Mexican GP: Race - Re-Cap & Results

MEXICAN GRAND PRIX - RACE

    Before the lights could even go out for the start of the race, it was bad news for Romain Grosjean who would have to start from pit-lane after the floor of his car was changed while under the rules and regulations of Parc Ferme. Both Haas drivers had already had trouble finding pace during Qualifying and this would only make matters worse for the American team.

    Lewis Hamilton was able to make a quick getaway during the start, but Nico Rosberg was eager to catch him before he got too far ahead. Rosberg tried to make a pass and Hamilton ran wide and off  track, taking a trip through the grass before joining the track again ahead of Rosberg. No penalty was enforced as Hamilton had already been ahead of Rosberg and did not gain any unfair advantage.

    Pascal Wehrlein's race was over before it even really got a chance to begin. He found himself involved in a 3-car collision between himself, Esteban Gutierrez and Marcus Ericsson. While the other two were able to drive away, Wehrlein's Manor had taken too much damage and it was race over. The collision was deemed a racing accident and no further action was taken.

    Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg both finished in the points after a tough race. Perez had a late pit-stop after running as high as 5th and then found himself struggling to get back from 10th. He spent the later half of the race trying to catch up and pass both Williams drivers but was unable to do so. It was not the way he had wanted his home-race to go. Hulkenberg nearly lost out on points altogether after he was tagged and spun by Kimi Raikkonen in the final few laps. He was able to get his Force India back in the right direction and finish in 7th.

    Esteban Gutierrez also found his home-race not going the way he wanted after the collision at the beginning of the race. After that, he struggled to catch back up and find pace. He finished in 19th, just one space ahead of his team-mate, Grosjean. Haas has not yet decided on their 2017 line-up but have told Gutierrez he will learn his future within the next 2-3 weeks.

    Williams achieved another double points finish with Bottas in 8th and Massa in 9th. However, it wasn't enough to pass Force India in the constructors. Both Force India drivers also finished within the points and stay ahead in 4th by just 9 points. With two races left, both teams have a chance to secure that higher spot in the standings. Williams is also set to announce their replacement for the retiring Felipe Massa in the coming days.

    While it was clear that Lewis Hamilton would bring home the win for Mercedes this time around, there was drama further back between Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen. Verstappen was running in 3rd but had been slowly losing pace on older tyres. Vettel was able to catch up within the final laps and attempted to overtake the Red Bull driver. Vettel was able to pass but Verstappen ran wide and went off track, then rejoined in front of Vettel. Verstappen was told to give the position back, but failed to do so. Vettel was quick to vent his frustration over the radio, using multiple explicit words while talking about the younger driver and then used some harsh words towards Charlie Whiting as well. 

    While Verstappen continued to run in 3rd, he was also continuing to slow down and it was holding up Vettel. This gave Daniel Ricciardo the chance to catch up and attempt a pass on the Ferrari. However, Vettel moved under braking and it was Ricciardo who was now fuming. The two nearly collided but were able to avoid any massive collision. 

    Before the podium ceremony, it was announced that Verstappen had a 5-Second-Time-Penalty added to his final race time and was demoted to 4th. He was led out of the pre-podium room and instead it was Vettel who joined race winner, Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, who finished 2nd, on the podium. Later on, Vettel was handed a 10-Second-Time-Penalty to his own final race time and was demoted to 5th despite being earlier handed a trophy. Daniel Ricciardo was then promoted to 3rd and gained 15 points in the drivers standings.

    With Lewis Hamilton winning the race, he now trails Rosberg in the drivers standings by just 19 points. This means that Hamilton still has a chance to take the Drivers Championship if he can win the final two races.

     Toro Rosso, Renault, Sauber, McLaren and the lone Manor of Esteban Ocon, all finished outside of the points after a tough weekend, but still have a chance to score points when F1 heads to Brazil in 2 weeks before the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi.

RESULTS:

1. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain / + 25 Points

2. Nico Rosberg / Mercedes-Mercedes / Germany / + 18 Points

3. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER / Australia / + 15 Points

4. Max Verstappen / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER / Netherlands / + 12 Points*

5. Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany / + 10 Points**

6. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland / + 8 Points

7. Nico Hulkenberg / Force India-Mercedes / Germany / + 6 Points

8. Valtteri Bottas / Williams-Mercedes / Finland / + 4 Points

9. Felipe Massa / Williams-Mercedes / Brazil / + 2 Points

10. Sergio Perez / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico

11. Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden

12. Jenson Button / McLaren-Honda / Great Britain

13. Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Honda / Spain

14. Jolyon Palmer / Renault-Renault / Great Britain

15. Felipe Nasr / Sauber-Ferrari / Brazil

16. Carlos Sainz / Toro Rosso-Ferrari / Spain

17. Kevin Magnussen / Renault-Renault / Denmark

18. Daniil Kvyat / Toro Rosso-Ferrari / Russia

19. Esteban Gutierrez / Haas-Ferrari / Mexico

20. Romain Grosjean / Haas-Ferrari / France

21. Esteban Ocon / Manor-Mercedes / France

RETIRED - Pascal Wehrlein / Manor-Mercedes / Germany / Collision

* - (Verstappen) 5-Second-Time-Penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage/Not returning position

** - (Vettel) 10-Second-Time-Penalty for driving in a dangerous manner/moving under braking

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Mexican GP: Qualifying - Re-Cap & Results

MEXICAN GRAND PRIX - QUALIFYING 

    Lewis Hamilton will start the Mexican Grand Prix from the front of the grid after taking his second consecutive Pole Position, Jolyon Palmer was forced to miss Qualifying due to cracks in his chassis from running over kerbing in Free Practice 3. He will start the race from 22nd.

HOW IT WORKS:

Q1 = 18 minutes. All cars allowed to go out. At the end of the session, the six slowest are eliminated.

Q2 = 15 minutes. The remaining cars go out. At the end of the session, the six slowest are eliminated.

Q3 = 12 minutes. Final 10 cars go out. The final order at the end of the session is how the grid will line up. Fastest car starts from Pole Position.

GRID LINE-UP

1. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain

2. Nico Rosberg / Mercedes-Mercedes / Germany

3. Max Verstappen / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER / Netherlands

4. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER / Australia

5. Nico Hulkenberg / Force India-Mercedes / Germany

6. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland

7. Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany

8. Valtteri Bottas / Williams-Mercedes / Finland

9. Felipe Massa / Williams-Mercedes / Brazil

10. Carlos Sainz / Toro Rosso-Ferrari / Spain

11. Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Honda / Spain

12. Sergio Perez / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico

13. Jenson Button / McLaren-Honda / Great Britain

14. Kevin Magnussen / Renault-Renault / Denmark

15. Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden

16. Pascal Wehrlein / Manor-Mercedes / Germany

17. Esteban Gutierrez / Haas-Ferrari / Mexico

18. Daniil Kvyat / Toro Rosso-Ferrari / Russia

19. Felipe Nasr / Sauber-Ferrari / Brazil

20. Esteban Ocon / Manor-Mercedes / France

21. Romain Grosjean / Haas-Ferrari / France

22. Jolyon Palmer / Renault-Renault / Great Britain*

* - Failed to set a time in Q1

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Mexican GP: Free Practice 3 - Re-Cap & Times

MEXICAN GRAND PRIX - FREE PRACTICE #3

    Max Verstappen led the 3rd and final practice session of the weekend, ending with a fastest time of 1:19.137. Lewis Hamilton was close behind with a 1:19.231. Ricciardo, Rosberg and Bottas completed the top 5.

    Both Ferrari drivers finished the session outside of the top 5 with Vettel in 6th and Raikkonen in 7th. Vettel had previously been fastest in Free Practice 2 but was unable to find the same pace this time around. 

    Sergio Perez finished the session in 11th with a 1:20.472 but continued to have issues with the balance and set-up of his car. Team-mate, Nico Hulkenberg had better luck and finished the session in 9th with a 1:20.255. Hulkenberg has just 3 races left with the team before he heads to Renault for the 2017 season. It has not yet been announced who will partner Perez.

TIMES: 

1. Max Verstappen - 1:19.137 / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER

2. Lewis Hamilton - 1:19.231 / Mercedes-Mercedes

3. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:19.370 / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER

4. Nico Rosberg - 1:19.618 / Mercedes-Mercedes

5. Valtteri Bottas - 1:19.811 / Williams-Mercedes

6. Sebastian Vettel - 1:19.937 / Ferrari-Ferrari

7. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:19.994 / Ferrari-Ferrari

8. Felipe Massa - 1:19.997 / Williams-Mercedes

9. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:20.255 / Force India-Mercedes

10. Carlos Sainz - 1:20.325 / Toro Rosso-Ferrari

11. Sergio Perez - 1:20.472 / Force India-Mercedes

12. Daniil Kvyat - 1:20.586 / Toro Rosso-Ferrari

13. Fernando Alonso - 1:20.600 / McLaren-Honda

14. Jolyon Palmer - 1:20.959 / Renault-Renault

15. Jenson Button - 1:21.152 / McLaren-Honda

16. Marcus Ericsson - 1:21.245 / Sauber-Ferrari

17. Esteban Gutierrez - 1:21.338 / Haas-Ferrari

18. Kevin Magnussen - 1:21.345 / Renault-Renault

19. Romain Grosjean - 1:21.601 / Haas-Ferrari

20. Pascal Wehrlein - 1:21.758 / Manor-Mercedes

21. Esteban Ocon - 1:21.921 / Manor-Mercedes

22. Felipe Nasr - 1:22.354 / Sauber-Ferrari

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Mexican GP: Free Practice 2 - Re-Cap & Times

MEXICAN GRAND PRIX - FREE PRACTICE #2

    Rain had started falling lightly during the final minutes of Free Practice 1, and the overall weather remained cold and cloudy for the second practice session of the weekend.

    Sebastian Vettel took the lead this time around with a 1:19.790, faster than the top time in FP1, which was set by Lewis Hamilton. Hamilton finished this session is 2nd with a 1:19.794. Rosberg, Raikkonen and Ricciardo completed the top 5.

    Romain Grosjean missed most of the session due to an ERS issue and finished in 20th with a 1:22.105. Team-Mate, Gutierrez, finished 22nd with a 1:22.408. Not a good session for the American team.

    While Sergio Perez had finished up in 4th in the first practice session, he found his car lacking down force this time around and finished the session in 15th. Meanwhile, Nico Hulkenberg had better luck with his Force India and ended in 6th, just one place behind where he had finished in the earlier session.

TIMES:

1. Sebastian Vettel - 1:19.790 / Ferrari-Ferrari

2. Lewis Hamilton - 1:19.794 / Mercedes-Mercedes

3. Nico Rosberg - 1:20.225 / Mercedes-Mercedes

4. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:20.259 / Ferrari-Ferrari

5. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:20.448 / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER

6. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:20.574 / Force India-Mercedes

7. Max Verstappen - 1:20.619 / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER

8. Valtteri Bottas - 1:20.629 / Williams-Mercedes

9. Carlos Sainz - 1:20.974 / Toro Rosso-Ferrari

10. Fernando Alonso - 1:21.003 / McLaren-Honda

11. Daniil Kvyat - 1:21.193 / Toro Rosso-Ferrari

12. Jenson Button - 1:21.198 / McLaren-Honda

13. Felipe Massa - 1:21.326 / Williams-Mercedes

14. Kevin Magnussen - 1:21.442 / Renault-Renault

15. Sergio Perez - 1:21.579 / Force India-Mercedes

16. Jolyon Palmer - 1:21.785 / Renault-Renault

17. Pascal Wehrlein - 1:21.980 / Manor-Mercedes

18. Marcus Ericsson - 1:21.997 / Sauber-Ferrari

19. Felipe Nasr - 1:22.037 / Sauber-Ferrari

20. Romain Grosjean - 1:22.105 / Haas-Ferrari

21. Esteban Ocon - 1:22.298 / Manor-Mercedes

22. Esteban Gutierrez - 1:22.408 / Haas-Ferrari

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Mexican GP: Free Practice 1 - Re-Cap & Times

MEXICAN GRAND PRIX - FREE PRACTICE #1

    Lewis Hamilton led the first practice session of the Mexican GP weekend with a 1:20.914, while Nico Rosberg finished outside the top 7. Instead it was Sebastian Vettel who came close to Hamilton's time with a 1:20.993. Raikkonen, Perez and Hulkenberg completed the top 5.

    This is the home race for both Sergio Perez and Esteban Gutierrez but for Perez, this will be his second time racing on home soil, for Gutierrez it will be his first time. Last year, Gutierrez was without a drive and was watching from the sidelines as a Ferrari reserve. Sergio Perez finished the session in 4th with a 1:21.200 while Gutierrez finished 15th with a 1:22.910

    Multiple drivers ran the 'Halo' head protection device, including Perez, Magnussen, Nasr and Wehrlein. Magnussen was unimpressed with the Halo and said that the visibility was not as good as he had hoped. While the drivers have different opinions and views on the Halo, one thing is for certain, it won't be formally introduced in 2017, but instead will be tested by all the drivers on the grid before any further decisions are made.

    The session was Red Flagged when Felipe Nasr took a high-speed trip over some of  the kerbing and lost a huge piece off of his front wing. The piece shattered and debris was scattered along the surrounding area of the track. The session was resumed a few minutes later once the track was clean.

    Max Verstappen suffered a brake fire in the pit-lane due to the rear brakes overheating. While it was session over for him, the team was still able to fix the car before the second practice session started.

TIMES:

1. Lewis Hamilton - 1:20.914 / Mercedes-Mercedes

2. Sebastian Vettel - 1:20.993 / Ferrari-Ferrari

3. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:21.072 / Ferrari-Ferrari

4. Sergio Perez - 1:21.200 / Force India-Mercedes

5. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:21.409 / Force India-Mercedes

6. Valtteri Bottas - 1:21.447 / Williams-Mercedes

7. Nico Rosberg - 1:21.673 / Mercedes-Mercedes

8. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:21.727 / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER

9. Felipe Massa - 1:21.836 / Williams-Mercedes

10. Daniil Kvyat - 1:22.215 / Toro Rosso-Ferrari

11. Romain Grosjean - 1:22.500 / Haas-Ferrari

12. Carlos Sainz - 1:22.563 / Toro Rosso-Ferrari

13. Marcus Ericsson - 1:22.723 / Sauber-Ferrari

14. Max Verstappen - 1:22.877 / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER

15. Esteban Gutierrez - 1:22.910 / Haas-Ferrari

16. Fernando Alonso - 1:23.089 / McLaren-Honda

17. Felipe Nasr - 1:23.089 / Sauber-Ferrari

18. Jenson Button - 1:23.342 / McLaren-Honda

19. Kevin Magnussen - 1:23.556 / Renault-Renault

20. Esteban Ocon - 1:24.083 / Manor-Mercedes

21. Jolyon Palmer - 1:24.097 / Renault-Renault

22. Pascal Wehrlein - 1:24.350 / Manor-Mercedes

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Mexican GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Manor

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - MANOR RACING F1 TEAM

Pascal Wehrlein - “On Tuesday I travelled here to Mexico City and it was really interesting flying over the city before we landed – so many people living here! On Wednesday I played football with a few of the other drivers and some Mexican professional players. We played on a pitch on top of a shopping mall; I guess there isn’t much space on the ground! It was a lot of fun and a nice way to get pumped ready for the weekend.

Austin went well overall but we didn’t achieve our objective of finishing ahead of Sauber. They remain our main competitor right now and we have to keep them behind us for the rest of the season - especially in the Constructors’ table. It’s too early to know how well this track will favour our car, but I’m looking forward to getting to know another new circuit and finding a good set-up so we can have a nice battle here.”

Esteban Ocon - "(Mexico has) two big stand-out features I think. The first, that it’s a really fast circuit with long straights and one of the highest top speeds of the season. Also, the atmosphere - I hear it’s amazing, especially on race day. I can’t wait to try both of those things for myself!”

(The city)looks really cool, but I think there will be less opportunity to explore. Austin was great because downtown everything is condensed into a reasonably small area. Mexico City is definitely not a reasonably small area! I was expecting ‘big’, but it’s still really surprising to see. So, I think the racetrack will be where we’re spending most of our time this week and it looks pretty cool, so I’m happy for that. It also has a lot of rich history, so it’s been nice talking to Dave (Ryan) and Pat (Fry) over the past couple of days about some of their stories from the ‘old days’. My engineer Juan is also Mexican, so as well as him knowing the track really well, I get great tips on where to find the best Tacos!”

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Mexican GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Haas

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - HAAS F1 TEAM

Romain Grosjean - “It was a great atmosphere (last year). During the driver parade, I don’t think I’d ever seen such a big crowd than in the last part of the circuit at the stadium section. It was an awesome race with a lot of fans.

(The track is great fun to drive with huge straights and big braking – everything that I like. Every time we go to a track, it’s a brand-new track to us as a team. Even when we’re coming from a strong race, the next one could be difficult. I always prefer not to have any expectations and see how it goes. With Mexico’s long straight line, that could be to our advantage.

I wasn’t really happy with the race in Mexico last year. I managed to get into the top-10, but I thought with the performance we could have done better. We were struggling with the brakes because of the altitude, which cost us a little bit. But yes, it was a great end to the season and I managed to score points in the last three races. I’m hoping for the same this year.”

Esteban Gutierrez - “It’s a very special week for my whole career. It’s probably one of the best two weeks of my career because it represents so much to racing, to motorsports in Mexico in general, and to me. It’s a kind of connection where I can share my passion for racing and what I do with all Mexicans. I feel grateful for their support. Last year was great. I could live the event from a different perspective, but now it will be even better when I will be racing there. I’m very excited to enjoy that.

It will be important to do the best we can with our car. It’s a track we believe can suit the style of our car, and we’re hoping that will be the case. It’s going to be important to have as much track time as possible to adapt to the circuit.”

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Mexican GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Force India

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - SAHARA FORCE INDIA F1 TEAM

Sergio Perez - “Mexico City may be quite far from my city of Guadalajara, but I go there very often for professional reasons. It’s a city I love and there’s so much going on: the best restaurants, so many sights and so many things to do. It is a huge city and sometimes traffic makes going from one side of town to the other feel like an adventure! It is, not surprisingly, one of my favourite moments in the season and last year’s was special not just for me, but for my team and for anyone who came to the race.

I have no doubt this year’s event will be even better than last year - expectations are huge following the success of 2015. For me, the biggest surprise was the passion of the fans: all the affection I received, all the messages and all the incredible moments I experienced are what really made an impression on me. I am so happy to go back there.

The track itself is brilliant: my two favourite parts are the fast esses and the Foro Sol. It’s a very technical circuit, with some tricky corners: at the speeds we are doing, managing the car is very complicated and it’s important not to lose your rhythm. There is no key place where you can make or break your lap, except perhaps the slow section inside the stadium: you have to nail the combinations of corners to be able to string together a good lap. I am really looking forward to trying the track surface - last year, the asphalt was completely new, so this year it should be a big improvement.”

Nico Hulkenberg - “I am looking forward to going back to Mexico. Last year the whole race week was a huge thrill and you could feel all the excitement from the Mexican people as Formula One was coming back after more than 20 years. The happiness and enthusiasm were incredible, and the vibe we could feel was great - I had goosebumps the first time I got to the track and saw all the fans. I hope this year we’ll have a similar experience: I know what we had in 2015 will be hard to match, but I trust the locals!

The circuit facilities are nice, even though the track is perhaps not one of the most challenging. The first sector, though, is fun to drive - Turns 1 to 3 make up a good combination: it’s a triple corner, quite slow in the race but exciting in qualifying, as it gets quicker with lots of grip and low fuel.

The altitude makes our set-up choice interesting: we have a high-down force package on the car, but the thin air results in a down force level similar to what we have in Monza. The car feels loose and very floaty, and massively quick in a straight line: last year we went over 360 km/h on the main straight. We had a good result last year and hopefully we can go even better this year.”

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Mexican GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Renault

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - RENAULT SPORT FORMULA 1 TEAM

Kevin Magnussen - "I've never been to Mexico before so it's going to be a completely new experience away from the track too. I've heard a lot about Mexico City from everyone that visited last year, especially that the fans are very knowledgeable and enthusiastic. I love Mexican food, especially if it's hot and spicy.

I want to get the most out of the car and achieve the best result possible. We know the level of our car's performance so we want to get the most out of it at every opportunity. I've never driven it but I have studied the layout and watched some on-board laps so I've got a good taste for it. It looks good, but you never get a real feel for it until you get out there in the car. I know that the engineers say it was pretty slippery last year, especially early in the weekend which is what you'd expect for a new facility. It's going to be interesting to see how much it's improved over the past year."

Jolyon Palmer - "It's always fun to go to a new circuit, which was the case last year. It's got a particularly distinct character with the stadium section near the end of the lap, there's quite a few fast corners; it's a good layout. There's something really special and you feel the atmosphere. (The Stadium) is a very slow section, and to be honest it's not fantastic in pure driving terms as the corners are some of the slowest on the calendar, but you really feel the buzz of the fans all cheering and that really pushes you along! You go so slowly through there that you can properly appreciate and feel the enthusiasm.

Last year the event was all about the crowd; there were so many people and they were so enthusiastic. On the grid in Mexico was one of the most memorable moments of last season; that and driving through the stadium section – even in FP1."

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Mexican GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Toro Rosso

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - SCUDERIA TORO ROSSO F1 TEAM

Daniil Kvyat - “I'm looking forward to Mexico, I like it over there! I remember there were so many fans that attended the race last year, it was crazy! I felt like a rock star during the drivers' parade! I was a bit disappointed not to be on the podium, because I heard it was mega! Bottas just got me (for third) when there were only a few laps to go… It was a shame, but it was still quite a good race for me. I have to say that the city is enormous and quite crazy, with loads of traffic at any time of day. It's a cool city. I'm not the biggest fan of spicy food, so I always stick to normal food there.”

Carlos Sainz - “(The track’s) an interesting one! I think the layout is really well thought about, especially for the fans, as there are three areas with stadiums where it's very impressive to drive through and see so many people surrounding a corner! I also have very good memories of the drivers' parade, the amount of people there was incredible! Also because the Mexican fans are so loud, they shout so much, it makes you feel good! I'd say that, after Japan, the Mexican fans are also up there at the top of the list! Then, regarding the track itself, I'd prefer more high-speed corners, but there's still quite a few chicanes and changes of direction which are interesting. We reached 360 kph last year - I think this year it will be more. And the track is literally inside the city, something I also like.”

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Mexican GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Sauber

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - SAUBER F1 TEAM

Marcus Ericsson - “I remember the atmosphere at the track and especially driving through the section from Turn 12 to Turn 16, which made us feel like we were in a football stadium. The Mexicans gave us a warm welcome last season, and I am sure they will do so this year as well. Looking back to the previous race weekends, we clearly made steps in the right direction, but we still need to find more pace in order to fight for points.”

Felipe Nasr - “At the Mexican Grand Prix it was great to see the grandstands full of people in 2015. The atmosphere at the circuit and in Mexico City was just excellent, so I am pleased to return this year. I am confident that we are keeping working to improve the Sauber C35-Ferrari, in order to make further steps to be more competitive.”

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Mexican GP: Driver Preview Quotes - McLaren

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - McLAREN HONDA FORMULA 1 TEAM

Fernando Alonso - “Last year we went to the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez with a lot of unknowns and relatively little information about how the cars would perform on the reconfigured circuit. It poses a very different set of challenges to many other circuits because of the compromise you need between good down force on the fast straights and also strong balance in the twisty stadium section - and then there’s the altitude, which affects performance in itself. It will be difficult to bring all of the elements together to get the best out of a lap, but I’m looking forward to seeing where our package compares to last year.

Last year the support we received in Mexico City made it one of the best crowds all season, so the whole team is looking forward to going back there for the second time at this famous circuit. The buzz from the fans really makes a difference to the drivers, and, although we didn’t have a smooth weekend there last year, I still remember it as one of the highlight events because the whole experience was really enjoyable. Given how tough the race is on our cars, I hope we can achieve good reliability and enjoy a better result on track this time, and make the most of the incredible support.”

Jenson Button - “I really enjoyed driving on this circuit last year. It wasn’t an easy track for us, but it’s a really rewarding layout for a driver. Although the famous banked Peraltada wasn’t included in the re-profiled design, the mixture of the very high-speed straights and the infield section at the end of the lap does give you a bit of everything and it really puts a smile on your face. We were definitely strongest in the final sector around the stadium so we’ll need to put those strengths to good use if we’re to give ourselves a fighting chance next weekend.

We’re very lucky that we have huge support from fans at all the circuits we go to around the world, but I can honestly say that the reception we got from the Mexican crowd last year was a feeling like nothing else I’ve ever experienced. Every time you drove around the stadium section you could actually feel the roar from the fans from inside the car, it was unbelievable. I hope we put on a great show again this year and recreate that incredible atmosphere.”

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Mexican GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Williams

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - WILLIAMS MARTINI RACING

Valtteri Bottas - “Mexico was the best podium in my career so far when I finished third there last year. It was incredible to look out on the stadium and see how many people there were after the Mexican Grand Prix hadn’t been on since 1992, and the place was completely full. The atmosphere was amazing. It’s a big city with plenty of traffic on the way to the circuit – that’s the only negative I can think of, but at least the traffic is there and not on the track! The race is very challenging because of the high altitude. The top speeds are high, and we have less downforce. This thin air also means there is less oxygen, so as a driver it’s slightly more physical. It’s a very cool race track and I’m really looking forward to going back to such a unique location for a Grand Prix.”

Felipe Massa - “Mexico has some of the most amazing fans. In the last sector you really enjoy every lap you’re doing. You also have one of the longest straights in Formula One, where we achieved the record speed last year. In Mexico people really love Formula One, it’s fantastic to go to races like that. The city is very similar to São Paulo so I really feel at home there. I would say the Mexican people are very similar to the Brazilian people as well. It’s a great place to visit and to race.”

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Mexican GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Red Bull

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - RED BULL RACING FORMULA 1 TEAM

Max Verstappen - “The circuit in Mexico is interesting, it’s still really new, they had only just finished it when we went there in 2015. Hopefully when we go there this year the grip will have improved and the lap times will be faster. The fans are really passionate in Mexico, a lot came to the race last year so it will be good to see them out in force again this year. Last year I didn’t get any chance to look around at all, I want to taste some authentic food and see some sights this year.”

Daniel Ricciardo - “Last year in Mexico it was quite challenging, the surface was so new it meant grip levels were really low. This year should be a bit more fun with a bit more feeling. The track has some really cool sections, driving slow through the stadium bits means you can feel the atmosphere from the fans. Last year it was the Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) festival so we went out on the Sunday after the race. We had a meal and everyone was dressed up in the skulls, it felt like we were in a movie. For me, having Austin and Mexico as a back to back is great because they are two of the most hospitable places we go and really cool to spend time there.”

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Mexican GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Mercedes

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS FORMULA 1 TEAM

Nico Rosberg - “I came into Sunday with a good chance of winning but it didn’t work out. That’s the way it is, so I accept that and now it’s on to the next one in Mexico. My goal is to try and win there just as it has been at every race. Of course, to be in a championship battle at the end of the year is awesome and I’m excited about that. But my approach is to keep it simple. There are many things that can happen during a race weekend which are out of your control, so it’s best to just block all that out and focus on the job at hand. That’s what’s worked best for me and how I feel at my strongest. I’m excited to head back to Mexico City again. Driving the track feels like being back at a kart circuit with all the tight corners and the noise and the atmosphere in the stadium section is really phenomenal. Standing on that podium last year was one of the best moments of my career, so I hope I can get back up there and experience it again. We’ve got three races left to enjoy this awesome Silver Arrow, so I’m planning on making the most of every moment.”

Lewis Hamilton - “It was great to finally get that 50th win after a couple of tough weekends. I’ve just continued to keep a positive frame of mind, avoid dwelling on the past, work and train hard and I knew eventually the result would come. The moment you give up is the moment you lose. I’ve never been one to give up and I don’t plan on starting now. There are still plenty of points available and anything is possible. Next up it’s Mexico, which was a great experience last time out. It’s crazy how slippery the circuit is with the altitude giving you so little down force from the car. It’s a big challenge, so even though last year’s race was a bit frustrating for me, I actually had a lot of fun out there. I’m looking forward to giving it another go and hopefully going one better this time. On top of that, it has to be one of the best crowds I’ve ever seen. There are so many people with so much energy and excitement for the sport in Mexico. The stands were full even on Friday, which was really good to see. I saw a few Mexican flags with my name on them in Austin which was awesome, so hopefully those guys will be there to give me that extra lift this weekend too.”

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Mexican GP: Circuit Preview

MEXICAN GRAND PRIX 2016 - CIRCUIT PREVIEW & 2015 STATS

Name: Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez

Location: Mexico City, Mexico

Opened: 1962

Length: 2.674 Miles

Capacity: 100,000

Runs: Clockwise

Turns: 17

Race Laps: 71

2015 STATS

Pole Position: Nico Rosberg

1st Place: Nico Rosberg

2nd Place: Lewis Hamilton

3rd Place: Valtteri Bottas

Retirements: Fernando Alonso (Power Unit), Kimi Raikkonen (Collision), Sebastian Vettel (Crash) & Felipe Nasr (Brake Failure)

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Mexican GP: Track Schedule

MEXICAN GRAND PRIX 2016 - TRACK SCHEDULE

October 27th / Thursday

11:00 - Drivers Press Conference (Located in the Press Room)

October 28th / Friday

10:00 - 11:30 - Free Practice #1 

12:25 - 13:45 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

14:00 - 15:30 - Free Practice #2

16:00 - 17:00 - Press Conference (Located in the Press Room)

October 29th / Saturday

08:00 - 09:40 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

08:30 - 09:00 - Team Pit-Stop Practice

10:00 - 11:00 - Free Practice #3

12:00 - 12:40 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

13:00 - 14:00 - Qualifying

October 30th / Sunday

08:00 - 09:15 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

11:00 - 12:15 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

11:30 - Drivers Track Parade

11:45 - 12:15 - Starting Grid Presentation

12:46 - National Anthem

13:00 - 15:00 - Race

(Times subject to change)

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Toro Rosso Retains Kvyat For 2017

KVYAT CONFIRMED AT TORO ROSSO FOR 2017

    Toro Rosso are looking for stability in their driver line up facing the changes coming to the team and Formula One as a whole next season. That means Daniil Kvyat will be staying at the team next year, racing alongside Carlos Sainz Jr.  once again.

    Whilst Sainz’s future had already been confirmed earlier in the season, where Kvyat would be next season was still a mystery. The Russian was linked to Renault and a number of other teams, whilst Franz Tost said earlier in the year he was keen to keep Kvyat on board should his performance improve.

    It a relatively early announcement for Toro Rosso, who have a long list of junior drivers waiting to get their chance in Formula One and the need to keep Kvyat away from the competition most likely came brought the decision forward. Tost shows this is important in light of the upcoming changes.

    “There are so many new elements comin g to Formula 1 in general and to our team specifically, in terms of the chance of power unit supplier, that having the same two drivers gives us stability and a benchmark to work from,” said Tost.

    Tost said it was clear Kvyat was now on top form.

    “I always told him that his future with us was in his hands and he has stepped up to the mark and delivered the sort of performances that have ensured his 2017 seat in the STR 12.”

    Both drivers are happy with the news. Kvyat described the team as “like home” and is aiming high next season.

    “I’m really looking forward to continuing the hard work together in 2017 and I’m really aiming high,” he said. “I will always be fully dedicated, giving my 200%, and I will be pushing as hard as I usually do, that’s for sure. I’m delighted!”

    As great as this may be for Kvyat, it puts doubts on Red Bull Junior Pierre Gasly’s future. The Frenchman is first in line when a Toro Rosso seat comes free. Currently, he’s second in the GP2 championship with two rounds left but, should he take the title, Gasly will face the difficult decision of where to go to continue his career.

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US GP: Race - Re-Cap & Results

US GRAND PRIX - RACE

    Lewis Hamilton secured his fiftieth GP win at the US Grand Prix this weekend, a much needed victory in his championship battle. Teammate Nico Rosberg secured second and remains ahead of Hamilton in the championship standings, whilst a virtual safety car ruined Daniel Ricciardo’s strategy and left him in third.

    Red Bull were hoping the super soft tyres were going to give Ricciardo the edge at the start of the race, with the two Mercedes drivers ahead of him on the soft compound tyres. Ricciardo shot off of the line, immediately challenging Rosberg for second and managing to get past. Hamilton managed to escape holding onto second as he led the way into the race.

    Meanwhile, there was the usual opening lap bumps further back in the pack. Both Force India drivers were caught up in contact. Nico Hulkenberg found himself in trouble, unable to turn, and hit Sebastian Vettel ahead of him. That bounced him into Valtteri Bottas, and left him with damage to his front wing, and Bottas with a punctured tyre.

    Sergio Perez was hit by Daniil Kvyat and sent into a spin. There didn’t seem to be too much damage for the Mexican, though, and he managed to continue after dropping down through the order. Kvyat was given a ten-second-penalty for the incident.

    Hulkenberg and Bottas dived into the pits to repair the damage done by the opening lap. Bottas managed to come back out after a tyre change, but Hulkenberg wouldn’t be so lucky. The German retired from the race.

    Back at the front of the pack, Hamilton was building up a gap to Ricciardo. With the softer tyres, Ricciardo was forced to pit earlier than Rosberg but, once the Mercedes drivers had pitted, it was the same order in the top three.

    Ferrari were the main story in the first set of pit stops. The Italian team had tried the undercut with Kimi Raikkonen, bringing him into the pits early. It wouldn’t work though, with the Finn being stuck in traffic. Max Verstappen, who’d gotten a poor start, was able to catch up with the Ferrari and a move up the inside with DRS put the teenager in fifth.

    Next up for Verstappen, once Sebastien Vettel was pitted, was Rosberg. It didn’t take long for the Red Bull to close in on Rosberg, who was on the medium compound tyre, but getting past was proving difficult. Verstappen was reminded by the team that his tyres needed to last to the end of the stint. Verstappen’s reply? “I’m not here to finish fourth.”

    Verstappen did back off though and, a few laps later, came into the pits. Unfortunately, Red Bull weren’t ready for him, as they hadn’t actually called him into the pits. It was a long stop that dropped him back to seventh.

    Setting off to try and recover, Verstappen found himself in more trouble. The Red Bull was going very slowly and Verstappen described something “Hitting the engine. The faster I go, the harder it hits.” It was later found to be a gearbox problem. Verstappen stopped on track, bringing out the virtual safety car.

    At the front of the race, Mercedes reacted quickly, both of their cars diving into the pits with a “free” pit stop. Ricciardo, who had only pitted a handful of laps before, lost out. The tyre strategy that could have given him a fighting chance at second was now wasted as Rosberg emerged from the pits ahead of Ricciardo.

    Rosberg wasn’t able to take the fight to his teammate, though. The German came out of the pits behind Pascal Wehrlein and wasn’t able to overtake during the virtual safety car. There, he lost a lot of time to Hamilton, believing Wehrlein to be driving slower than necessary. When racing began again, Rosberg easily got past, but he was now on the back foot.

    Raikkonen would have more trouble in the pits at his next pit stop. Ferrari released the Finn early, with the wheel gun still attached and the wheel not properly screwed onto the car. Raikkonen stopped at the end of the pit lane but, as reversing in the pit lane is banned, his race was over.

    The closing stages of the race saw a battle between Carlos Sainz Jnr, Felipe Massa, and Fernando Alonso in the fight for fifth place. It seemed that Sainz needed to pit again for a fresh set of tyres but, as the laps ticked down, it became obvious Sainz was aiming to make his tyres last until the end of the race, and Massa and Alonso would have to get past him on track.

    Sainz made a small mistake ahead of them, but it was Alonso who would take advantage of that. The older Spaniard moved up the inside of Massa, but it appeared Massa didn’t see his old team mate trying to make the move. The two made wheel to wheel contact, but Alonso managed to get ahead, leaving Massa in sixth and with a punctured tyre.

    The incident was investigated after the race, but there was no further action.

    Overtaking Sainz was a little easier for Alonso. With DRS, the McLaren was faster than the Toro Rosso on the straights and Alonso swept past Sainz for fifth place.

    Hamilton took the win four and a half seconds over Rosberg after fifty six laps. He closes the gap to twenty six points to his team mate. Red Bull have a fifty three point lead over Ferrari in the battle for second in the constructors championship.


RESULTS:

1. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain / + 25 Points
2. Nico Rosberg / Mercedes-Mercedes / Germany / + 18 Points
3. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER / Australia / + 15 Points
4. Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany / + 12 Points
5. Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Honda / Spain / + 10 Points
6. Carlos Sainz / Toro Rosso-Ferrari / Spain / + 8 Points
7. Felipe Massa / Williams-Mercedes / Brazil / + 6 Points
8. Sergio Perez / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico / + 4 Points
9. Jenson Button / McLaren-Honda / Great Britain / + 2 Points
10. Romain Grosjean / Haas-Ferrari / France / + 1 Point
11. Kevin Magnussen / Renault-Renault / Denmark
12. Daniil Kvyat / Toro Rosso-Ferrari / Russia
13. Jolyon Palmer / Renault-Renault / Great Britain
14. Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden
15. Felipe Nasr / Sauber-Ferrari / Brazil
16. Valtteri Bottas / Williams-Mercedes / Finland
17. Pascal Wehrlein / Manor-Mercedes / Germany
18. Esteban Ocon / Manor-Mercedes / France

RETIRED - Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland / Attached Wheel Gun
RETIRED - Max Verstappen / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER / Netherlands / Gearbox Failure
RETIRED - Esteban Gutierrez / Haas-Ferrari / Mexico / Brake Problem
RETIRED - Nico Hulkenberg / Force India-Mercedes / Germany / Collision Damage

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US GP: Qualifying - Re-Cap & Results

US GRAND PRIX - QUALIFYING

    It's Lewis Hamilton who will start the US Grand Prix from Pole Position while team-mate, Nico Rosberg, lines up just beside him. Both Red Bull drivers occupy the second row while both Ferrari drivers follow in the third row, making it a 3-row team-mate lock-out.

HOW IT WORKS:

Q1 = 18 minutes. All cars allowed to go out. At the end of the session, the six slowest are eliminated.

Q2 = 15 minutes. The remaining cars go out. At the end of the session, the six slowest are eliminated.

Q3 = 12 minutes. Final 10 cars go out. The final order at the end of the session is how the grid will line up. Fastest car starts from Pole Position.

GRID LINE-UP

1. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain

2. Nico Rosberg / Mercedes-Mercedes / Germany

3. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER / Australia

4. Max Verstappen / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER / Netherlands

5. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland

6. Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany

7. Nico Hulkenberg / Force India-Mercedes / Germany

8. Valtteri Bottas / Williams-Mercedes / Finland

9. Felipe Massa / Williams-Mercedes / Brazil

10. Carlos Sainz / Toro Rosso-Ferrari / Spain

11. Sergio Perez / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico

12. Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Honda / Spain

13. Daniil Kvyat / Toro Rosso-Ferrari / Russia

14. Esteban Gutierrez / Haas-Ferrari / Mexico

15. Jolyon Palmer / Renault-Renault / Great Britain

16. Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden

17. Romain Grosjean / Haas-Ferrari / France

18. Kevin Magnussen / Renault-Renault / Denmark

19. Jenson Button / McLaren-Honda / Great Britain

20. Pascal Wehrlein / Manor-Mercedes / Germany

21. Felipe Nasr / Sauber-Ferrari / Brazil

22. Esteban Ocon / Manor-Mercedes / France

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US GP: Free Practice 3 - Re-Cap & Times

US GRAND PRIX - FREE PRACTICE #3

    Ahead of the final practice session of the US GP weekend, Toro Rosso made the announcement that Daniil Kvyat would indeed stay with the team for 2017, despite many rumours that he was possibly headed to partner Sergio Perez at Force India.

    Overnight, Mercedes broke curfew to replace Lewis Hamilton's entire fuel system. However, during the season, each team gets two exceptions to break curfew and Mercedes has not used either until now, so no penalty will be taken. Neither Mercedes driver led the session this time around. Instead it was Max Verstappen taking the top spot with a 1:36.766. Daniel Ricciardo came close by finishing in 2nd with a 1:37.032. Raikkonen, Hamilton and Rosberg completed the top 5.

    Carlos Sainz experienced two separate punctures during the session, with the first being his rear-right tyre. He came into the pits to change the tyre, but only a few laps later, his rear-left ended up with a puncture as well. The team then brought the car into the garage for checks. Sainz finished in the session in 15th with a 1:38.710.

    The session was briefly Red-Flagged after Pascal Wehrlein spun and got stranded in the gravel trap. While it was a minor spin and he was uninjured, it was session over for the young German driver. He ended the session in 22nd with a 1:41.427.

    At the end of the session, Sebastian Vettel came into the pits, reporting a loss of power and that he was stuck in 5th gear. There was mention of a possible gearbox issue. Vettel, however was able to complete Qualifying later on without a gearbox change.

TIMES:

1. Max Verstappen - 1:36.766 / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER

2. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:37.032 / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER

3. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:37.284 / Ferrari-Ferrari

4. Lewis Hamilton - 1:37.483 / Mercedes-Mercedes

5. Nico Rosberg - 1:37.784 / Mercedes-Mercedes

6. Sebastian Vettel - 1:37.894 / Ferrari-Ferrari

7. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:37.948 / Force India-Mercedes

8. Valtteri Bottas - 1:38.188 / Williams-Mercedes

9. Jenson Button - 1:38.212 / McLaren-Honda

10. Fernando Alonso - 1:38.452 / McLaren-Honda

11. Sergio Perez - 1:38.512 / Force India-Mercedes

12. Jolyon Palmer - 1:38.528 / Renault-Renault

13. Felipe Massa - 1:38.607 / Williams-Mercedes

14. Daniil Kvyat - 1:38.691 / Toro Rosso-Ferrari

15. Carlos Sainz - 1:38.710 / Toro Rosso-Ferrari

16. Esteban Gutierrez - 1:38.939 / Haas-Ferrari

17. Romain Grosjean - 1:39.097 / Haas-Ferrari

18. Kevin Magnussen - 1:39.105 / Renault-Renault

19. Marcus Ericsson - 1:39.239 / Sauber-Ferrari

20. Felipe Nasr - 1:39.509 / Sauber-Ferrari

21. Esteban Ocon - 1:39.771 / Manor-Mercedes

22. Pascal Wehrlein - 1:41.427 / Manor-Mercedes

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US GP: Free Practice 2 - Re-Cap & Times

US GRAND PRIX - FREE PRACTICE #2

    Nico Rosberg topped the second practice session of the weekend, with a 1:37.358. Daniel Ricciardo followed in 2nd with a 1:37.552. Hamilton, Vettel and Verstappen completed the top 5. Hamilton suffered from break issues during the session but it didn't seem to affect his final time too much.

    While there were no serious accidents during the session, both Jolyon Palmer and Carlos Sainz suffered from spins. The session was also Red Flagged due to debris on track. Running got back underway once the debris were cleared.

    Both Sergio Perez and Pascal Wehrlein returned to their cars after making way for Alfonso Celis Jr. and Jordan King in the first practice session. Perez finished the session is 7th with a 1:38.568 and Wehrlein finished in 22nd for Manor with a 1:41.131.

TIMES:

1. Nico Rosberg - 1:37.358 / Mercedes-Mercedes

2. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:37.552 / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER

3. Lewis Hamilton - 1:37.649 / Mercedes-Mercedes

4. Sebastian Vettel - 1:38.178 / Ferrari-Ferrari

5. Max Verstappen - 1:38.258 / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER

6. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:38.508 / Force India-Mercedes

7. Sergio Perez - 1:38.568 / Force India-Mercedes

8. Jenson Button - 1:38.713 / McLaren-Honda

9. Fernando Alonso - 1:38.801 / McLaren-Honda

10. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:38.865 / Ferrari-Ferrari

11. Carlos Sainz - 1:38.971 / Toro Rosso-Ferrari

12. Kevin Magnussen - 1:39.159 / Renault-Renault

13. Felipe Nasr - 1:39.189 / Sauber-Ferrari

14. Valtteri Bottas - 1:39.197 / Williams-Mercedes

15. Daniil Kvyat - 1:39.202 / Toro Rosso-Ferrari

16. Felipe Massa - 1:39.281 / Williams-Mercedes

17. Jolyon Palmer - 1:39.455 / Renault-Renault

18. Romain Grosjean - 1:39.554 / Haas-Ferrari

19. Esteban Ocon - 1:40.086 / Manor-Mercedes

20. Esteban Gutierrez - 1:40.114 / Haas-Ferrari

21. Marcus Ericsson - 1:40.219 / Sauber-Ferrari

22. Pascal Wehrlein - 1:41.131 / Manor-Mercedes

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US GP: Free Practice 1 - Re-Cap & Times

US GRAND PRIX - FREE PRACTICE #1

    Weather conditions were perfect for the first on-track session for the US GP weekend. Last year it was the complete opposite and most of the teams were coming up with things to do while they waited for the rain to stop. No rain in sight this time around.

    It was both Mercedes drivers who topped the session, with Hamilton leading the way with a 1:37.428. Rosberg was close behind with a 1:37.743. Verstappen, Raikkonen and Hulkenberg completed the top 5.

    Sergio Perez and Pascal Wehrlein were absent in this session, making way for potential future F1 drivers. Alfonso Celis Jr. took over in the Force India while current GP2 driver, Jordan King, took over in the Manor. It is rumoured if Esteban Ocon partners Hulkenberg at Renault next year, King could be Ocon's replacement at Manor.

    Marcus Ericsson suffered from power unit problems in the later half of the session with Gutierrez's running was hampered by clutch issues. Both drivers were still able to set times. Ericsson finished in 16th with a 1:41.170 and Gutierrez in 15th with a 1:40.970.

    The Virtual Safety Car was deployed after a huge piece of debris flew off of Vettel's Ferrari and landed in the middle of the track. Once it was cleared, the Virtual Safety Car period ended.

TIMES:

1. Lewis Hamilton - 1:37.428 / Mercedes-Mercedes

2. Nico Rosberg - 1:37.743 / Mercedes-Mercedes

3. Max Verstappen - 1:39.379 / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER

4. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:39.407 / Ferrari-Ferrari

5. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:39.712 / Force India-Mercedes

6. Valtteri Bottas - 1:39.776 / Williams-Mercedes

7. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:39.963 / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER

8. Sebastian Vettel - 1:39.988 / Ferrari-Ferrari

9. Daniil Kvyat - 1:40.131 / Toro Rosso-Ferrari

10. Carlos Sainz - 1:40.140 / Toro Rosso-Ferrari

11. Felipe Massa - 1:40.191 / Williams-Massa

12. Felipe Nasr - 1:40.287 / Sauber-Ferrari

13. Fernando Alonso - 1:40.362 / McLaren-Honda

14. Romain Grosjean - 1:40.826 / Haas-Ferrari

15. Esteban Gutierrez - 1:40.970 / Haas-Ferrari

16. Marcus Ericsson - 1:41.170 / Sauber-Ferrari

17. Alfonso Celis Jr. - 1:41.422 / Force India-Mercedes*

18. Jenson Button - 1:41.663 / McLaren-Honda

19. Kevin Magnussen - 1:41.942 / Renault-Renault

20. Jordan King - 1:42.021 / Manor-Mercedes*

21. Jolyon Palmer - 1:42.332 / Renault-Renault

22. Esteban Ocon - 1:43.874 / Manor-Mercedes

* - Driving in this session only

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US GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Haas

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - HAAS F1 TEAM

Romain Grosjean - “When I started in Formula One I thought it’ll just be one race after the other, then here we are at 100 Grands Prix, 10 podium finishes, a few points and lots of good memories, and some a little more difficult. The good thing is, I don’t know when I’m going to stop, but I think I’ve still got plenty of room in front of me to keep going and to keep trying to win. Definitely 100 Grands Prix is quite something in my lifetime.

I think (this weekend)’s going to be great. I’m very much looking forward to it. America is a huge country and I’m really hoping we can get a lot of fans. Yes, there’ll be an extra pride to be driving for an American team on the circuit, and hopefully getting a good result on Sunday. It’s not that simple to overtake at COTA. You’ve got a huge straight line on the back straight, which helps, of course, with the DRS. The braking into Turn 1 is very wide and you can have some chances there. But, on the other hand, it’s very hard to follow in sector one, and into that very long right-hand side corner before the last two corners.

(Last year’s event) was wonderful. We had a lot of fans and people really came to see the race. It’s a great venue and one of the best new tracks we’ve had in quite a while. The track was great, the city is nice, and it was a very nice experience. There are a lot of bars and concerts going on in the city, and people came from all over the country to see the race. It was amazing.”

Esteban Gutierrez - “It’s important to represent America around the world, but now that we get back home and go to Austin for the US Grand Prix, it’s something very special because we are on American soil. That gives a special touch to our weekend. More motivation and great energy from the people to achieve a fantastic result.

I thought (the venue) was fantastic (last year). It was the United States Grand Prix, but it was also like a Mexican Gran Prix. A lot of Mexicans went there. It’s not far away from my hometown, and that made it a very nice combination because America makes very great events and the atmosphere was very special. I could not have asked for a better experience. Now that we have a full United States Grand Prix and then a full Mexican Grand Prix, the experiences are more intense.

I love the centre of (Austin) and the vibe that’s going on around the whole weekend. In the first year I was there I was the third driver, so in the same kind of way I lived the first season of the Mexican Grand Prix, I lived the Austin Grand Prix. It was really special going around the restaurants and having all the people, everything full and a great atmosphere.”

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