![]() “Miami I think will be the hottest ticket in Formula One next year,” Brown said. ![]() It’s driven a younger fanbase, it’s driven a much larger fanbase, it’s really had an impact in America.”Įven before the circus pitches its tent in southern Florida next May, the growing buzz is inspiring talk that the US should be rewarded with a third race before long. Zak Brown, the McLaren chief executive, said: “Netflix has been outstanding for Formula One. While Verstappen is no fan – he described some of the rivalry narratives as “faked” – the series premiered in 2019 and a fourth season is planned to stream in 2022, when Miami is set to join Austin on the calendar. Leading figures, including Hamilton, also believe that the popularity of the Netflix documentary, Formula 1: Drive to Survive, has helped sell the sport in the US. That can partly be ascribed to pent-up enthusiasm after the two-year wait. Photograph: Darron Cummings/ReutersĪ sold-out crowd of 360,000 is expected over the three-day weekend. Max Verstappen races past grandstands containing plenty of his orange-clad supporters. “Have fun, give it everything as you would expect.” A scrap for the lead seems in store from the start, which may once again make the atmosphere less cordial, though Hamilton added: “I don’t think it’s all decided on turn one.” The 24-year-old was in a much better mood when talking with his team over the radio after Saturday’s session. ![]() The vulgar vignette was a sign of the intensity of the battle. Verstappen called Hamilton a “stupid idiot” and extended a middle finger at his rival after the pair almost touched wheels during Friday’s practice. Relations between the title contenders are also less than smooth. Several drivers have noted the track’s bumpiness. The event was not held in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic.Ĭonditions were not easy, with a track temperature of 37C and the surface uneven. The circuit on the outskirts of Austin is typically a happy hunting ground for Mercedes Hamilton has won five of the eight F1 races at the track, his most recent victory coming in 2017. “We are on the front row and everyone’s expecting a great race, and that’s what we expect as drivers,” Verstappen said after securing pole position. Hamilton finished second in 2019 – and secured his sixth world title – after qualifying in fifth. Qualifying in the top two is auspicious: for all the overtaking opportunities on a track known for its long straights as well as a variety of corners, only a driver starting on the front row has ever won here. The Dutchman, yet to win a world title, is six points ahead of Hamilton, who has seven championships, with six races remaining. His teammate, Sergio Pérez, qualified in third place. Verstappen sounded cautiously optimistic after claiming his ninth pole position of the season, saying he thinks his Red Bull team are moving in the right direction, even if “I wasn’t very happy yesterday and I wasn’t entirely happy today”. “Part of it’s probably the heat on the tyres which I’m sure is affecting everyone, but yeah, it’s been a challenge.” The River of Dreams / with Tush (ZZ Top cover)ġ9.“It started off good, felt pretty good through, then kind of bit by bit they’ve got faster and I don’t know if we’ve got slower, but yeah, it’s been a real struggle compared to normal here,” Hamilton said. Billy Joel's setlist at COTA in Austinġ2. A short fireworks display closed things out, with race fans set to return for the big event on Sunday (followed by a Kool & the Gang concert). He'd played for less than an hour and a half when the main set ended, but he returned quickly for a five-song encore that included chart-topping smashes "We Didn't Start the Fire" and "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me" as well as memorable hits "Uptown Girl," "Big Shot" and "You May Be Right" (the latter sprinkled with a few bars of Led Zeppelin's "Rock and Roll," again with DelGuidice on lead vocals). For my money, though, the concert's peak was the previous number, the epic "Scenes From an Italian Restaurant" off Joel's 1977 breakthrough album "The Stranger." Its masterful story arc and suite-like arrangement revealed Joel's ability to be much more than just a three-minute hit-machine. The obvious main-set closer was Joel's signature tune and first hit, 1973's "Piano Man," and the crowd chimed in loudly when he let them sing the final chorus by themselves.
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