F1 2021 - US Grand Prix

Something about this race felt like it marked a real sea-change. For so long, if any non-Mercedes car has been in the lead and a Mercedes was hunting, the result was inevitable. That Mercedes car was going to close and close and then press the go-faster button, cue *yet another* Mercedes win.

This time that didn't happen.

The Mercedes caught up, but couldn't get within DRS range of Verstappen's Red Bull. Now, I'm hoping this means an end to the automatic Mercedes dominance (yes, two very dominant teams is not that much better than just having one dominant team, but it is better).

Would I like the pretty red cars to reach the stage of not being one of the teams that is automatically overtaken by any chasing Mercedes - yes, but right now I am more concerned with them cleanly beating the McLarens and getting third place.

That is being hamstrung by some poor tyre choices. For instance, Sainz jnr having to start on soft tyres.

And also, slow pitstops, which seem to have become a bane again.

Ferrari pit stops be like: #USGP #WTF1 pic.twitter.com/nmcoSuDug2

— lorraine enid (@lorraine_enid2) October 24, 2021

This means the updated diagram contains one red card and one yellow card. The yellow card will be upgraded to red if pitstop performance doesn't improve.

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I am going to give Sainz jnr another off-the-chart cookie for putting up with the nonsense. Also deserving of cookies for putting up with the nonsense is Michael Masi, F1 race director, or "chief cat-herder of the naughty schoolchildren" as the role is also known. Never have I heard someone quite so done with team's whinging as Masi here.

The tension on the track was huge 😮

And it all played out with some gold on the airwaves 🎧

Watch all the team radio best bits from @COTA as Round 17 unfolded 🎬#USGP 🇺🇸 #F1

— Formula 1 (@F1) October 25, 2021