US GP: Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen’s Austin flash point raises appetite for duel

U.S. GP qualifiers live on Sky Sports F1, Main Event and Sky Showcase at 10 pmwith an extended structure with special Competitors show starting at 8.30pm by watching the Hamilton vs Verstappen match so far; Mercedes and Red Bull each exceeded one Friday’s practice

Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen will continue direct competition on Saturday night in a battle for a U.S. pole position.

Since I came across for the second time this season in the Italian GP last month, the direct duel between the main characters of the championship at the front of the field had actually been interrupted by both grid penalties during the last two races.

But with no penalties for the top two this week – though Valtteri Bottas drops five places at another Mercedes for a new engine change – a battle in the Amerces acrobatic race awaits a qualifier at 10pm tonight as Mercedes and Red Bull crossed one practice session on Friday.

And unusually for a non-competitive Friday, there was even a brief flash point between the title contenders during the opening day with a difference of just six points on the standings table.

Verstappen called Hamilton a “stupid idiot” on the radio after Hamilton passed him at the end of the lap, and the two cars then went tightly from wheel to bike along the track pit directly toward the first corner.

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Championship Max Verstappen ponders Friday’s disappointing practice ahead of US GP

Verstappen, who later interrupted his qualifying simulation after traffic frustration, said of Hamilton’s case: “We were all lined up to go into our arms, so I don’t really understand what happened there.”

Sky F1 expert and 2009 World Champion Jenson Button said: “This has been a fiery day for Max, to be fair.

“In that case [with Hamilton], he didn’t get his lap and then he had traffic on the new tires two laps in a row. I know how it feels, but you control yourself after that. Hopefully the team sits down with him, makes him calm so he can focus on FP3. “

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IndyCar superstar Danica Patrick enjoys racing between Red Bull Max Verstappen and Mercedes Lewis Hamilton this season

When are the US GP Qualifiers? Sky F1 shows up on Saturday

18.45: Practice three live (session starts at 7 p.m.)

20.30: Special Building Show, Rivals: Hamilton vs Verstappen

9 a.m.: Qualifying live-live

22.00: US GP qualifiers live

The exercise refers to a closer battle between Mercedes vs Red Bull

The protagonists ’brief flash point aside, the exercise showed interestingly that the battle between Mercedes and Red Bull may well be closer than last time in Turkey, as this struggled against the straightforward speed of its competitors and at the overall car level.

It didn’t look like Mercedes had a big advantage in nine-tenths of a second in the opening practice, but Red Bull was officially faster in the second practice. Lewis Hamilton sent the fastest round of the session before it was removed from the track’s boundaries, but still, compared to his beneficiary, Sergio Perez, it was only a tenth of a second.

“This has been a good day, but there is still work to be done,” Hamilton said.

“FP1 was a really good session; made some changes and wasn’t happy in P2. Still not that bad pace, but I think we lost some land to everyone or they got power, so we have a task, as always.”

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Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton was not most pleased with his FP2 pace before the US GP

Bottas reported that he had at least used the second exercise by focusing on the pace of the race, as the penalty means he will start no later than the sixth Sunday.

“There’s still a lot to do with the lineup,” said the Finnish, winner of F1’s previous visit to Texas two years ago. “It’s not easy to drive at all and it’s like in some places this track has lost quite a bit of traction, then the balance is inconsistent.”

The frustration of Verstappen’s traffic meant he ended up in an unrepresentative eighth. But he still felt that his Friday was useful.

“Overall, it’s not easy there,” said the six-point champion. “The track is pretty bumpy and finding the right compromise with the car hasn’t been easy so far.

“But we know a few positive things to look at and keep working on it. It didn’t feel bad in the short term, it was just a mess in traffic.”

Sky F1 Jenson Button’s Merc-Red Bull Qualy Forecast:

“The races were very similar, and I think they’re pretty similar in the qualifiers. Checo [Perez] made a great round; Lewis was faster, but his lap wasn’t allowed because he ran away on turn 19, and we don’t know what Max could have done.

“I think those four in front, two Mercedes and two Red Bulls, are fighting it out of the pole position, what we all want.”