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      F1 US Grand Prix: UK start time TODAY, TV channel, live stream for Circuit of the Americas showpiece

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      F1 heads to the United States as Lewis Hamilton looks to make up lost ground on Max Verstappen.The Brit is six points behind the Dutchman after taking a ten-place grid penalty for an internal combustion engine change in Istanbul.
      Lewis Hamilton and his Mercedes are expected to have the advantage at the US Grand PrixCredit: PA
      Max Verstappen is the current world championship leaderCredit: Getty
      Hamilton pulled off a good damage limitation race in Turkey, finishing fifth to Verstappen’s second, but was furious with the Mercedes team after they ordered him to pit from third position.
      However, Mercedes insist he was likely to have finished down in eighth, had he not come in to the pit lane to change his tyres.
      The Merc team were pleasantly surprised with their pace in Turkey and go into the US Grand Prix with even Red Bull labelling them hot race favourites.
      Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said he expects a strong Mercedes performance this weekend, before his team bounces back in the upcoming altitude races in Mexico City and Sao Paulo.
      He commented: “We know the next race in Austin has been a Hamilton stronghold for quite a few years now.
      “But then Mexico, Brazil hopefully the higher-altitude races tended to be quite strong for us in the past.”
      What time does the F1 US Grand Prix start?
      The US Grand Prix will have a very different schedule to races in Europe.
      Practice One is on Friday, October 22 at 5.30pm UK time before Practice Two gets underway at 9pm.
      Local time that’s 11.30am for Practice One and 3pm for Practice Two.
      Qualifying and the race itself will both be evening events in the UK.
      Qualifying will be at 10pm on Saturday evening (4pm local time) with the race at 8pm on Sunday evening (2pm local time).
      What TV channel is the F1 US Grand Prix on and can I live stream it?

      The F1 US Grand Prix is live on Sky Sports F1.
      To stream it live, head to your Sky Go account.
      Non-Sky Sports subscribers can still watch all the action with a Now TV Day Pass from £9.99.

      Race schedule
      Friday, October 22
      Practice One – 5.30pm
      Practice Two – 9pm
      Saturday, October 23
      Practice Three – 7pm
      Qualifying – 10pm
      Sunday, October 24
      Race – 8pm More

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      Inside Christian Horner’s lavish country mansion Red Bull F1 boss shares with Spice Girl Geri & three miniature donkeys

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      RED BULL boss Christian Horner is used to living life in the fast lane working in F1.But when it comes to his personal life, the team principal of the motorsport giants prefers a more quiet and slower existence away from the race track.
      Red Bull boss Christian Horner lives a life of luxury in the countryCredit: Instagram @christianhorner
      Horner poses on the grounds of their Oxfordshire farmhouse with son MontagueCredit: Instagram @therealgerihalliwell
      He shares TWO stunning country homes with wife, Spice Girl Geri in Oxfordshire and Hertfordshire and their brood.
      The former property is, perhaps, the most lavish and most shared online – boasting its very own duck pond, which they use for boating.
      Their farm also houses three miniature donkeys, horses and goats in the estate’s stables.
      ‘PERFECT’
      For Horner, living on a farm offers the ideal existence away from the stresses of the F1 circuit.
      Back in 2019, he told Luxury London that the sprawling country abode was the “perfect home to relax in.”
      “Restoring the farm has been my hobby – the way I put racing out of my mind,” he added.
      “The main house is finished but now the barns are being converted. We’re currently putting the finishing touches to an indoor swimming pool.”

      Certainly, it’s the property in Oxfordshire that gets the most love from Geri on Instagram, who regularly shares candid snaps of her family life.
      Horner is stepdad to Geri’s daughter Bluebell Madonna, 15, and the couple share a son, Montague, who is 4. He also has another daughter, Olivia, 8, from a previous relationship with ex-partner Beverley Allen.
      F1’s Horner poses on the steps of the home with daughter Olivia from his previous relationshipCredit: Instagram @christianhorner
      Son Montague and dad have matching John Deere tractorsCredit: Instagram @christianhorner
      An Aston Martin DB5 sits proudly in Horner’s garage
      Horner is married to Spice Girl GeriCredit: Instagram @therealgerihalliwell
      Geri shows off the home’s swimming poolCredit: Instagram @therealgerihalliwell
      Christian has been spied alongside his boy riding a mini tractor alongside dad’s John Deere.
      He’s also been seen standing with his vintage Aston Martin DB5, which was Sean Connery’s car of choice as James Bond in Goldfinger.
      READY STEADY COOK
      Geri appears happy to play the role of housewife, often sharing photos in the kitchen rustling up treats.
      A budding chef, she has shown off her baking skills by crafting cakes using a customised Ginger Spice KitchenAid mixer, which Christian had specially designed for her.
      And with four separate ovens to choose from with the AGA range the kitchen boasts, she has plenty of space for her other favourite pastime – making bread.
      You can bet, Christian, who also loves using the outdoor barbecue, and the kids are well fed in the Horner household with Geri’s production line of cakes and bread.

      Geri is often spied in the kitchen and loves bakingCredit: Instagram @therealgerihalliwell
      Christian shows off his grilling skills with the outdoor barbecueCredit: Instagram @christianhorner
      ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK
      Christian and Geri have a number of reception room to entertain from.
      However, the most popular one appears to be where a £16,000 original Wurlitzer can be found.
      When she celebrated her 45th birthday, Geri posted a video online singing along to Michael Jackson hit Billie Jean while thanking Christian for the music, which suggested it was a gift for her.
      Another living room shows off a stunning chandelier, as well as a marble fireplace.
      A £16,000 vintage Wurlitzer can be seen in a reception room, which was a gift from Christian for Geri’s 45th birthdayCredit: Instagram @therealgerihalliwell
      The Oxfordshire property boasts several reception roomsCredit: Instagram @therealgerihalliwell
      A spacious dining room was seen when Montague celebrated his birthdayCredit: Instagram @therealgerihalliwell
      The glam couple also have a bar space in their propertyCredit: Instagram @therealgerihalliwell
      OUTDOOR SPACE
      The family love taking advantage of the huge grounds on offer at their farmhouse.
      And why not when you’ve got an incredible duck pond so big you can go boating on it.
      Horner and Geri can even take their dogs for a walk around the expansive gardens.
      The pair have even been seen zooming around on a quad bike, as well as picking raspberries in the garden with Montague.
      Miniature donkeys live in the stables
      The grounds are vast on the Horner’s Oxfordshire plot
      The Horners show off their horses and have their own stableCredit: Instagram @therealgerihalliwell
      Geri picks raspberries with Montague in their lush gardenCredit: Instagram @therealgerihalliwell
      The duck pond on the property has its own boat
      Christian and Geri live the country life away from the racing circuitCredit: Instagram @therealgerihalliwell

      Of course, no farm would be complete without animals either.
      And Christian and Geri boast three miniature donkeys that are housed in the stables, as well as some goats.
      The singer often shares videos online when it’s feeding time.
      Clearly, you can forget the fancy racing circuit of heading to places like Dubai or Monte Carlo. A farmhouse is where it’s at.
      Watch Lewis Hamilton’s incredible reaction to meeting 104-year-old fan as he takes break from F1 title battle More

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

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      THE FORMULA ONE season heads Stateside this weekend to the iconic Circuit of the Americas.Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen resume their epic tussle for the F1 title, with just six points separating the two rivals.

      Practice Three – 7pm TONIGHT
      Qualifying – 10pm
      Sunday: Race – 8pm

      Follow ALL the action with our live blog below…

      JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET A FREE £10 BONUS WITH 100s OF GAMES TO PLAY AND NO DEPOSIT REQUIRED (Ts&Cs apply)

      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.
      The team can confirm that George has taken new power unit elements this weekend and therefore will incur a grid penalty.Still plenty to play for this weekend, GR 👊 pic.twitter.com/9IaV21rpRO— Williams Racing (@WilliamsRacing) October 22, 2021

      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.

      Load more entries… More

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      F1 US Grand Prix qualifying: UK start time TODAY, TV channel, live stream for Circuit of the Americas showpiece

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      F1 heads to the United States as Lewis Hamilton looks to make up lost ground on Max Verstappen.The Brit is six points behind the Dutchman after taking a ten-place grid penalty for an internal combustion engine change in Istanbul.
      Lewis Hamilton and his Mercedes are expected to have the advantage at the US Grand PrixCredit: PA
      Max Verstappen is the current world championship leaderCredit: Getty
      Hamilton pulled off a good damage limitation race in Turkey, finishing fifth to Verstappen’s second, but was furious with the Mercedes team after they ordered him to pit from third position.
      However, Mercedes insist he was likely to have finished down in eighth, had he not come in to the pit lane to change his tyres.
      The Merc team were pleasantly surprised with their pace in Turkey and go into the US Grand Prix with even Red Bull labelling them hot race favourites.
      Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said he expects a strong Mercedes performance this weekend, before his team bounces back in the upcoming altitude races in Mexico City and Sao Paulo.
      He commented: “We know the next race in Austin has been a Hamilton stronghold for quite a few years now.
      “But then Mexico, Brazil hopefully the higher-altitude races tended to be quite strong for us in the past.”
      What time does the F1 US Grand Prix start?
      The US Grand Prix will have a very different schedule to races in Europe.
      Practice One is on Friday, October 22 at 5.30pm UK time before Practice Two gets underway at 9pm.
      Local time that’s 11.30am for Practice One and 3pm for Practice Two.
      Qualifying and the race itself will both be evening events in the UK.
      Qualifying will be at 10pm on Saturday evening (4pm local time) with the race at 8pm on Sunday evening (2pm local time).
      What TV channel is the F1 US Grand Prix on and can I live stream it?

      The F1 US Grand Prix is live on Sky Sports F1.
      To stream it live, head to your Sky Go account.
      Non-Sky Sports subscribers can still watch all the action with a Now TV Day Pass from £9.99.

      Race schedule
      Friday, October 22
      Practice One – 5.30pm
      Practice Two – 9pm
      Saturday, October 23
      Practice Three – 7pm
      Qualifying – 10pm
      Sunday, October 24
      Race – 8pm More

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      F1 US Grand Prix: UK start time TONIGHT, TV channel, live stream for Circuit of the Americas showpiece

      by

      F1 heads to the United States as Lewis Hamilton looks to make up lost ground on Max Verstappen.The Brit is six points behind the Dutchman after taking a ten-place grid penalty for an internal combustion engine change in Istanbul.
      Lewis Hamilton and his Mercedes are expected to have the advantage at the US Grand PrixCredit: PA
      Max Verstappen is the current world championship leaderCredit: Getty
      Hamilton pulled off a good damage limitation race in Turkey, finishing fifth to Verstappen’s second, but was furious with the Mercedes team after they ordered him to pit from third position.
      However, Mercedes insist he was likely to have finished down in eighth, had he not come in to the pit lane to change his tyres.
      The Merc team were pleasantly surprised with their pace in Turkey and go into the US Grand Prix with even Red Bull labelling them hot race favourites.
      Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said he expects a strong Mercedes performance this weekend, before his team bounces back in the upcoming altitude races in Mexico City and Sao Paulo.
      He commented: “We know the next race in Austin has been a Hamilton stronghold for quite a few years now.
      “But then Mexico, Brazil hopefully the higher-altitude races tended to be quite strong for us in the past.”
      What time does the F1 US Grand Prix start?
      The US Grand Prix will have a very different schedule to races in Europe.
      With the big race taking place at 8pm BST tonight. This is 2pm over in Austin.
      What TV channel is the F1 US Grand Prix on and can I live stream it?

      The F1 US Grand Prix is live on Sky Sports F1.
      To stream it live, head to your Sky Go account.
      Non-Sky Sports subscribers can still watch all the action with a Now TV Day Pass from £9.99.

      Race schedule
      Friday, October 22
      Practice One – 5.30pm
      Practice Two – 9pm
      Saturday, October 23
      Practice Three – 7pm
      Qualifying – 10pm
      Sunday, October 24
      Race – 8pm More

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      ‘Hanging on for dear life’ – Lewis Hamilton blow as Mercedes chief Wolff hints at more grid penalties over engine issues

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      LEWIS HAMILTON has been dealt another blow in his pursuit of the world championship as Toto Wolff admitted Mercedes engines are ‘hanging on for dear life’.Hamilton was hit with a ten-place grid penalty at the Turkish Grand Prix last time out after getting his fourth new engine of the season fitted.
      Lewis Hamilton’s title challenge could be wrecked by ongoing engine failures for MercedesCredit: Alamy
      Drivers are permitted three Internal Combustion Engines (ICEs) per season.
      Now in the United States this weekend, three of the four teams who use Mercedes ICEs are taking engine penalties.
      Sebastian Vettel of Aston Martin and Williams’ George Russell will start from the back of the pack in Austin tomorrow as they got their fourth ICEs.
      And Valtteri Bottas is on to his SIXTH engine so will begin Sunday’s race five places below his qualifying position.
      That is Bottas’ third penalty in four races as concerns rise for Mercedes boss Wolff – but the constructors are not entirely sure what the problems are as the grid penalties mount.
      The team principal said: “I think you see that we are suffering with reliability this year.

      GET £50 IN FREE BETS Just stake £10 with Sky Bets on Prem this weekend
      “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.”
      Hamilton spent some time in Los Angeles before heading over to Texas for the race weekend.
      The reigning F1 champ trails Max Verstappen by six points with six races remaining this season.
      And Wolff knows the ongoing engine issues could cost the team and Hamilton dear come the end of the year.
      The Austrian added: “I think when you look at Monza, for example, Valtteri had to start from the back and we are losing points on the way.
      “We are trying to push the performance every year, and this year we’ve come to a point where that has cost us points.

      🏁 F1 2021 calendar: practice times, dates and racetrack info
      “Over the last seven or eight years, that mindset has won us races and championships.
      “So I would have hoped for a few less penalties and use less engines, but this year it has really hit us hard.
      “McLaren and Aston Martin are more fortunate and in that respect, we just have to take it on the chin and do the best possible job.”
      Toto Wolff knows the problems could derail his team’s 2021 seasonCredit: Getty
      Valtteri Bottas is on to his sixth ICE of the campaign as the issues mount and more penalties hitCredit: Getty More

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      F1 US Grand Prix qualifying: UK start time TODAY, TV channel and live stream for Circuit of the Americas

      by

      F1 heads to the United States as Lewis Hamilton looks to make up lost ground on Max Verstappen.The Brit is six points behind the Dutchman after taking a ten-place grid penalty for an internal combustion engine change in Istanbul.
      Lewis Hamilton and his Mercedes are expected to have the advantage at the US Grand PrixCredit: PA
      Max Verstappen is the current world championship leaderCredit: Getty
      Hamilton pulled off a good damage limitation race in Turkey, finishing fifth to Verstappen’s second, but was furious with the Mercedes team after they ordered him to pit from third position.
      However, Mercedes insist he was likely to have finished down in eighth, had he not come in to the pit lane to change his tyres.
      The Merc team were pleasantly surprised with their pace in Turkey and go into the US Grand Prix with even Red Bull labelling them hot race favourites.
      Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said he expects a strong Mercedes performance this weekend, before his team bounces back in the upcoming altitude races in Mexico City and Sao Paulo.
      He commented: “We know the next race in Austin has been a Hamilton stronghold for quite a few years now.
      “But then Mexico, Brazil hopefully the higher-altitude races tended to be quite strong for us in the past.”
      What time does the F1 US Grand Prix start?
      The US Grand Prix will have a very different schedule to races in Europe.
      Practice One is on Friday, October 22 at 5.30pm UK time before Practice Two gets underway at 9pm.
      Local time that’s 11.30am for Practice One and 3pm for Practice Two.
      Qualifying and the race itself will both be evening events in the UK.
      Qualifying will be at 10pm on Saturday evening (4pm local time) with the race at 8pm on Sunday evening (2pm local time).
      What TV channel is the F1 US Grand Prix on and can I live stream it?

      The F1 US Grand Prix is live on Sky Sports F1.
      To stream it live, head to your Sky Go account.
      Non-Sky Sports subscribers can still watch all the action with a Now TV Day Pass from £9.99.

      Race schedule
      Friday, October 22
      Practice One – 5.30pm
      Practice Two – 9pm
      Saturday, October 23
      Practice Three – 7pm
      Qualifying – 10pm
      Sunday, October 24
      Race – 8pm More

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      Max Verstappen calls Lewis Hamilton a ‘stupid idiot’ and flipped him the middle finger during US Grand Prix practice

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      MAX VERSTAPPEN blasted Lewis Hamilton as a ‘stupid idiot’ and flipped him the middle finger during practice for the US GP.The two championship rivals came close to making contact during practice for Sunday’s race.
      Red Bull driver Max Verstappen wasn’t happy with Lewis Hamilton during practice for Sunday’s United States Grand Prix – and showed him a middle finger
      Dutch ace Verstappen currently leads by six points with six races left of the 2021 World ChampionshipCredit: Alamy
      Verstappen snapped over the team’s radio: “Ha! Stupid idiot!” before making the gesture only to be told to ‘ignore it’ by his race engineer.
      The two are separated by six points with six races to go, with the Dutchman currently leading the championship.
      Red Bull boss Christian Horner said: “They were queuing up to start their lap and Lewis decided to jump it.
      “I think Max was keen to point out that he was first in the queue. It was just one of those things.”
      Meanwhile, Hamilton could face more grid penalties for taking a new engine, which could damage his chances of fighting Verstappen for the title.
      Mercedes boss Toto 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.

      JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET A FREE £10 BONUS WITH 100s OF GAMES TO PLAY AND NO DEPOSIT REQUIRED (Ts&Cs apply)

      The warning comes after Valtteri Bottas took his SIXTH engine of the season – three more than what is stipulated in the rulebook.
      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 preempt 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.”
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