United States – the highs and lows of the editorial team

Top 3

– Lewis Hamilton, Valtteri Bottas and Mercedes, the combined power of three!

At the end of this weekend spent on American soil, all the honors go to Mercedes. A great Valtteri Bottas at the top of his game during the qualifiers and then in the race with a fine victory, achieved legitimately. He fought throughout the weekend and built his victory using an offbeat and aggressive strategy. No missteps this time for the Scandinavian driver. He lacks this consistency throughout the season to contend for the world title.

Lewis Hamilton, for his part, delivers a performance to secure a 9th one-two finish this season. And above all, a sixth world title for him, now placing himself between Juan Manuel Fangio and Michael Schumacher at the pinnacle of the legends of this sport. An exceptional top performance for the entire Mercedes team today.

Once again, a solid weekend for Daniel Ricciardo, the key to future success?

Like the drivers who regularly fight for victory this season, Daniel Ricciardo brings that little extra which allows him to add big points to Renault’s tally. After a strong start, he was able to manage his tires’ performance throughout the race. However, he did not lose his warrior spirit, managing to execute some nice strategic overtakes during the race that earned him 5th place for a long while. He did have to yield to Alex Albon at the end of the race, but his performance in America earned him 6th place and made him the best of the rest.

– Renault: A Surge of Pride?

After the Japanese Grand Prix scandal and the issue related to the use of automatic brake distribution, the Renault team has shown that it remains in the race for 5th place. In Mexico, both drivers finished in the points following a smart tire strategy. For this weekend in the USA, in addition to making good use of the tires provided by Pirelli, the French car also performed well, particularly in the hands of its star driver, Daniel Ricciardo. Another double points finish allows Renault to pull ahead in the championship against its direct competitors, Toro Rosso and Racing Point, but the gap remains stable (and significant) compared to McLaren.

Flop 3

A trail so recent, and already so damaged?

The Austin circuit has proven to be very bumpy, especially at the start of the first corner. All the drivers complained, particularly about back pain. The 2019 version of the cars are heavier than their predecessors, mainly because the suspensions are stiffer. Despite this, Sebastian Vettel had to retire due to a suspension break. The German driver managed to avoid disaster by masterfully controlling his car in distress. Are these bumps the cause of this breakage? It’s highly possible. The circuit is scheduled to be resurfaced at the end of the year… Already!

Missed home appointment for Haas

It was announced, as it has been for several weekends now. The Haas is a failed car and lacks performance. The team surely hoped for a bit better in this home race. Romain Grosjean can’t find the key compared to his Danish teammate. Moreover, the tire strategy was poor, so he finished 15th and second to last among those who completed the race. Kevin Magnussen fared a bit better but had to retire at the very end of the race due to brake issues. Another misstep for the American team eager for the 2019 season to end.

– Ferrari, a lack of performance amid suspicions of cheating

Since the resumption after the summer break, Ferrari had regained power. By securing a good number of pole positions, the team was once again feared. And when the strategy was successful, they clinched a few victories. However, this resurgence in performance made other teams, particularly Red Bull, question it. The FIA clarified the situation this weekend by issuing a note regarding the use of the flow meter. Surprisingly, from that moment, Scuderia Ferrari appeared in a lesser light. No pole position and really no race pace as demonstrated by Charles Leclerc yesterday. Will the last two races be of the same ilk?