The U.S. Grand Prix never disappoints, and this year was no exception! Between high-speed battles on the track and wild entertainment off it, the weekend was full of unforgettable moments. Let’s take a look at some of the best, and unexpected highlights from the Circuit Of The Americas (COTA).
Dallas Cheerleaders Literally Kicked Us Off
While you might not immediately see a connection between the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders and Formula One, the two are linked! Both have Netflix to thank, in part, for their surging popularity. If you’re a fan of the America’s Sweethearts show (as you should be!), then you would’ve seen some of the squad's best-known faces performing an adapted version of their iconic Thunderstruck routine at COTA this weekend. Fans familiar with the dance will be relieved to know that the famous jump split was skipped on the tarmac!
The Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders! image Erich Schlegel-Image from Sports Illustrated
And if the cheerleaders were a little too tame for your taste, there was also a Globe of Death circus performance to start the weekend with a bang—because only in Austin!
Danny Ricciardo Was Sorely Missed
While Liam Lawson impressed in his return to F1, climbing from the back of the grid with a 60-place penalty to finish P9, Daniel Ricciardo’s outlandish antics and infectious energy were definitely missed. His legendary arrival on horseback in 2022 will forever be a key memory for many of us when we think of COTA.
Danny Ricciardo being the legend he is in 2022 - image crash.net
This year there were a smattering of cowboy hats, and a couple of cowboy boots to be found – but the OTT Danny Ric approach was definitely missing!
Ferrari’s 1-2 Punch: Leclerc and Sainz Dominate
Ferrari came into the weekend as the team to watch, and they didn’t disappoint. Charles Leclerc seized an early opportunity to lead, and through strategic tyre management and teamwork, Ferrari locked in a 1-2 finish. This was Ferrari’s sixth 1-2 in a decade, and only the third time Leclerc and Carlos Sainz have achieved it together!
The bigger story? With this result, Ferrari is now just 8 points behind Red Bull in the Constructors’ Championship standings. A potential shake-up is looming!
Charles Leclerc took a storming win, his third win this season - image fia.com
Franco Colapinto - An unexpected eco-warrior?!
It was another strong weekend for Franco Colapinto, who earned a point for Williams. He was so close to grabbing an extra point for the fastest lap, but was edged out by Esteban Ocon, who switched to fresh tyres late in the race and claimed the fastest lap on lap 53. The bonus point may have been out of reach for Ocon in P18, but his strategy denied Williams a crucial extra point in the Constructors Championship. Colapinto later joked that Ocon should’ve “thought of the planet” instead of wasting new tyres! We love an eco-conscious driver!
Penalties Stir Controversy… again!
Ah, penalties—the gift that keeps on giving in Formula 1 drama. We had several this week, and few without debate. George Russell received a five-second penalty for allegedly forcing Valtteri Bottas off the track, a shock penalty but one that didn’t drastically impact his finishing position. The bigger controversy came for Lando Norris, who was penalised for the outcome of a heated on track battle with Max Verstappen. After a fierce back and forth for third between the two, Lando eventually took the position, but key to the controversy, did so whilst both cars were off the track. The resulting penalty from the FIA for “leaving the track and gaining a lasting advantage” dropped him out of podium contention and returned the position to Verstappen.
Toto Wolff weighing in mid-race on George Russell's 5-second penalty - image https://www.reddit.com/r/formula1
The debate over whether the penalties issued were fair continued post-race, with Toto Wolff giving the drama pot a good stir by claiming penalties are being awarded “inconsistently”. The undertone of his comment means I don't think this will be our last discussion on the FIA's leadership...
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