Austin is his stretch. He is a record winner there and twice became world champion there prematurely. The ideal place to avoid an impending run of zero wins of the season for the first time. Realistic?
Lewis Hamilton has won more than half of the nine Formula 1 races at the Circuit of the Americas. At the last victory so far in 2017, the Formula 1 superstar posed for a show with the former sprint superstar Usain Bolt on the podium.
And this time, too, everything should be to the liking of the US fans: Ed Sheeran appears, among others, the former NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal hangs up, DJ stage name Diesel. Pathos and PS.
The show program is packed. Whether Hamilton can finally start a big gala again is questionable, rather unlikely. At least his Mercedes gets an upgrade package, the last one this year. “It won’t change our destiny drastically, but we hope it will take us a step forward and closer to the top,” said team boss Toto Wolff. Hamilton has to do the rest.
“A place of great memories”
In 2012, the now 37-year-old Briton won the premiere in the Texas music metropolis. Hamilton followed up there in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017. In 2019, second place behind his then team-mate Valtteri Bottas was enough for him to be crowned world champion early in Austin, just like in 2015. Austin and Hamilton – that’s a success story. “A place of great memories and a beautiful city. We always have great spectators and great races here,” enthused the seven-time world champion a year ago.
Even then he had arrived in the rather unfamiliar role of the pursuer. In the race he had to admit defeat to Max Verstappen again. The future and new world champion from the Netherlands is now preparing to break the record wins of the season set by Michael Schumacher (2004) and Sebastian Vettel (2013). The 25-year-old Verstappen has had twelve successes this year, Schumacher succeeded in 2004 in the Ferrari 13, as did Sebastian Vettel in 2013 in the Red Bull.
Verstappen wins through the World Cup like Hamilton once did, while the British threaten a career novelty. Hamilton has never ended a season without a single win since entering the motorsport premier class as the first black man in 2007. He got the first four in the debut year, at that time still for McLaren. After his move to the 2013 season as successor to Michael Schumacher at Mercedes, there was at least one. Hamilton celebrated a total of 103 Grand Prix victories, just as often he was on pole position.
Most unsuccessful Formal 1 year
2022 is Hamilton’s worst and most unsuccessful year by far. But it is neither the aftermath of the highly controversial title decision to his disadvantage a year ago in Abu Dhabi, nor does old age creep in in the fight against the new generation around their new star pilot Verstappen. It’s just the car that’s not enough for the world title this year.
This is one of the reasons why the development race for the next season has long been underway for Mercedes and Hamilton in the remaining races in Austin, Mexico City, São Paulo and Abu Dhabi. And a victory in the last meters of a difficult year 2022 could give another boost. “Slow progress, but progress,” Hamilton posted in an Instagram story before the US race – but with a photo that showed him with his muscular, naked torso. Somehow also an announcement.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
