F1 – Road to…Austin

The Circus has said goodbye to Russia and flown to the Us in Austin, one of the best Tilke circuit: 5500 technical meters with twenty bends for fifty six laps. It should be more hot than Sochi even if it is going to rain on Friday and Saturday.

Pirelli will bring his Soft and Medium tyres, tyre-compunds non-optimal for teams like Ferrari. So we will have a lot of unknowns and unpredictable moments. With the challenge for the title already closed in favor of Hamilton who needs just a second place to prove himself World Champion for the third time, all the attention will be focused on Rosberg and Vettel’s challenge for the second place. For the German driver at Ferrari it would be an unexpected goal, while Rosberg has much to lose towards his team-mate and his team.

If the technical aspect of this grand prix will focus on the struggle between the two standard-bearers at Mercedes and at Ferrari, from a political point of view, the substantial changes proposed by engine suppliers will be the main topic. Having these proposals to be endorsed by the F1 Commission, all the teams will take part in several meetings trying to find the indispensable unanimity. From my personal point of view these proposals are fair because development, growth and research are all part of Constructors’ DNA. Nothing should be done, anyway, at the expense of Customer-teams which deserve equal regard. Only this way they can level performances on track. The soap opera about Red Bull engine continues. I think both RB and TR will stay with Renault because times are too tight to create two different gear-boxes.

Returning to the circuit, we will have seen Raffaello Marciello behind Sauber wheel for the fourth time. I have been stressing the importance for each team of dedicating a car to young drivers for years. “Lello” has came from a complicated GP2 season, I hope he will prove his real worth because he has all what it takes to reach F1.