Four Key Takeaways Of the 2021 United States Grand Prix

This weekend was the 2021 United States Grand Prix, the first F1 race held in the U.S. in two years did not disappoint. The race was exciting, featuring close but clean racing and risky strategy calls. Here are the key takeaways of the United States Grand Prix. 

Circuit of The Americas Does Not Like the French

Circuit of the Americas–the circuit in Austin, Texas where the U.S. Grand Prix is held–was a lot of things this weekend, but it certainly wasn’t kind to the French. Both the French drivers and the French team suffered from bad luck on Sunday. 

The bad luck started for Pierre Gasly even before the lights went out. When his car was on the grid, his team discovered a problem within the car. At first, the problem looked worse than what it was. Fortunately, the problem was just a sensor issue, which was a quick fix, and Gasly started the race without any problems. 

During the race Gasly’s luck got worse. His car had suspension damage, which was likely caused by the bumps on the circuit. This damage got worse and worse every lap until the suspension failed and Gasly was forced to retire on Lap 15. 

Esteban Ocon’s bad luck started early in the race. On Lap One, he made contact with Antonio Giovinazzi and sustained damage to his front wing. This damage forced Ocon to pit on Lap 3 for a new front wing. From then on, Ocon’s race was compromised, and he was stuck in the back of the field. 

Ocon’s bad luck didn’t end there. On Lap 42, Ocon was told that they were going to retire his car and he needed to come into the pits. The team didn’t specifically tell Ocon why they decided to retire. They just cited an issue at the rear of the car as the reason for the retirement. This retirement was a double whammy because Ocon races for Alpine, a French team.

After Ocon retired on Lap 42, it looked like only the French drivers fell victim to bad luck at the United States Grand Prix. Then, on Lap 49, disaster struck for Alpine again. Fernando Alonso, Ocon’s teammate, also had to retire his car after sustaining a broken rear wing. 

Pierre Gasly, Esteban Ocon, and Alpine suffered from terrible luck on Sunday. This year’s United States Grand Prix was certainly a race to forget for the French. 

The Title Battle Might Come Down to Strategy

The United States Grand Prix was another reminder of just how close the title battle is. With Mercedes and Red Bull being very similar in terms of pace this year, and with Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen both performing extremely well and giving it their all, the title battle looks like it might come to luck in the end. 

Or, realistically, the title fight might come down to strategy. Strategy is always important in Formula One, where one strategy decision can make or break a driver’s entire race. In a title battle as close as this one, strategy plays an even bigger role. With only five races left and 12 points separating leader Max Verstappen from Lewis Hamilton, strategy may be a deciding factor in the championship. 

Strategy has already been important in the championship battle. For example, at the Spanish Grand Prix, a successful undercut by Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes gave Hamilton the win over Verstappen. This also happened this weekend at Circuit of the Americas. Red Bull and Verstappen pitted early to try to undercut Mercedes and Hamilton. This was a gamble because it meant that Hamilton would be on fresher tires at the end of the race and could possibly catch Verstappen. The gamble paid off, and Verstappen held off Hamilton to win the 2021 United States Grand Prix. 

In a championship battle where every point matters, strategy is extremely important. It’s possible that the championship might come down to who has the better strategy in the final races of the season. 

Sergio Perez is a Strong Driver 

This takeaway might already be known, but it was certainly emphasized at the 2021 United States Grand Prix. Perez has struggled slightly this season, but that almost always happens when a driver moves to a new team. Perez has handled this move to Red Bull well, and he has delivered some really good results this season. 

At the United States Grand Prix, Perez performed extremely well. He almost took pole position in qualifying, and he ultimately qualified P3. In the race, Perez drove a clean race and kept his position, finishing in third place.

But the race wasn’t as easy as it might have seemed for Perez. Sunday morning, Perez already wasn’t feeling well. Then, there was an issue with his drink system, and by the end of the first lap, Perez had no drink left. He completed the entire race without anything to drink, and it was a warm day in Texas. After the race, Perez said that he began to feel weak around the halfway point, losing some feeling in his hands and legs and his vision blurring.

With all of this going on, it’s impressive that Perez even finished the race. The fact that Perez finished on the podium in third is truly a testament to how strong of a drive he is.

The Ferrari-McLaren Battle is Going to Be Closer We Thought

The battle for third in the Constructors Championship between Ferrari and McLaren has always been close this season, but at the beginning of the season, it looked like McLaren might have the upper hand. Then Ferrari started having some great results, and the battle was well and truly on. McLaren was stronger on some circuits; Ferrari was stronger on others. 

Ferrari recently introduced a power unit upgrade in Russia, which has made the battle between the two teams even closer. At the Russian Grand Prix and the Turkish Grand Prix, the upgrade seemed promising, but it was difficult to tell just how good the upgrade was because one Ferrari had a grid penalty at both races. 

At the United States Grand Prix, the power unit upgrade definitely proved its worth. Charles Leclerc qualified P4, and after an uneventful race, Leclerc also finished in fourth. Carlos Sainz qualified P6. In the race, Sainz found himself battling with the McLarens, and Sainz and Daniel Ricciardo battled throughout the race. Sainz ultimately finished P7. 

McLaren are currently in third in the Constructors Championship, but Ferrari are only 3.5 points behind them. So, the fight for “best of the rest” is going to come down to the final races. Both teams have a good chance at getting third in the championship, but if Ferrari’s upgrade continues to be useful, they might just have the upper hand. 

The 2021 United States Grand Prix was an interesting race, and there was a lot to take away from it. One of the biggest takeaways from the U.S Grand Prix is that the end of the season is going to be filled with excitement, and the final five races of the season are going to be worth watching. 

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