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Drivers praise new Circuit of the Americas in Austin

Drivers praise new Circuit of the Americas in Austin

  • Published on 16 Nov 2012 17:33
  • comments 0
  • By: Rob Veenstra
Some of Formula One's leading drivers have praised the layout of the Circuit of the Americas, with Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso describing the track as "spectacular". I really started to enjoy it once I got used to it, which took perhaps a little bit longer than some of the other circuits.

The drivers will get their first taste of track action in Friday's free practice sessions, but even exploratory laps on foot or by bicycle today left the drivers predicting a tough weekend ahead. "The track seems spectacular – very, very nice," said Alonso. "It will be challenging for us drivers and for the engineers as well. I think it will be a good show for everybody and hopefully some good overtaking as well, good opportunities around the track. I think It can be a very good weekend."

HRT driver Pedro de la Rosa echoed Alonso’s statements about the challenges the teams are likely to face at the track. "I've just been doing a lap, just walking around. and it looks fantastic," he said. "It looks a very difficult track, with very big gradient changes and it looks very challenging because in most of the corners the apexes are blind. Let's see tomorrow, but it's one of those tracks that you can say it's going to be difficult and challenging."

Lewis Hamilton, meanwhile, admitted he had taken longer than usual to learn the track layout in simulation work. "It's quite an interesting track", he said. "It's quite difficult to learn initially but it looks fantastic to drive. I really started to enjoy it once I got used to it, which took perhaps a little bit longer than some of the other circuits to learn but it’s going to be very interesting this weekend."

However, Lotus' Kimi Raikkonen typically kept his powder dry, admitting that he had only seen a video of the team’s test driver Jérôme D'Ambrosio doing a demo run at the circuit in a Renault R30 recently. "I've only seen the video from when they did the demo run here, but I haven't seen the circuit itself. I will see how it goes", he said.
F1 News Fernando Alonso Lewis Hamilton Ferrari Renault Lotus F1 HRT

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Team
Points
1
Red Bull Racing
597
2
Mercedes
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Ferrari
265
4
Aston Martin
217
5
McLaren
139
6
Alpine F1
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Williams
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Formula 1 Calendar - 2023

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
3 - Mar 5
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
17 - Mar 19
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
31 - Apr 2
Australia
Albert Park
28 - Apr 30
Azerbaijan
Baku City Circuit
5 - May 7
United States of America
Miami International Autodrome
19 - May 21
Italy
Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
26 - May 28
Monaco
Monte Carlo
2 - Jun 4
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
16 - Jun 18
Canada
Gilles Villeneuve
30 - Jul 2
Austria
Red Bull Ring
7 - Jul 9
United Kingdom
Silverstone
21 - Jul 23
Hungary
Hungaroring
28 - Jul 30
Belgium
Spa-Francorchamps
25 - Aug 27
Netherlands
Circuit Zandvoort
1 - Sep 3
Italy
Monza
15 - Sep 17
Singapore
Marina Bay Street Circuit
22 - Sep 24
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
6 - Oct 8
Qatar
Losail International Circuit
20 - Oct 22
United States of America
Circuit of the Americas
27 - Oct 29
Mexico
Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
3 - Nov 5
Brazil
Interlagos
17 - Nov 19
United States of America
Las Vegas Street Circuit
24 - Nov 26
United Arab Emirates
Yas Marina Circuit
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Formula 1 Calendar - 2023

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
-
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
3 - Mar 5
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
17 - Mar 19
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
31 - Apr 2
Australia Albert Park
28 - Apr 30
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
5 - May 7
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
19 - May 21
Italy Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
26 - May 28
Monaco Monte Carlo
2 - Jun 4
Spain Circuit de Catalunya
16 - Jun 18
Canada Gilles Villeneuve
30 - Jul 2
Austria Red Bull Ring
7 - Jul 9
United Kingdom Silverstone
21 - Jul 23
Hungary Hungaroring
28 - Jul 30
Belgium Spa-Francorchamps
25 - Aug 27
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
1 - Sep 3
Italy Monza
15 - Sep 17
Singapore Marina Bay Street Circuit
22 - Sep 24
Japan Circuit Suzuka
6 - Oct 8
Qatar Losail International Circuit
20 - Oct 22
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
27 - Oct 29
Mexico Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
3 - Nov 5
Brazil Interlagos
17 - Nov 19
United States of America Las Vegas Street Circuit
24 - Nov 26
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
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Driver profile

ES Fernando Alonso 14
  • Team Aston Martin
  • Points 466
  • Podiums 8
  • Grand Prix 137
  • Country ES
  • Date of b. Jul 29 1981 (42)
  • Place of b. Oviedo, ES
  • Weight 68 kg
  • Length 1.71 m
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Ferrari
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