F1 US Grand Prix LIVE RESULTS: Latest from qualifying as Perez goes fastest in FP2, FP3 build-up – stream, TV, updates

LANDO’S LOW-DOWN

Lando Norris was recently voted as ‘Ladies’ favourite driver’ in a survey on Formula 1 fans.

Reacting to the news, Bristol-born Norris said: “It’s really cool. Fans are the reason Formula 1 exists, in a way. I feel like I do quite a bit for the fans and it’s nice to know I have a lot of people supporting me, cheering me on and just being there for me. That’s awesome.

“It’s good to know I can influence them or try to help change them, say good things every now and then. Normally I’m not very good at saying good things, but the fact I have the chance to influence that many people is pretty awesome.

“Especially, I guess, with the women. There are so few women in motorsport and racing, so the more I can hopefully impact on that and give them the chance to believe they can be here in Formula 1 – maybe not just as a race driver but also engineering or mechanic-ing or whatever – there are plenty of spaces for them to do that.

“If I can have an influence on them, that’s great. But I guess the more fans the merrier as well. It’s a nice thing to see.”

TODAY’S SCHEDULE

A reminder of the timings for today’s Practice and Qualifying in Texas:

• Practice Three
• Qualifying

*UK time

BACK TO SOUTH AFRICA

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton is eager for the F1 calendar to return to South Africa.

A race hasn’t been held on the continent since 1993.

And when asked where the Brit would like to see a GP held, he said: “The place that I really feel is dear to my heart and most important for me is to get a race back in South Africa.

“I think there’s a great following out there. I think it would be great to be able to highlight just how beautiful the motherland is.”

‘CAPABLE’

Max Verstappen’s former Red Bull teammate Daniel Ricciardo believes the Dutchman has what it takes to beat seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton to the title.

The McLaren driver said: “Although Lewis has the experience of winning World titles, I don’t really see that as an advantage now.

“They are both capable, Lewis has proven it, but Max is capable and he has a pretty stable head on his shoulders now.

“He has proven that with some of the drives he has done this year so I am kind of at the point where I am just looking forward to see how it unfolds.”

SIX TO GO

Here’s a reminder of how the F1 2021 season has played out so far.

The season is beginning to draw to a conclusion, with a thrilling title race playing out.

🏁 F1 2021 calendar: practice times, dates and racetrack info

MORE FROM TOTO

Toto Wolff also admitted that Mercedes’ engines are ‘hanging on for dear life’ after Valteri Bottas took a five-place grid penalty by having a new one fitted yesterday.

He said: “I think you see that we are suffering with reliability this year.

“We are going on to the sixth engine, I believe it is for Valtteri, and it’s not something we choose to do.

“On the contrary, we are trying to really get on top of the problems and we haven’t understood [them] fully.

“I think we are a step closer now, so it’s not always that we are literally easy with having the engines.

“We are hanging on for dear life in supplying all customers and that is not trivial.”

TOTO TALK

Mercedes Team Principal and CEO Toto Wolff thinks the championship title race between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen could come down to the final race.

When asked if it was going down to the wire, he said: “Yes, I think it will, because the swings of points are not massive. Goes one direction and then the other way.

“I’ve said before I think that the DNFs are the killer for this championship because you can’t.

“It’s very difficult to recover a 25-point loss, so you need to minimise the mistakes. It’s exciting to see.”

‘WORK TO DO’

Lewis Hamilton was reasonably content with his Friday practice sessions.

The 36-year-old finished the day third fastest after having a number of lap times deleted for exceeding track limits.

Hamilton said: “Generally, it’s been a good day but there’s still work to do.

“The first session was really good, but I made some changes for FP2 and I wasn’t as happy with the car.

“The pace wasn’t bad, but I think we lost a bit of ground to everyone, so we need to dig into the data tonight and figure out why.

“The surface here feels rougher and that means it’s a struggle to keep the temperature out of the tyres, so there’s more degradation than we’ve experienced before.

“It’s been a productive day so we have plenty of findings that we should be able to navigate well and improve for tomorrow.”

AS IT STANDS

Here’s a look at how the Driver Standings heading into USA Grand Prix.

Lewis Hamilton trails rival Max Verstappen by six points, with six races left on the 2021 calendar.

The title race could go right down to the wire…

‘WORK TO DO’

Valteri Bottas will be hit with a five-place penalty from wherever he qualifies for Sunday’s race after taking on a new engine.

But he has still vowed to do all he can to finish on the podium in Texas.

He said: “There’s quite a bit of work to do, no doubt, we need to find what are the best options we can take.

“I will be definitively be racing other cars, with the penalty, so I’ll need to be overtaking other cars.

“I want to make it to the podium and fight for the win, so there’s lots of work to be done, as always.”

‘PLAYGROUND ACTIVITY’

Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen went wheel-to-wheel in yesterday’s practice, with the Dutchman calling Hamilton a ‘stupid idiot’ on his radio.

But speaking on the incident, Red Bull team principal Chrstian Horner said: “I think there’s not too much to read into it.

“It’s like playground activity really. So, obviously, Max had passed Lewis earlier in the lap, Lewis then obviously felt that he wanted to pass Max at the end of that lap, and then they drove around, drove down to the first corner.

“Then it all got a bit messy. I think Max indicated that he would have been first on the road! So I wouldn’t read too much into it.”

PRACTICE 2 IS DONE – PEREZ LEADS THE WAY BUT VERSTAPPEN DID NOT DO A QUALIFYING RUN

The Dutchman is keeping his powder dry, and it is the Mexican who is quickest as Red Bull look like they have improved.

Norris in P2, Hamilton P3 and Bottas in P4. Verstappen down in eighth.

CRASH FOR ALONSO

The Spaniard loses control and spins into the barriers, but he is moving again. His car looks undamaged and he’s back in the garage.

10 MINUTES TO GO

And it is still Perez at the top of the timesheets as the team complete their long runs.

PEREZ LEADS THE WAY

Norris, Hamilton, Bottas, Ricciardo, Stroll, Leclerc, Verstappen, Sainz, Giovinazzi is the top 10 at just after the halfway stage of FP2.

VERSTAPPEN BLASTS HAMILTON

The two come close during practice as Hamilton comes close to the Red Bull.

Verstappen snaps over the radio: “Ha! Stupid idiot!”

He is told to “ignore it” by his race engineer.

NORRIS IS BACK IN THE PITS

“Something’s come loose on my elbow, I can’t turn properly,” Norris says over the team’s radio.

He’s back in the garage as the team investigate the problem.

FP2 IS GO – MERCEDES WERE AWESOME IN PRACTICE ONE

Can Red Bull fight back? Or are they saving engines? Either way, it looks a straight fight between the two teams.

TOTO WOLFF HAS BEEN SPEAKING ABOUT MERC’S ENGINE PROBLEMS

Remember, Bottas has a new engine this week, triggering a penalty.

Merc customers, Williams and Aston Martin have also taken new engines for Russell and Vettel, respectively.

And it could mean bad news for Lewis Hamilton, who could face more grid penalties for taking a new engine.

Wolff admits the team have struggled with reliability this season as their complicated power units are pushed to the limit in their fight with Red Bull.

Hamilton was given a 10-place grid drop last out in Turkey for taking a new internal combustion engine and he had to settle for finishing the race in fifth.

Wolff snapped on Sky F1 when quizzed that the team’s engine woe was being caused by “air valves”.

He blasted: “You are being fed with a lot of bull***t. We don’t need to talk about air valves or anything like this because you and I wouldn’t understand what it is.”

He was later pressed to reveal the cause of their unreliability and added: “I would not want to disclose what it is for obvious reasons but it is always a concern.

“When you look at Monza where Valtteri had to start at the back, we are losing points.

“We are trying to push the performance every year and this year it has cost us points but for the last seven years, that mindset has won us races and championships.

“I would have hoped for less penalties and used less engines, but this year it has hit us hard and we have to take it on the chin and do the best possible job.”

Wolff says Merc are now weighing up whether to up Hamilton’s engine count too through fear of it failing mid-race.

He said: “I cannot say whether we will be taking or what the percentage is, but obviously the risk is there.

“What is difficult to evaluate is do you want to pre-empt the situation and take a penalty, take the hit.

“Or do you want to run it and take the risk, which could be a DNF? That is a discussion we are having at the moment.”

LECLERC AND SAINZ IN P4 AND P5

Different tyres used for Perez and Sainz.

BOTTAS NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH AN ENGINE PENALTY

George Russell also takes a new unit in his Williams, as does Sebastian Vettel at Aston Martin.

HORNER KEEPING CALM ABOUT MERC’S ENGINE WOES

The Red Bull boss said: “Mercedes obviously have their reason for taking it and they must be having a few issues.

“Under normal circumstances, [our engines] should be ok, but you can never say never.”

BOTTAS LEADS THE WAY

The Finn is in P1, Hamilton is second and Verstappen third-fastest in Austin.

BOTTAS’S ENGINE PENALTY IS A CONCERN FOR HAMILTON

That is a SIXTH unit for the Finn, as Mercedes are clearly worried about their ICE. That could mean that Hamilton is due a new one too, he took a new ICE in Turkey.

AND A SPECIAL LID FOR LANDO

The McLaren man also has a cool helmet for this race.