F1 LIVE | Qualifying for the 2021 United States GP
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Qualifying for the United States Grand Prix starts at 22:00 UK time. Will Mercedes be the fastest team on track or will it be Red Bull Racing? Follow all the action in the liveblog of GPblog!
LIVEBLOG: Qualifying for the 2021 United States GP
Mercedes have always been strong at the track in Austin, but with the close title fight this year, Red Bull can't be forgotten either. Valtteri Bottas will receive a five-place grid penalty on Sunday after changing his combustion engine, so the Finn will be doing his best to get the maximum result in qualifying.
During Friday's practice sessions, the two competitors alternated. In FP1 Mercedes was still the fastest team, but in FP2 it was Red Bull with Sergio Perez. The gap between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton is only six points. With only a few races left in the season every point is important, so both men will do everything they can to win this weekend.
The battle between Ferrari and McLaren is also still in full swing. In FP2 Ferrari could not find the speed that McLaren clearly had, as the team finished second and fifth in the second practice session.
Previously in the United States Grand Prix
The United States Grand Prix restarted in the 2012 season after a five-year layoff. The fixture has been on the calendar every season since then, apart from the 2020 edition which was cancelled as a result of COVID-19. When the event returned in 2012, the venue changed. F1 used to visit Indianapolis where the famous Indy500 takes place every year. But in 2012, a deal was struck with the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. Lewis Hamilton has won the United States Grand Prix six times. His first win came in his debut season for McLaren in 2007. Aryton Senna and Michael Schumacher are both tied on five wins each. All of Schumacher's wins came at Indianapolis, whereas all of Senna's wins came at previous venues in Phoenix and Detriot. Most of the United States Grands Prix were held at Watkins Glen International Circuit (15 occasions) but the last F1 race took place there in 1975 when Niki Lauda took home the winners trophy. Just four drivers on the current grid have won races in America. Hamilton is joined by Kimi Raikkonen, Sebastian Vettel and Valtteri Bottas. In terms of the constructors, Lotus have won the most times with 10 victories. Ferrari sit second on eight wins.