Go! Go! Go!published at 16:03
Or more like, wet, wet wet.
FP1 is under way and it's started with the thrilling drama of Sauber's Marcus Ericsson out on the track.
Summary
Second practice cancelled - lightning threat to circuit marshals
Heavy rain and storms expected all weekend as a result of Hurricane Patricia
Rosberg fastest in first practice, Hamilton 5th
Hamilton could win title in Austin
Go! Go! Go!published at 16:03
History repeating itself for Vettelpublished at 16:01
An interesting side note: Sebastian Vettel suffered a penalty at the US GP last year for exceeding power unit changes.
Image source, APPostpublished at 15:59
Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer in Austin“Lewis Hamilton’s path to tying up a third world title this weekend with three races to go has been eased considerably by Ferrari’s decision to fit a new engine to Sebastian Vettel’s car.
"Kimi Raikkonen, by the way, will also have a new engine. It is the Ferrari drivers’ fifth power-unit this season - one more than allowed - so that triggers an automatic 10-place grid penalty. Hamilton needs to beat Vettel by nine points to extend his margin sufficiently for the Ferrari man not to be able to catch him for the rest of the season. What that means mathematically is that if Hamilton wins the race and Vettel is lower than second, the title is Hamilton’s.
“For Nico Rosberg, meanwhile, it is even simpler. Such is the margin between himself and his team-mate and the performance of their car that, realistically, he has to beat Hamilton to keep the championship alive. ‘I've got nothing to lose,’ he said. ‘I want to win. I have the opportunity to win and it's a great target to have. I'm focused. That's it. I'm still aiming for first (in the championship) and that's what I'm thinking about. Even if I know it's difficult and I need a lot of luck.’”
Vettel penaltypublished at 15:56
To make things even better for Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel has been handed a 10-place grid penalty this weekend.
The Ferrari driver is set to exceed the number of permitted engines this season.
It's already looking like Hamilton's weekend...
Postpublished at 15:52 British Summer Time 23 October 2015
How can Hamilton do it?published at 15:52
Image source, Getty ImagesLewis Hamilton could be a three-time world champion come Sunday.
Here's how:
Hamilton needs to outscore Sebastian Vettel by nine points and his team-mate Nico Rosberg by two points. Simple really.
'It looks like Texas could be underwater'published at 15:48
Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer in Austin“Lewis Hamilton could well clinch a third world title in Austin on Sunday, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves just yet. Before then, there is the small matter of a grand prix weekend to be get through, and if that does not sound that unusual a challenge, you have not seen the weather forecast.
"Jenson Button described it as ‘mental’, which seemed a pretty accurate way of describing forecasts of Biblical levels of rain, with suggestions that isolated areas of the Austin environs could receive as much as eight or 10 inches of rain a day - yes, a day - on Friday or Saturday. ‘It looks like the whole of Texas is going to be underwater!’ Button added.”
The schedulepublished at 15:43
So, weather permitting, here's how the synchronised swimming/driving schedule looks throughout the weekend:
Today
First practice: 16:00-17:30 BSTSecond practice: 20:00-21:30 BST
Saturday
Third practice: 16:00-17:00 BSTQualifying: 19:00020:00 BST
Sunday
Race: 19:00 GMT (don't forget the clocks go back in the UK on Sunday morning)
'An eventful weekend'published at 15:39
Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer in Austin“It has rained overnight but the precipitation had stopped by the morning. But there has already been one heavy downpour this morning and if the thunderstorms due later on Friday are as heavy as predicted, there will be no chance of the drivers running on track in those sorts of conditions.
"But even in more normal wet weather, it could mean an eventful weekend. ‘This track has so much elevation, so you’re going to get pools of water on it,’ Jenson Button said, before mentioning the problems experienced during a torrential downpour during last year’s World Endurance Championship race at the Circuit of the Americas.
"‘They had the WEC race here last year which was very wet, hopefully they learnt from that. Those cars are a lot heavier, so it will be worse for us.’”
But here's some positive news...published at 15:36
Trouble in Texas?published at 15:33
Here's a snapshot of today's weather in Austin. The good news is, at 19:00 BST (13:00 local time), the little rain-drop icon disappears. The bad news is, it's replaced with a little lightning icon. It could be a day of waiting...
A wet weekend in Texaspublished at 15:30
Hi folks. Welcome to the first day of practice at the US Grand Prix - a weekend where Lewis Hamilton can secure his third drivers' championship and seal his name among the immortals.
Plenty of racing before that of course. So prepare to get all star-spangly as we hope to beat the rain in Austin, Texas.
Image source, AP