F1 News
Horner: Mercedes had "straight-line speeds that were eye-watering"
One of the most interesting parts of the second free practice session for the 2021 United States Grand Prix came when Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen had a 'mini race' on the circuit. The two title rivals wanted to use the same part of the circuit. Hamilton ended up driving by, with the Dutchman giving him the middle finger and calling him a "stupid idiot" over the team radio.
One of those things
The two drivers are locked in a title battle. They've made contact during the British and Italian Grands Prix, but the two managed to avoid any incident in the practice session. Red Bull Racing team boss Christian Horner reviews the situation.
"They were queuing up for a fast lap and Lewis just decided to jump. They have an unwritten rule to take their turns, but Max was pointing out he was first in the queue so just one of those things," Horner told Sky Sports.
Mercedes gains
During the Turkish Grand Prix, Mercedes comfortably had the stronger car for the first time in the entire season. Attention has been focused on the rear suspension and the ride height during the straights. Horner and Red Bull are keeping an eye on this.
"It's [rear suspension] not extreme as what we saw in Istanbul but it's something they are still using. The high-speed corners limit its use a little bit. We don't have an issue with it. It's obviously some straight-line speeds that were eye-watering, with further analysis we're able to understand how they were achieving that at that type of circuit," Horner