F1 | USA GP, THE POINT BY GIAN CARLO MINARDI “ANTONELLI PERFECT. POLE, THE WIN AND JUST SHORT OF THE TITLE. A SEASON BEYOND ALL EXPECTATIONS”

Pole position and the win for Kimi Antonelli at Austin, he was the star of the perfect weekend. The Mercedes driver completed his masterpiece with a strategy that was very different from that chosen by his direct rivals, demonstrating his great maturity once again. The management of the race by the Mercedes Team was also impeccable.

This has been a fantastic season for Italian motorsport and is exceeding every expectation. Antonelli is proving all his worth and is giving us great satisfaction. The celebration of the world title has been postponed to Mexico. Here Hamilton and Russell kept the championship alive by remaining just within the points needed for Antonelli to win the World Championship mathematically. Russell, however, did not finish higher than eighth place. For his part, with a few exceptions, he has struggled to keep up with his teammate for much of the season. Antonelli was better at adapting to the new regulations, confirming that he is a fantastic and extraordinary driver in every respect. Russell found himself up against a very strong teammate who can deliver an exceptional level of performance.

We saw a good Grand Prix characterized by different strategies employed by the drivers and teams, which made the race thrilling. Charles Leclerc’s second place for Ferrari was also excellent; he managed to get involved in the battle at the front and to finish ahead of Max Verstappen who came third after having adopted a strategy different to the winner’s.

Ferrari is improving and I hope that it can continue along this path even in the Grands Prix that remain, even though Mercedes still seems to have an edge in terms of performance. Nevertheless, Leclerc’s result is positive and confirms the team’s progress. It will be important to continue along this path to try and close the gap on their rivals in the final races of the season.

Finally, we must also highlight the point taken by Racing Bulls thanks to Liam Lawson’s ninth place. The team is gaining ground on Alpine that finished tenth with Pierre Gasly and has consolidated its fifth place on the Constructors’ ladder.

See you next week in seven days in Mexico.

Gian Carlo Minardi