The 2022 United States Grand Prix weekend kicked off with a uniquely structured Free Practice 2 session at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA), where teams juggled crucial preparations for the race with a vital test of Pirelli’s prototype tyres for the upcoming 2023 Formula 1 season. In a session extended by 30 minutes specifically for this purpose, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc ultimately topped the timings, showcasing impressive pace despite the experimental nature of the session. His fastest lap, however, was set on a conventional medium compound, differentiating him from the majority of the field who were diligently gathering data on the experimental rubber.
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The FIA and Pirelli collaborated to utilize this practice session as a critical data-gathering opportunity, making it mandatory for all teams to run the experimental 2023 compounds. This initiative aims to provide Pirelli with comprehensive, real-world performance data under various conditions, essential for refining the final specifications of next year’s tyres. Consequently, the lap times recorded during the bulk of FP2 were largely unrepresentative of the true competitive order or individual car performance, as teams were focused on fulfilling Pirelli’s testing parameters rather than outright speed.
A notable aspect of the session was the reintroduction of five main drivers who had sat out Free Practice 1 to allow junior drivers valuable track time. Among these returning talents were Charles Leclerc, Valtteri Bottas, and Daniel Ricciardo, all of whom impressively secured positions within the top three. They were joined by Kevin Magnussen and Nicholas Latifi, who similarly stepped back into their respective cars after Friday practice drivers had taken the wheel in the earlier session. Their immediate challenge was to get up to speed quickly on a demanding circuit, especially as they would eventually transition to the unknown characteristics of the prototype tyres.
The decision to extend FP2 by 30 minutes, stretching the session to an unprecedented 90 minutes, underscored the significance of the tyre test. Originally scheduled for the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka, the test had to be postponed due to persistent heavy rain, making the United States Grand Prix the ideal alternative. This provided Pirelli with an opportunity to gather crucial data on their hardest compound experimental tyres at COTA, a track known for its challenging high-speed corners and elevation changes, before moving on to test the prototype soft compounds in Mexico the following weekend.
As the session commenced, teams wasted no time sending their cars out, with the majority immediately fitting the experimental Pirelli tyres. However, the five drivers who had missed FP1 – Leclerc, Ricciardo, Bottas, Magnussen, and Latifi – initially adopted a different strategy. To compensate for their missed track time and to quickly recalibrate with their machinery, they opted to run on their actual 2022 race tyre allocations, specifically the medium compound. This allowed them to establish a baseline, find their rhythm, and make initial setup adjustments before being required to switch to the unknown prototype compounds.
It was during this initial phase, on the conventional medium tyres, that Charles Leclerc set the fastest time of the session, clocking an impressive 1’36.810. This placed him seven-tenths of a second ahead of Valtteri Bottas, with Daniel Ricciardo a further tenth behind. Their quick integration back into competitive driving was commendable, especially considering the limited seat time. Meanwhile, the rest of the grid, predominantly on the prototype tyres, embarked on a meticulous program of longer runs. Their objective was not to chase lap times but to gather an extensive array of data for Pirelli, focusing on tyre degradation, thermal management, and overall grip performance as the Texas sun began its slow descent over the Circuit of the Americas.
The experimental tyres presented unique challenges for the drivers. Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, for instance, visibly struggled with the rear stability of his W13. He experienced a sudden snap of oversteer through the tricky penultimate corner of Turn 19, forcing him into a swift and precise correction to maintain control and keep the car on track. Shortly after, McLaren’s Lando Norris encountered a remarkably similar moment at the very same corner, indicating that the prototype compounds had distinct handling characteristics that required careful management and adaptation from the drivers. These incidents underscored the difference in behaviour compared to the familiar 2022 race compounds.
As the session progressed towards its conclusion, the drivers who had started on conventional tyres duly switched over to the 2023 prototypes. They then completed a series of specific run plans mandated by Pirelli, contributing to the broader data collection effort. Expectedly, given the primary focus on testing rather than outright performance, there were no further improvements in lap times from these drivers, nor indeed from the field as a whole. The session concluded without any major incidents, with all teams successfully completing their required test runs and providing Pirelli with a wealth of information vital for the development of next year’s tyre compounds. At the final flag, Charles Leclerc remained at the top of the leaderboard, followed by Valtteri Bottas in second and Daniel Ricciardo in third, solidifying their strong return to the cockpit.
While the outright pace of FP2 might not reflect the true pecking order for the weekend, the session provided invaluable insights for Pirelli and served as a crucial warm-up for the returning drivers. The data collected from these prototype tyres will directly influence the competitive landscape of the 2023 season, making this often-overlooked practice session a cornerstone of future F1 performance. Teams will now turn their attention to Free Practice 3 and qualifying, where the focus will shift entirely back to optimizing their 2022 machinery for ultimate speed on conventional tyres.
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2022 United States Grand Prix Second Practice Result
The final standings of the extended Free Practice 2 session saw a mix of established front-runners and mid-field contenders populate the top positions. While Charles Leclerc, Valtteri Bottas, and Daniel Ricciardo demonstrated strong individual performances, it’s crucial to remember that their leading times were set on conventional 2022 tyres during an early window, contrasting with the majority of the grid who spent the session evaluating experimental 2023 compounds. This distinction means the lower positions on the leaderboard offer less direct insight into the cars’ true competitive form.
| Position | Number | Driver | Team | Model | Time | Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | F1-75 | 1’36.810 | 37 | |
| 2 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Alfa Romeo-Ferrari | C42 | 1’37.525 | 0.715 | 37 |
| 3 | 3 | Daniel Ricciardo | McLaren-Mercedes | MCL36 | 1’37.627 | 0.817 | 40 |
| 4 | 55 | Carlos Sainz Jnr | Ferrari | F1-75 | 1’38.232 | 1.422 | 26 |
| 5 | 47 | Mick Schumacher | Haas-Ferrari | VF-22 | 1’39.507 | 2.697 | 26 |
| 6 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren-Mercedes | MCL36 | 1’39.547 | 2.737 | 26 |
| 7 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | RB18 | 1’39.575 | 2.765 | 26 |
| 8 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | W13 | 1’39.698 | 2.888 | 26 |
| 9 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | AlphaTauri-Red Bull | AT03 | 1’39.840 | 3.030 | 26 |
| 10 | 11 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull | RB18 | 1’39.852 | 3.042 | 26 |
| 11 | 20 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas-Ferrari | VF-22 | 1’40.084 | 3.274 | 24 |
| 12 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | AlphaTauri-Red Bull | AT03 | 1’40.178 | 3.368 | 26 |
| 13 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | W13 | 1’40.562 | 3.752 | 26 |
| 14 | 24 | Zhou Guanyu | Alfa Romeo-Ferrari | C42 | 1’40.664 | 3.854 | 26 |
| 15 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin-Mercedes | AMR22 | 1’40.806 | 3.996 | 26 |
| 16 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine-Renault | A522 | 1’41.310 | 4.500 | 26 |
| 17 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Alpine-Renault | A522 | 1’41.334 | 4.524 | 26 |
| 18 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams-Mercedes | FW44 | 1’41.853 | 5.043 | 26 |
| 19 | 5 | Sebastian Vettel | Aston Martin-Mercedes | AMR22 | 1’41.857 | 5.047 | 26 |
| 20 | 6 | Nicholas Latifi | Williams-Mercedes | FW44 | 1’42.317 | 5.507 | 26 |
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2022 United States Grand Prix
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