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F1 returns after a four-week break with the US Grand Prix in Austin and the fourth sprint weekend of the 2024 season.
Lando Norris won last time out in Singapore to cut Max Verstappen’s lead in the drivers’ championship to 52 points with six rounds to go.
Oscar Piastri, Norris’ teammate at McLaren, finished third in the city-state while the Mercedes duo of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell will be looking to finish their time together on a high before Hamilton heads to Ferrari next year.
Verstappen has won the last three editions of the US Grand Prix and was also victorious in the Austin sprint race last year. It will also be the first race for Liam Lawson this year, with the New Zealander replacing Daniel Ricciardo for the remainder of the season.
Follow live updates from the United States Grand Prix with The Independent
F1 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX - LATEST UPDATES
F1 returns with round 19 of the 2024 season in Austin
Sprint qualifying starts at 10:30pm (BST)
Carlos Sainz was quickest in FP1; Leclerc 2nd; Verstappen 3rd
Lando Norris trails Max Verstappen by 52 points with six races left
PREVIEW: How Trump and Harris revealed F1’s true value amid US presidential race
SPRINT WEEKEND FORMAT
22:21 , Kieran Jackson
Friday: Free Practice 1 (DONE); sprint qualifying (for Saturday’s sprint race)
Saturday: Sprint race (Top-eight receive points, finish order has no impact on grand prix grid); Grand Prix qualifying
Sunday: Grand Prix
How many points are on offer in the sprint race?
P1 - Eight points
P2 - Seven points
P3 - Six points
P4 - Five points
P5 - four points
P6 - three points
P7 - two points
P8 - one point
A reminder of the start times this weekend in Austin:
22:15 , Kieran Jackson
All times BST
Friday 18 October
Sprint qualifying: 10:30pm
Saturday 19 October
Sprint race: 7pm
Qualifying: 11pm
Sunday 20 October
Race: 8pm
What’s the state of play in the drivers’ championship?
22:03 , Kieran Jackson
1. Max Verstappen - 331 points
2. Lando Norris - 279 points
3. Charles Leclerc - 245 points
4. Oscar Piastri - 237 points
5. Carlos Sainz - 190 points
6. Lewis Hamilton - 174 points
7. George Russell - 155 points
8. Sergio Perez - 144 points
9. Fernando Alonso - 62 points
10. Nico Hulkenberg - 24 points
11. Lance Stroll - 24 points
12. Yuki Tsunoda - 22 points
13. Alex Albon - 12 points
14. Daniel Ricciardo - 12 points
15. Pierre Gasly - 8 points
16. Ollie Bearman - 7 points
17. Kevin Magnussen - 6 points
18. Esteban Ocon - 5 points
19. Franco Colapinto - 4 points
20. Zhou Guanyu - 0 points
21. Logan Sargeant - 0 points
22. Valtteri Bottas - 0 points
F1 makes shock fastest lap rule change for 2025 season
21:40 , Kieran Jackson
The FIA, F1’s governing body, have decided to remove the bonus point available for setting the fastest lap for the 2025 season onwards.
The extra point, given to the driver who sets the fastest lap in Sunday’s grand prix (if he finishes in the top-10), was introduced in 2019.
It often results in drivers pitting late in the race for an extra point, particularly if it doesn’t impact their position in the top-10.
Full story below:
F1 makes shock fastest lap rule change for 2025 season
What is a sprint race in F1 and how does qualifying shootout work?
21:23 , Kieran Jackson
The sprint format continues in Formula 1 this weekend as the US Grand Prix hosts the fourth sprint weekend of the 2024 season.
The sprint was first introduced in 2021 at Silverstone as a way of making more sessions over the course of the weekend competitive, with the target of driving interest in F1. In 2021 and 2022, there were three sprints a year.
2023 saw a new format. The number of sprint races were doubled to six, while Saturday was designed ‘sprint day’ - with a new “sprint shootout” qualifying session determining the grid for the sprint race. In addition, the result of the sprint race had no baring on the grand prix on Sunday.
However, the format has been tweaked again in 2024 and we will see it in action for the fourth time this weekend at the Circuit of the Americas:
What is a sprint race in F1 and how does qualifying work?
Sebastian Vettel announces racing return in ‘super team’ alongside axed F1 star
21:08 , Kieran Jackson
Sebastian Vettel will return to racing next year at the 2025 Race of Champions in Sydney, teaming up with compatriot and friend Mick Schumacher.
Four-time F1 world champion Vettel retired in 2022 after 16 seasons in the sport, where he raced for the likes of Red Bull, Ferrari and Aston Martin.
Yet next March at the Accor Stadium in Sydney, Vettel will form a German ‘super team’ alongside Schumacher – son of seven-time F1 world champion Michael Schumacher – in the ROC Nations Cup.
More below:
Sebastian Vettel announces racing return in ‘super team’ alongside axed F1 star
Constructors’ Championship ahead of the US Grand Prix:
20:52 , Kieran Jackson
1. McLaren - 516 points
2. Red Bull - 475 points
3. Ferrari - 441 points
4. Mercedes - 329 points
5. Aston Martin - 86 points
6. RB - 34 points
7. Haas - 31 points
8. Williams - 16 points
9. Alpine - 13 points
10. Sauber - 0 points
RACE PREVIEW: How Donald Trump and Kamala Harris revealed F1’s true value as US presidential race nears finish line
20:34 , Kieran Jackson
For a sport which struggled for the best part of 70 years to find a home across the Atlantic, Formula One’s presence in the United States has reached unprecedented heights this year. And that’s not just a nod to the three US races, in Miami, Austin and Las Vegas, nor to the boom in popularity stateside – a result of Liberty Media’s 2017 takeover and Netflix’s Drive to Survive fever.
Rather it has been, ahead of the highly charged US presidential election on 5 November, the surprising arena for the two nominees to appear, promote and present themselves in a unique and increasingly attractive way to the electorate.
Full piece below:
How Trump and Harris revealed F1’s true value amid US presidential race
A reminder of the start times this weekend in Austin:
20:15 , Kieran Jackson
All times BST
Friday 18 October
Sprint qualifying: 10:30pm
Saturday 19 October
Sprint race: 7pm
Qualifying: 11pm
Sunday 20 October
Race: 8pm
Red Bull ‘cannot afford’ F1 driver disparity as pressure grows on Sergio Perez
20:03 , Kieran Jackson
Red Bull boss Christian Horner admits his team “need answers” to their driver line-up dilemma as the pressure grows on Sergio Perez.
Mexican driver Perez trails teammate and championship leader Max Verstappen by 187 points after 18 races this year and has not won a grand prix since April 2023.
Perez has a contract with Red Bull until the end of 2025 – with an option to extend for 2026 – but Liam Lawson’s promotion to sister team RB for this weekend’s US Grand Prix indicates that Red Bull are assessing their options ahead of next year.
Having relinquished their spot at the top of the constructors’ standings to McLaren, Red Bull boss Horner acknowledges that his team “can’t afford a big gap” between Verstappen and his team-mate next year.
Full quotes below:
Red Bull ‘cannot afford’ F1 driver disparity as pressure grows on Sergio Perez
FP1 RESULTS IN FULL:
19:48 , Kieran Jackson
F1 US Grand Prix LIVE: Lando Norris only fourth-fastest!
19:33 , Kieran Jackson
Norris’ car, covered in flow-vis paint, can only go fourth-fastest - but it would have been cancelled in qualifying as he went off the track!
Top of the timesheet? Carlos Sainz with a 1:33:602, 0.021 secs quicker than Charles Leclerc - a Ferrari one-two!
Max Verstappen is third, 0.013 secs quicker than Norris in fourth, with Oscar Piastri in fifth.
6-10: Hamilton, Russell, Magnussen, Alonso, Tsunoda
Advantage Ferrari heading into sprint qualifying later!
(Getty Images)
(Getty Images)
F1 US Grand Prix LIVE: Oscar Piastri almost crashes!
19:25 , Kieran Jackson
Piastri went into the pit lane way too hot and had to drastically stay on track to avoid the wall!
At the top, with all the runners now on softs, Carlos Sainz has toppled Max Verstappen for first place - with Fernando Alonso a surprise name in third!
Lando Norris? Yet to set a time on softs. Five minutes to go!
F1 US Grand Prix LIVE: Max Verstappen still P1
19:19 , Kieran Jackson
The championship leader still top with a 1:33:855, 0.783 secs quicker than Sergio Perez in second.
The rest of them? Still not on softs!
3-10: Sainz, Leclerc, Russell, Norris, Alonso, Bottas, Lawson, Tsunoda
10 mins to go!
F1 US Grand Prix LIVE: Red Bull duo kick-off the soft tyre running
19:06 , Kieran Jackson
Max Verstappen storms to the top of the timesheet with a 1:33:855, 0.862 seconds quicker than Carlos Sainz on the hard tyres. Sergio Perez is third on softs, but is not happy.
“The main struggle was the ride in the low speed, I started to bounce a lot more.”
4-10: Leclerc, Russell, Norris, Alonso, Bottas, Lawson, Tsunoda
McLaren, incidentally, have brought seven upgrades to this race!
F1 US Grand Prix LIVE: Charles Leclerc leads after 20 minutes!
18:56 , Kieran Jackson
It’s Ferrari one-two early on on the hard tyres, with Charles Leclerc’s time of 1:34:966 setting the pace at the top - 0.265 secs quicker than teammate Carlos Sainz.
George Russell is third, four-tenths down, with Max Verstappen fourth and Lando Norris in fifth.
6-10: Bottas, Lawson, Perez, Tsunoda, Piastri
(Getty Images)
F1 US Grand Prix LIVE: Lewis Hamilton spins!
18:46 , Kieran Jackson
High-speed spin in sector one for Lewis Hamilton, but he keeps it out of the barrier by nothing more than pure luck!
“You’ll have to check those damn tyres, and the floor.”
Interesting session so far this, a lot of drivers struggling with grip on this resurfaced track!
F1 US Grand Prix LIVE: Gasly spins at turn 1!
18:43 , Kieran Jackson
Pierre Gasly - in the ORANGE Alpine this weekend - has a spin at turn one!
“Just lost it on braking.”
All the cars on hard tyres to start with...
F1 US Grand Prix LIVE: Verstappen and Colapinto almost collide!
18:36 , Kieran Jackson
Verstappen has to bail out late to stop a collision with Colapinto!
Did the Argentine not see him?
Verstappen’s engineer, GP: “There you go, you know what the state of play is this weekend.”
F1 US Grand Prix LIVE: First practice underway!
18:31 , Kieran Jackson
Here we go with first practice then, at the resurfaced Circuit of the Americas!
A clear day in Austin, if not scorching hot - there’s a slight chill in the air in Texas!
Liam Lawson among the first cars out on track - as they practically all get out there straight away!
F1 US Grand Prix LIVE: FP1 coming right up!
18:27 , Kieran Jackson
So we’ve been away for four weeks - but it’s go time again for F1 in 2024!
Six races, three sprints, and one championship battle remain! So let’s kick-off the US Grand Prix weekend.
It’s a big session for the drivers - including the returning Liam Lawson - who only have one practice session this weekend to get up to speed with the track!
(Getty Images)
SPRINT WEEKEND FORMAT
18:23 , Kieran Jackson
Friday: Free Practice 1; sprint qualifying (for Saturday’s sprint race)
Saturday: Sprint race (Top-eight receive points, finish order has no impact on grand prix grid); Grand Prix qualifying
Sunday: Grand Prix
How many points are on offer in the sprint race?
P1 - Eight points
P2 - Seven points
P3 - Six points
P4 - Five points
P5 - four points
P6 - three points
P7 - two points
P8 - one point
A reminder of the start times this weekend in Austin:
18:15 , Kieran Jackson
All times BST
Friday 18 October
Free practice 1: 6:30pm
Sprint qualifying: 10:30pm
Saturday 19 October
Sprint race: 7pm
Qualifying: 11pm
Sunday 20 October
Race: 8pm
Lewis Hamilton and F1 are desperate for Africa return – but these obstacles must be overcome
18:11 , Kieran Jackson
Formula One wants to return. Lewis Hamilton insists F1 cannot continue to ignore it. But after 31 years away, the sport still can’t thrash out a route back into the only viable continent (sorry Antarctica) it fails to race in: Africa.
It was 1993 the last time the “Mother Continent” hosted an F1 grand prix. That was at Kyalami, 20 miles north of Johannesburg, as Williams driver Alain Prost won the 27th version of the South African Grand Prix.
Rather obviously, it is difficult to claim the full veracity of the competition “Formula 1 World Championship” while a record 24-race calendar does not actually include the entire world and its continents.
But F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has made no secret of his desire to add an African race to the schedule, amid an opening set of talks with Rwandan officials last month.
However, is Rwanda the only option? South Africa has come close in recent years, too. And what are the major obstacles? The Independent takes a look at all the potential locations F1 could venture to in Africa.
Lewis Hamilton and F1 are desperate for Africa return – but these obstacles remain
What is a sprint race in F1 and how does qualifying shootout work?
18:04 , Kieran Jackson
The sprint format continues in Formula 1 this weekend as the US Grand Prix hosts the fourth sprint weekend of the 2024 season.
The sprint was first introduced in 2021 at Silverstone as a way of making more sessions over the course of the weekend competitive, with the target of driving interest in F1. In 2021 and 2022, there were three sprints a year.
2023 saw a new format. The number of sprint races were doubled to six, while Saturday was designed ‘sprint day’ - with a new “sprint shootout” qualifying session determining the grid for the sprint race. In addition, the result of the sprint race had no baring on the grand prix on Sunday.
However, the format has been tweaked again in 2024 and we will see it in action for the fourth time this weekend at the Circuit of the Americas:
What is a sprint race in F1 and how does qualifying work?
17:56 , Kieran Jackson
Lewis Hamilton has reacted to Red Bull’s controversial device that alters the height of its front bib ahead of the United States Grand Prix this weekend.
“I’ve only just heard about it before I got here,” he told Sky Sports. “But I think the name of our sport is all about innovation. Red Bull have been the leaders and they’ve innovated.
“Ultimately all the teams look at the rules and try to find how to massage those rules and get the most out of it, even if it’s just over the edge a little bit. You just need to continue to evolve and be better policed.”
(Getty Images)
Max Verstappen vs Lando Norris: predicting who will win the last six F1 races – and the 2024 title
17:47 , Kieran Jackson
This was just a bit of fun... so don’t take it too seriously!
Max Verstappen vs Lando Norris: predicting who will win the 2024 F1 title
No more Daniel Ricciardo!
17:40 , Kieran Jackson
Ricciardo was dropped after the last race in Singapore in favour of Liam Lawson!
Here you can look back on his F1 career, which is now likely to be at an end...
Sebastian Vettel announces racing return in ‘super team’ alongside axed F1 star
17:29 , Kieran Jackson
Sebastian Vettel will return to racing next year at the 2025 Race of Champions in Sydney, teaming up with compatriot and friend Mick Schumacher.
Four-time F1 world champion Vettel retired in 2022 after 16 seasons in the sport, where he raced for the likes of Red Bull, Ferrari and Aston Martin.
Yet next March at the Accor Stadium in Sydney, Vettel will form a German ‘super team’ alongside Schumacher – son of seven-time F1 world champion Michael Schumacher – in the ROC Nations Cup.
More below:
Sebastian Vettel announces racing return in ‘super team’ alongside axed F1 star
Constructors’ Championship ahead of the US Grand Prix
17:22 , Kieran Jackson
1. McLaren - 516 points
2. Red Bull - 475 points
3. Ferrari - 441 points
4. Mercedes - 329 points
5. Aston Martin - 86 points
6. RB - 34 points
7. Haas - 31 points
8. Williams - 16 points
9. Alpine - 13 points
10. Sauber - 0 points
RACE PREVIEW: How Donald Trump and Kamala Harris revealed F1’s true value as US presidential race nears finish line
17:12 , Kieran Jackson
For a sport which struggled for the best part of 70 years to find a home across the Atlantic, Formula One’s presence in the United States has reached unprecedented heights this year. And that’s not just a nod to the three US races, in Miami, Austin and Las Vegas, nor to the boom in popularity stateside – a result of Liberty Media’s 2017 takeover and Netflix’s Drive to Survive fever.
Rather it has been, ahead of the highly charged US presidential election on 5 November, the surprising arena for the two nominees to appear, promote and present themselves in a unique and increasingly attractive way to the electorate.
Full piece below:
How Trump and Harris revealed F1’s true value amid US presidential race
What’s the state of play in the drivers’ championship?
17:05 , Kieran Jackson
1. Max Verstappen - 331 points
2. Lando Norris - 279 points
3. Charles Leclerc - 245 points
4. Oscar Piastri - 237 points
5. Carlos Sainz - 190 points
6. Lewis Hamilton - 174 points
7. George Russell - 155 points
8. Sergio Perez - 144 points
9. Fernando Alonso - 62 points
10. Nico Hulkenberg - 24 points
11. Lance Stroll - 24 points
12. Yuki Tsunoda - 22 points
13. Alex Albon - 12 points
14. Daniel Ricciardo - 12 points
15. Pierre Gasly - 8 points
16. Ollie Bearman - 7 points
17. Kevin Magnussen - 6 points
18. Esteban Ocon - 5 points
19. Franco Colapinto - 4 points
20. Zhou Guanyu - 0 points
21. Logan Sargeant - 0 points
22. Valtteri Bottas - 0 points
F1 US Grand Prix LIVE: What are the timings this weekend in Austin?
17:01 , Kieran Jackson
All times BST
Friday 18 October
Free practice 1: 6:30pm
Sprint qualifying: 10:30pm
Saturday 19 October
Sprint race: 7pm
Qualifying: 11pm
Sunday 20 October
Race: 8pm
F1 US Grand Prix LIVE: Welcome back!
16:59 , Kieran Jackson
Good afternoon and welcome to live coverage of the US Grand Prix as F1 returns this weekend in Austin!
Lando Norris won last time out in Singapore to cut Max Verstappen’s lead in the drivers’ championship to 52 points with six rounds to go.
Oscar Piastri, Norris’ teammate at McLaren, finished third in the city-state while the Mercedes duo of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell will be looking to finish their time together on a high before Hamilton heads to Ferrari next year.
It’s a sprint weekend this time around, meaning we will have just one practice session - at 6:30pm BST - today before sprint qualifying at 10:30pm BST!
(Getty Images)
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