Texas is known as the "Lone Star State" and is famous for its BBQ, live music, NASA... and the United States Grand Prix!

The Circuit of the Americas was the first in the United States to be purpose-built for Formula One and has been home of the USGP since 2012. The 20-turn track (11 left, 9 right) is 3.426 mi (5.513 km) long and has quickly become a favorite among drivers, teams, and fans.

This was the 2019 United States Grand Prix:

FP1

Very chilly at COTA with temperatures dropping below 0℃ during the night; At the time for the practice 1, air temp was a cold 10℃.

Practice started with the Mercedes drivers being the first to come out. Many of the cars had aero grills installed to gather data about the new 2020 prototype tires that will were tested in FP1.

During his installation lap, Leclerc reported engine issues, got back to the pits to have it checked. Turned out to be a problem with the throttle pedal. He lost half session having it repaired.

Alex Albon became the first driver of the weekend to have a time deleted for exceeding track limits, this time it was at turn 19, and Lando Norris had an issue with the headrest coming loose.

First yellow flags came out when Nicholas Latifi, who was substituting George Russell at Williams for FP1, stopped on track with gearbox issues. He was able to keep the car running and got back to the pits on his own. Just a few minutes after, Hulkenberg reported problems downshifting.

With 30 minutes to go, the order was Vettel, Albon, Leclerc, Verstappen, and Stroll. At the end, it was Max Verstappen's 1:34.057 the fastest lap of the session. He was followed by Vettel, Albon, Gasly, and Ricciardo.

Drivers complained about how bumpy this track has become.

FP2

Air temperature was a bit warmer, but still quite chilly and a bit windy in parts. Session started similarly to FP1, but after just 15 minutes into the session, the wind and bumps affected Romain Grosjean's Haas and ended up hitting the barriers at turn 5, destroying the front end of the VF19. “I’m OK but the car is not,” reported by radio to his crew. The first red flag of the weekend came out.

Session was restarted at 3:18 PM local time. The practice continued without major drama, and at the end it was Lewis Hamilton's 1:33.232 the fastest of the day. Behind him came Leclerc, Verstappen, Vettel, and Bottas the top five.

Sergio Perez was penalized for missing the weight bridge during practice 2. He will start from the pit lane. Racing Point took advantage of the penalty and changed the ICE (Internal Combustion Engine), Turbo, MGU-H, and MGU-K.

FP3

Saturday was warmer than the day before, overall a beautiful day for racing.

Installation laps were underway, with Kevin Magnussen being the first one to get out on track, followed by Norris, Kvyat, and Albon. The rest coming out a few seconds later. Romain Grosjean was the first to do a timed lap, a 1:36.579.

Charles Leclerc stopped on track and reported: "something's wrong with the engine" VSC (Virtual Safety Car) was deployed while the Ferrari was recovered. It was a major issue, so Ferrari decided to fit a used engine, so no penalties incurred.

Lots of action at the end of the session with qualifying runs from all. Impressive lap by teenager Lando Norris to place third fastest time. Fastest was Max Verstappen's 1:33.305, ahead of Vettel, Norris, Bottas, and Hamilton the top five.

QUALFYING

Q1

Robert Kubica was the first to come out, and as such, set the first time, a 1:38.302. As expected, lap times started to fall, but at the end, it was a surprising Lando Norris topping up the charts with a 1:33.353. Out of qualifying were Giovinazzi, Raikkonen, Russell, Perez, and Kubica.

Q2

All cars headed out for early timed laps and prepare for their crucial times with the tires they would start with. Alex Albon came up on top that round, with a 1:32.898, albeit on softs (reds), while teammate Verstappen, both Mercedes and both Ferraris were on mediums (yellows).

Then came the Ferraris, with Leclerc setting the fastest time, a 1:32.760, with teammate Vettel just 0.022 behind, both on mediums (yellows). Out were Hulkenberg, Magnussen, Kvyat, Stroll, and Grosjean.

Q3

The first round had a blistering lap by Bottas setting the early lead with a new track record: 1:32.029. Vettel was not far behind (0.012), with Verstappen, Leclerc, and Hamilton the top five, these three just separated by 0.13 of a second between them.

The track did not evolve as everyone expected and times were not better, thus Valtteri Bottas' time was enough to be on pole position for the 2019 United States Grand Prix! He was followed by Vettel, Verstappen, Leclerc, Hamilton, Albon, Sainz. Norris, Ricciardo, and Gasly the top ten.

RACE

Beautiful day at Austin, and everything was ready for the United States Grand Prix at fabulous Circuit of the Americas. The weather was warmer than on previous days with a comfortable 20.7 ℃ air temperature.

Just before the start, Verstappen's rear wing was replaced as a small crack was spotted when arriving at the grid, and what a tight grid with just a tenth of a second covering the top for cars, that's less than a blink of an eye.

Fantastic start from Max Verstappen passing Vettel on the start, then Hamilton, then Leclerc, and Norris. He reported some damage in the car but could not identify where. Ricciardo passed him at turn one, and Albon came in for repairs as he touched Sainz exiting turn one.

On lap 8, Vettel's SF90 rear suspension broke, stopping the car outside of turn 11. That brought out double yellow flags. Next lap, Ricciardo passed Norris at turn 12 for 5th.

On lap 14, Verstappen came in for hards (whites), coming out in 4th. A lap later, Bottas came in, also for hards (whites), that meant Hamilton was leading the Grand Prix, ahead of Leclerc, Bottas, Verstappen, and Ricciardo the top five. At the of next lap, Bottas passed Leclerc for second, a few corners after, Verstappen did the same, and started to pursue Bottas.

On lap 21, Leclerc pitted but a problem tightening a rear tire cost him some time, being stopped for 7.7 seconds. He came out in 6th, behind Hulkenberg. Ricciardo stopped a lap later and Leclerc passed Hulkenberg for 4th. On lap 24, Bono asked Hamilton to stop but Hamilton refused and did another lap, but on the main straight, Bottas passed Hamilton for the lead, and Hamilton pitted for hards (whites).

On lap 33, Robert Kubica had to retire his Williams FW42.

On lap 35, Verstappen came into the pits for a second time, changing for a brand-new set of medium (yellow) tires. He came out in third. A lap later Bottas came in, and also changed for mediums (yellows). He came out in second, behind teammate Hamilton now in the lead.

On lap 38, Albon passed Ricciardo for 5th, and Bottas set the fastest lap of the race.

On lap 43, Leclerc pitted again this time for softs (reds), was fourth stays fourth. Almost immediately asks what the fastest lap was. And two laps later, he does a 1:36.169, a new track record at COTA.

On lap 48, Bottas is informed that the gap was less than 2 seconds, and he replied "Ok, No talking now". He was hard pursuing Hamilton for the lead.

Bottas caught Hamilton on lap 50 and what a battle they gave us. On lap 52, Bottas passed Hamilton on the main straight and regained the lead of the Grand Prix. On lap 54, Verstappen caught Hamilton.

On the next to last lap, Magnussen went off at turn 12 and beached his Haas, bringing out yellow flags on that corner, which, somehow, helped Hamilton to finish second and win his sixth world championship! Ahead of him Valtteri Bottas winning the United States Grand Prix!