Course length 5.516 km (3.427 mi) | ||
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Date 23 October 2016 (2016-10-23) Official name 2016 Formula 1 United States Grand Prix Location Circuit of the Americas, Austin, Texas, United States Course Permanent racing facility Distance 56 laps, 308.896 km (191.939 mi) | ||
The 2016 United States Grand Prix (formally known as the 2016 Formula One United States Grand Prix) was a Formula One motor race held on 23 October 2016 at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, United States. The race marked the forty-sixth running of the United States Grand Prix, and the thirty-eighth time that the race has been run as a World Championship event since the inaugural season in 1950.
Contents
Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg entered the round with a thirty-three point lead over team-mate Lewis Hamilton in the World Drivers' Championship. Mercedes team held an unassailable 208-point lead over Red Bull Racing in the World Constructors' Championship, having secured the Constructors' title in the previous race in Japan.
Race
The race started off well for Hamilton, taking the lead on the run up to Turn 1, with Jenson Button and a Toro Rosso running wide out of the first corner. Daniel Ricciardo slotted into second while Hamilton's teammate and closest championship rival Nico Rosberg fell back to third. Valtteri Bottas suffered a puncture and had to pit after the first lap. Nico Hulkenburg retired on lap 7 due to earlier collision damage. On the corner before the backstraight DRS zone, Esteban Gutierrez of the Haas F1 Team locked up the front right tyre heavily and retired subsequently due to brake problems. On lap 31, Max Verstappen retired due to a gearbox problem and stopped out of the first DRS zone, triggering a Virtual Safety Car period. Kimi Raikkonen retired after coming out of the pit lane during a routine stop with a loose wheel. Hamilton went on to win his 5th race in the United States, with Nico Rosberg in second and Daniel Ricciardo rounding out the podium spots. Hamilton was only able to cut Rosberg's point lead to 26 points with 3 races left in the season.
Race
^1 – Kevin Magnussen received a five-second penalty after the race for an illegal overtake on Daniil Kvyat.