Classic F1 races to watch: COTA edition

Ben McCarthy

Classic F1 races to watch: COTA edition image

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Formula 1 has exploded into life in the United States, in recent years, but its relationship with the country is embroiled in history and division. 

The sport has ventured to many of its tracks and have seen incredible races, but which races at the Circuit Of The Americas have stood out?

Here are three of them, which you can watch on the F1TV app. 

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2012

The sport returned to the United States for the first time in half a decade, in 2012, and saw an instantly engrossing tussle between Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton. 

At this race, Vettel could have clinched his third straight drivers' championship title had he outscored rival Fernando Alonso by enough points. But with the Spanish driver finishing third, the battle would conclude in Brazil. 

Despite being passed by Vettel's teammate, Mark Webber, on the first lap; Hamilton re-passed him and caught up with the pole-sitting German. Their battle endured the race, with the McLaren driver utilising DRS to down Vettel and win for the final time for the Woking-based team. 

2018

In this era of Formula 1, it was invariably and realistically, a battle between three teams for grand prix supremacy. But in a race of sky-high tension, all three of them duelled here for it. 

Lewis Hamilton, who had a chance of sealing a fifth world championship, started from pole, but he lost the lead to Kimi Raikkonen going into turn one.

Meanwhile, his title rival Sebastian Vettel spun later in the lap, relegating him down the order and offering Hamilton a chance of clinching the title on this Austin Sunday.

But an early virtual safety car added another complexion. Hamilton pitted and committed to a two-stop strategy, the Ferrari driver stayed out and would only visit the pits once.

Elsewhere, Max Verstappen was storming through the pack, from P18 on the grid, so who would win this epic race? And would Hamilton equal Juan Manuel Fangio's tally of five drivers' championships? 

Find out on the F1TV app. 

2021

Another title battle, this time involving Hamilton and Max Verstappen, and the two would simply breeze away from the rest of the field, as they demonstrated the intensity and sky-high quality of their title battle.

A Verstappen win from pole would extend his lead to 12 points, a Hamilton win would win him back the title lead. 

Hamilton swept past Verstappen entering the first corner, but Verstappen re-passed him during the first round of pit stops. The Dutch driver would remain ahead after their second trip to the pits, but the Mercedes driver was catching up on much younger tyres.

There may have been little wheel-to-wheel racing between the pair, but it was no less gripping. 

Verstappen somehow preserved enough life in his degrading tyres and crossed the line to defeat the Brit by a mere second. 

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Ben McCarthy

Ben McCarthy is a freelance sports journalist, commentator and broadcaster. Having specialised his focus on football and Formula One, he has striven to share and celebrate the successes of both mainstream and local teams and athletes. Thanks to his work at the Colchester Gazette, Hospital Radio Chelmsford, BBC Essex and National League TV, he has established an appreciation for the modern-day rigours of sports journalism and broadcasting.