDT
207 WDIVDT

Qualifying is streaming now, started at 8:00am

Thanks!!

[rage2]

Qualifying was on TSN3 on Bell. So random.