The Alfa Romeo name will return to a North American racetrack later today when the action gets underway for Sauber's Charles Leclerc and Marcus Ericsson in Austin, Texas with the Friday Free Practice sessions ahead of this Sunday's United States Grand Prix.
A challenging track awaits Ericsson and Leclerc, with a combination of different corner types as well as a kilometre-long high-speed straight challenging the drivers to put in perfect laps.
The US Grand Prix is one of the favourites on the Formula One calendar for the drivers as it guarantees entertainment not only on-track, but also offers numerous activities and events around the circuit, as well as a unique atmosphere in the city of Austin.
The Circuit of The Americas has more fast corners than Spa-Francorchamps and more slow corners than the Hungaroring, the combination of which makes the track a very complex engineering challenge. The highest point on the lap is T1, which has a steep uphill approach and a blind entry.
Sector one is characterised by five fast sweeping corners. Sector two contains a one kilometre straight. Sector three has a mix of slow corners and a multi-apex right-hander through which the drivers are exposed to forces of 4G for a period of five seconds.
Marcus Ericsson
“Austin is one of the best race locations each season. The city itself has a lot to offer, and the track as well as the atmosphere around it are always great. It is a challenging circuit. The first sector reminds me a bit of Suzuka, with very high-speed parts to it. There are some good opportunities for overtaking, and the mix of the track’s characteristics make it an interesting one to drive. With the good pace we have shown over the past few weeks, we should be able to fight for good results, and I look forward to seeing what we will be able to achieve there.”
Charles Leclerc
“The United States Grand Prix will be an exciting one. I like the circuit very much, and have driven some free practice sessions there in the past. It would be interesting to discover the track in dry conditions, as I have only ever driven there in the wet. Going to Austin is always something special, and the ambience at the track it will surely make for an exciting race weekend.”
Photos: Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team - 2018 FIA F1 World Championship
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