Race Pace US GP:

Performance:
🔵RB>🟢Merc>🟠McL>🔴Ferrari>>🟢AM>🔵Alpine

Aston's upgrades DID work it seems: first time that STR (updated car) was quicker than ALO (old car)
Stroll had a lower average fuel load (he did 9 laps more): that amount to less than 0.3s/lap though!

HAM was as quick as VER, on average: max was managing his pace at the end, but he would have had to fight for the win if not for Mercedes' errors concerning strategy and pit execution!

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Mercedes was fastest on the Medium tyres!🔥

⬜️Performance on Hards
RB>McLaren=Ferrari>Mercedes>>Aston

🟨Performance on Mediums
Mercedes(!)>RB>McL>Ferrari=Aston

Ferrari's pace would have looked better had LEC done 2 stops⏱
Worst wear: McL on Hards, Ferrari on Mediums.

Top Speeds per Lap at the US GP:

💡Aston's update might have cut their drag: STR reached 337km/h (the highest speed in the race), 3km/h more than Alonso (who was running the older package)

His top speed without DRS was 3km/h higher, too: 309 vs 306km/h

Mercedes was draggy but quick!👌

Average Time in Pits

🟠McL was fastest, and🔴Ferrari was just 0.05s behind: Ferrari's problem was pit strategy, not execution

🟢Mercedes' pits required reasonable time on average, but Hamilton's stops were slower than Russell's and cost him crucial time!

Gap to VER!

🟢Stroll's pace was VERY competitive: as quick as Leclerc in his 2nd stint despite pitting 3 laps earlier. He recovered over Verstappen in his last stint! Promising

🔴LEC was losing massively once others pitted📉

🔵VER managed his gap to HAM perfectly👌

Verstappen used a different type of brake pads which deteriorated quicker than expected.

In the last few laps, he had balance problems as the brake bias changed unpredictably.

He had to sacrifice his braking performance to ensure that he didn’t lock any axle.

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Tyre Strategies at the US GP:

LEC extended his first stint the most: 23 laps on a full tank, on Mediums!

Zhou, instead, pitted after just 9 laps.

Albon got into the points despite being the only driver who used two used sets, which probably impacted his pace a bit.

LapTimes - Colour indicates the stint

Mercedes was the fastest on low fuel!
Mexico's low air density should suit their high-downforce, higher-drag car, but how much did the too-low floor improve pace?🤔

The two Mercedes also had slightly fresher tyres compared to most other competitors in their 3rd stint:
- 17 laps by RUS in the 3rd stint, 18 by HAM
vs
- 19-22 laps by their main competitors, except for STR (16 laps).

Aston's pace looks promising💡

Made via @JMP_software

📈Best starters:
SAI, VER, PIA, ZHO

📉Worst:
GAS, LEC, RUS, BOT

Just 0.3s difference in reaching 200km/h between best and worst, though!

Which tyre compound was best, Medium or Hard?🤔

🟡Medium tyres were more grippy than ⚪️Hards in the first 20 laps

Hards only made sense for very long stints, where their slightly lower wear rate compensated for their inferior all-out performance.

Mexico features the calendar's most severe braking point: from over 350km/h to less than 100km/h!🔥

Brakes dissipate around 3.5 MILLION joules in a single braking, exceeding 4200 horsepower!🤯

RedBull cannot let Max's brakes fail here🚨

Speed out of turn 12

Decreasing fuel➡️higher speeds: from 175-180km/h (high fuel) to over 180km/h! (low fuel)

RedBulls were pretty slow in that segment: they favoured braking and cornering performance in turn 12, sacrificing the exit

Made via @JMP_software

🗒Key notes on #MexicoGP!

Highest altitude (2285m!)➡️20% lower air density➡️Much lower drag and downforce➡️Loaded rear wings despite the long straight!

Ferrari's pace has improved in the second part of the season (for a reason I will explain one of these days!), so I don't expect them to fare terribly here.

Still, their drag advantage will matter less here, and they will take penalties to install new Power Units.

📈High-downforce, high-drag (⚫️Merc)
📉Low-downf, low-drag (🔴Ferrari)

Soft tyres (C3-C5)
Your bet?🤔


📸 @pirellisport

RACE PACE SIMULATIONS - #MexicoGP

⚫️Mercedes should be🔵RedBull's main rival
🟠McL and🔴Ferrari should be close, though!

🟣Alpine is predicted to be 'Best of the Rest'
🟢Aston might suffer unless they ace the setup!

It might be another close race!

( Source: @AlbertFabrega )