Formula 1 started the 21st century with its United States Grand Prix home being one of the most famous tracks in all of racing, Indianapolis Motor Speedway. From 2000 all the way until 2007, it hosted the nation's grand prix but not on the two and a half mile-long oval.
The track was slow and technical beyond the banked turn and start/finish straight, as it cut through the famous oval. That is not to say that it was a bad track, it hosted fascinating races held in changeable conditions, but it had a big mark against it and one of the most infamous races of the 21st century.
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2005 United States Grand Prix
Of the 20 cars in the field, only six started the race and all of them were running the Bridgestone tyres.
Why? The Michelin runners, making up the majority of the field, did not have guaranteed safety that their tyres would last, in a year in which changing tyres was prohibited under normal racing conditions.
On the Friday, both Michelin-running Toyota cars suffered punctures, with one of them occurring at the ultra-fast, flat-out turn 13.
As the weekend wore on, plans were suggested to ensure that the 14 cars running the French manufacturer's tyres could safely race but no agreement could be reached. It was embarrassing for the sport, ugly for its relationship with the United States and within three years, the sport would not return.
The age of COTA
But half a decade later, in 2012, the Circuit Of The Americas was born and hosted its first-ever world championship round. Located in Austin, Texas; it has long and winding turns, but also slow and technical ones; it has been inspired by popular, if not legendary turns, from across the globe and has excelled in the racing that it has produced.
Its star drivers
In the first six editions of this race, at this track, Lewis Hamilton won five of them. Although he only started on pole twice during this period. his savvy race-craft and maturity has helped him to as many race victories as he has enjoyed on the Texas tarmac.
His triumph in 2012 was his last for McLaren and his win in 2016 was his 50th in the sport. He is also the only driver to have won the drivers' championship at this circuit and he has done it twice: in 2015 and '19.
Yee-haw! 🤠
— Formula 1 (@F1) October 17, 2024
Lewis Hamilton soars past Sebastian Vettel on his way to a first win in Austin 🏆🇺🇸#F1 #USGP pic.twitter.com/jGTF8lFVgr
In fact, only on three occasions has Hamilton not finished on the grand prix podium at COTA. He was fourth in 2013; disqualified a decade later, after finishing second on the road, and spun out of last year's race.
Max Verstappen has also been a standout driver at this circuit and has impressed here ever since his first visit in 2015.
On that day, in changeable conditions, he finished fourth in a Toro Rosso, equalling his best ever grand prix result at that point.
In 2017, he went from P16 to P3, after a thrilling overtake on Kimi Raikkonen on the final lap, before he was demoted a place after the stewards adjudged the overtake to have happened outside of the track limits.
But in 2018, he stood on the podium and fended off a fast-charging Lewis Hamilton after starting from P18.
On that day, Raikkonen scored his first victory in 114 races and his last in the sport.
Back to Verstappen, who then triumphed spectacularly in 2021, '22 and '23. In the former, he held off Lewis Hamilton on degrading tyres, he then launched defiant comeback drives with his next two US GP wins, following a slow pit stop in '22 and a P6 start in '23.
The other COTA winners
Sebastian Vettel earned his only US win in 2013, which came during his nine-race winning streak, while Valtteri Bottas earned his sole American win in 2019.
Charles Leclerc is one of two Ferrari drivers, the other is the aforementioned Raikkonen, to stand on the top step of the podium here, after he went from P4 to P1 on the first lap of the 2024 race.
The first lap
With the inside line having enough grip, drivers who have started from P2 have normally launched attacks for the lead on the first lap, into the uphill turn one.
In fact, no US GP polesitter has led after the first turn this decade (excluding sprints).
That is just a microcosm of the drama that we can expect in 2025.
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