The run-up for the second US race of the season provides few answers: the 2nd free practice session is a tire test. Four teams are testing the offspring. For Schumacher, only race points count and the budget dispute is still open.
Many new faces, a test run for the 2023 season and continued ambiguity in the budget dispute over Red Bull: when returning to the USA, the most burning question in Formula 1 initially remained unanswered. In terms of sport, the training day before the race in Austin on Sunday (9 p.m. CEST/Sky and ntv live ticker) gave little information about the power conditions on the track in view of a Pirelli tire test. Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari set the best time of the day (1:36.810 minutes). The second US race of the year takes place in Texas. In May had been driven in Miami. In 2023 Las Vegas complements the racing calendar.
In the meantime, there was a heated debate in the paddock about the budget dispute - and at the highest level. Red Bull team boss Christian Horner met with FIA President Mohammed bin Sulayem for talks. The FIA boss also exchanged ideas with other team bosses. Red Bull "slightly" exceeded the cost cap of $150 million in 2021. The World Automobile Association decides on possible sanctions. This is said to have already submitted the offer of an agreement to Red Bull. Accordingly, the team should recognize the violation of the rules and thus avoid a harsher penalty.
Meanwhile, world champion Max Verstappen is concentrating on working in the cockpit. Another win would also give Red Bull the Constructors' Championship title. In addition, the Dutchman would equal the record for most wins in a season by Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel (both 13). Verstappen was about three tenths of a second slower than Leclerc with his fastest lap in the first practice session.
Mick Schumacher, who is fighting to stay with the Haas team, has other concerns and needs to excel in the race. Schumacher, who drove solidly in training like Sebastian Vettel (Aston Martin), urgently needs points to stay in the premier class. Most recently, team owner Gene Haas had increased the pressure, and team boss Günther Steiner also lacked a clear commitment to the German.
In the first practice, the enthusiastic US fans had the opportunity to cheer for potential Formula 1 drivers of the future in the already well-filled grandstands. Four teams swapped cockpit staff for a rookie test.
Robert Schwarzman replaced Leclerc, and Alex Palou (McLaren/for Daniel Ricciardo), Theo Pourchaire (Alfa Romeo/Valtteri Bottas) and Logan Sargeant (Williams/Nicholas Latifi) also did laps on the Circuit of the Americas. The youngsters completed their tasks confidently, but did not stand out either. Former Formula 1 driver Antonio Giovinazzi replaced Kevin Magnussen at Haas. The Italian ended up in the gang after a few minutes, the session ended prematurely for him.
The winner of the first training session was Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz, who relegated Verstappen to second place after he had won the world title again. Third place went to record world champion and Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton, who is also the record winner on the circuit with five wins from nine races so far. Vettel finished tenth in the Aston Martin. Schumacher was 15th in the Haas.
The tire test was then on the program in the second practice session. Prototypes for 2023 were tested. The test run was actually supposed to take place in Suzuka, but could not be carried out due to the rainy conditions. The session will be rescheduled in Mexico. For Austin, the test was planned during training.
