F1 Team Form: United States Grand Prix at COTA

Mercedes have won five of the 11 COTA races, while Red Bull have won in the last three seasons. Here’s everything you need to know about each team’s history at the United States Grand Prix!

RED BULL

WINS: 4, POLES: 3, PODIUMS: 11 | 2023 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX RESULT: VERSTAPPEN 1st, PEREZ 4th

Max Verstappen has won the United States Grand Prix with Red Bull in each of the last three seasons. Red Bull’s tally of wins at the circuit now stands at four, having also won in Texas with Sebastian Vettel in 2013. Sergio Perez also finished on the podium in 2021, making it the first time since 2013 that both Red Bull drivers finished in the top three at the circuit.

In addition to 2013 and 2021, 2014, 2019, 2022 and 2023 are the other years in which both Red Bull drivers have finished the race at COTA. Red Bull could boast podium finishes in all of the last seven races here, had Verstappen not picked up a five second time penalty for corner cutting in 2017.

Sebastian Vettel’s Q1 exit in 2014 and Max Verstappen’s Q2 exit in 2018 are the only occasions on which a Red Bull driver has failed to reach the final part of qualifying at COTA.

Max Verstappen took the team’s first United States Grand Prix pole since 2013 in 2021, while Sergio Perez made it the third time that both Red Bull drivers qualified in the top three at the circuit.

2013 is the only year that the team have locked out the front row at the United States Grand Prix.

MERCEDES

WINS: 6, POLES: 6, PODIUMS: 12 | 2023 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX RESULT: RUSSELL 5th, HAMILTON DSQ

Mercedes have won at five of the last nine United States Grand Prix weekends and hold the record for the most wins at COTA. 2018 marked the end of a four-year streak of wins for Mercedes in Austin. Aside from the first race at the track in 2012, Mercedes have scored in every season here.

2023 was the first time since 2013 that neither Mercedes driver finished on the podium at COTA. Lewis Hamilton had finished as runner-up but was disqualified from the result when his car failed post-race checks.

Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg took 1-2 finishes in 2014, 2015 and 2016, while Valtteri Bottas and Hamilton took a 1-2 finish in 2019. The team are yet to record a non-finish at the circuit, and are the only current team with a 100% finish rate in Texas. Michael Schumacher’s 16th position in 2012 is their worst finish to date.

Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes, United States Grand Prix.

2021 was the first time since the start of the hybrid era that Mercedes failed to take pole at the United States Grand Prix, while 2022 was the first time since 2013 that neither driver qualified on the front row.

Mercedes locked out the front row in 2014, 2015 and 2016. Nico Rosberg’s Q2 exits in 2012 and 2013 are the only occasions on which a Mercedes driver has failed to reach the final part of qualifying at this track. Rosberg’s 17th place in qualifying in 2012 remains their worst Saturday performance to date.

FERRARI

WINS: 1, POLES: 2, PODIUMS: 7 | 2023 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX RESULT: SAINZ 3rd, LECLERC DSQ

In 2018, Kimi Raikkonen scored Ferrari’s first victory in Texas. The team have appeared on the podium in six races at Circuit of The Americas, with 2017 being the only time that both drivers have appeared in the top three.

While Ferrari have scored on every visit here so far, they’ve also recorded four DNFs – two for Raikkonen in 2015 and 2016, one for Sebastian Vettel in 2019 and their latest for Carlos Sainz in 2022 – plus a DSQ for Charles Leclerc in 2023.

Kimi Raikkonen and Lewis Hamilton at the 2018 United States Grand Prix.

Sainz’s retirement on the first lap in 2022 was particularly disappointing, as he had recorded the team’s first pole position at COTA. Charles Leclerc set the second fastest time, but the team did not lock-out the front row as Leclerc carried a ten-place penalty. Leclerc took pole at the track in 2023 but he was also unable to convert that into a win. He finished in sixth place before being disqualified post-race.

Felipe Massa’s Q2 exit in 2013, where he qualified down in 15th, is the only time a Ferrari driver has failed to reach the final part of qualifying at this track. Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen provided Ferrari with three front row starts at the United States Grand Prix in 2017, 2018 and 2019. Every Ferrari entry at the United States Grand Prix since 2016 has qualified in the top six.

McLAREN

WINS: 1, POLES: 0, PODIUMS: 2 | 2023 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX RESULT: NORRIS 2nd, PIASTRI DNF

Lewis Hamilton’s win at the inaugural Grand Prix at Circuit of The Americas in 2012 remains McLaren’s only victory in Texas. In 2023, Lando Norris finished as runner-up, recording the team’s first United States Grand Prix podium since Hamilton’s win.

In 2019 McLaren recorded their first points at the track since 2016, finishing with both drivers in the top ten for the fourth time at the circuit. They did the same in 2021, with Daniel Ricciardo finishing fifth and Lando Norris eighth. Just one driver has scored in the last two years.

Fernando Alonso recorded McLaren’s only non-finishes at the circuit until 2023, retiring in both 2017 and 2018. Oscar Piastri failed to finish with the team in the 2023 United States Grand Prix.

Image: © Andrew Balfour

McLaren have reached Q3 with both drivers on only four occasions – in 2014, 2019, 2021 and 2023. On all of the first three times they did so, their drivers qualified seventh and eighth.

Lewis Hamilton recorded McLaren’s best qualifying result here so far in 2012 with second place, which was equalled by Lando Norris in 2023. Those are the team’s only top six qualifications at COTA.

McLaren suffered their only double Q1 elimination so far at the track in 2018. Before that, Jenson Button’s Q1 exit in 2016 is the only other time one of the team’s cars has been eliminated in Q1. Daniel Ricciardo recorded the team’s fourth Q1 exit at the venue in 2022.

ASTON MARTIN

WINS: 0, POLES: 0, PODIUMS: 0 | 2023 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX RESULT: STROLL 7th, ALONSO DNF

The Silverstone-based team have scored points in all of the last eight United States Grand Prix. Despite this, the team have one of the highest non-finish rates at the track. They retired with one car four races in a row between 2013 and 2016, while 2014 saw both Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg retire. The team’s best finish here is Sergio Perez’s fifth place in 2015.

Neither Racing Point in 2019 nor Aston Martin in 2021 reached Q3 at the United States Grand Prix, but Lance Stroll qualified seventh in 2022. Before that, the team last reached Q3 here in 2018, when Esteban Ocon equalled the outfit’s best qualifying result at the circuit with sixth place. Sergio Perez also qualified sixth in 2015.

2015, 2016 and 2017 are the only times that both of the team’s cars have reached Q3 at the circuit. Both Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll were out in Q1 at the 2023 United States Grand Prix, recording the team’s first ever double Q1 elimination at COTA.

ALPINE

WINS: 0, POLES: 0, PODIUMS: 1* | 2023 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX RESULT: GASLY 6th, OCON DNF

Alpine’s first appearance at Circuit of The Americas did not go to plan in 2021, with both drivers retiring from the race. It was the Enstone team’s first double DNF at the venue, having previously recorded only two retirements here, for Romain Grosjean in 2015 and Nico Hulkenberg in 2017.

The team recovered in 2022, with Fernando Alonso finishing seventh – despite ramming into the back of Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin during the race. In 2023, Pierre Gasly went one better and finished sixth, marking the team’s third top six result in the last five races at the track.

The Enstone-based team has recorded one podium here, thanks to Grosjean finishing as runner-up under the Lotus guise in 2013. 2012, 2018 and 2019 are the only seasons in which both of the team’s drivers have finished in the points at COTA.

Image: © Andrew Balfour

For the first time since 2016, neither of the Enstone team’s drivers reached Q3 at the United States Grand Prix in 2021. Meanwhile, in 2023, the team recorded its first double Q3 exit at COTA since 2013.

Both Lotus cars reached Q3 in the first two United States Grand Prix to be held at COTA. Romain Grosjean recorded the team’ best qualifying result at the track with third in 2013. That was the team’s last Q3 appearance until Carlos Sainz secured eighth place on his Renault debut in 2017.

The team has recorded three Q1 exits at the United States Grand Prix: Romain Grosjean with Lotus in 2014, Kevin Magnussen with Renault in 2016 and Esteban Ocon with Alpine in 2022.

WILLIAMS

WINS: 0, POLES: 0, PODIUMS: 0 | 2023 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX RESULT: ALBON 9th, SARGEANT 10th

After a run of four point-less races at COTA, Williams recorded a double points finish at the 2023 United States Grand Prix. With Alex Albon ninth and Logan Sargeant tenth, it was the only race of the season in which both Williams drivers scored points.

The team last scored with both cars at COTA in 2014, a race in which Felipe Massa finished fourth, which remains the team’s best result so far at the circuit. 2012 is the only other season in which both Williams cars have scored in a race at the Texas track.

The 2015 United States Grand Prix resulted in Williams’ only double DNF at COTA so far, while Robert Kubica recorded the team’s third retirement at the track in 2019.

Valtteri Bottas’ third place in qualifying here in 2014 marks the team’s best qualifying performance so far, with their cars locking-out the second row of the grid. 2016 saw both Williams reach the final part of qualifying for only the second time at the circuit, but they have not appeared in the top ten since.

While both Williams cars were eliminated in Q1 in Texas in 2018 and 2019, George Russell reached Q2 here in 2021, as did Alex Albon in 2022. Both cars were out in Q1 in 2023.

VISA CASH APP RB

WINS: 0, POLES: 0, PODIUMS: 0 | 2023 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX RESULT: TSUNODA 8th, RICCIARDO 15th

The Red Bull junior team have scored points at all but one of the last nine United States Grand Prix weekends. The 2015 United States Grand Prix is the team’s best result so far in Texas, with both drivers finishing in the points and Max Verstappen finishing fourth.

Pierre Gasly recorded the team’s second retirement here in 2021. Their only other non-finish at COTA was for Jean Eric-Vergne in the first race at the track in 2012.

Toro Rosso and Ferrari, 2018 United States Grand Prix.

For the first time, both of the Red Bull junior team’s drivers appeared in Q3 at the United States Grand Prix in 2021. Before 2021, Max Verstappen, Carlos Sainz and Pierre Gasly were the only Toro Rosso drivers to reach the final part of qualifying here, all qualifying in tenth in 2015, 2016 and 2019 respectively. Gasly went one better in 2021, qualifying ninth.

The team have only had four Q1 exits here, including in 2015 when Sainz failed to set a time. Their last Q1 exit was in 2017, when Brendon Hartley made his Formula 1 debut with the team. Both drivers were out in Q2 in both 2022 and 2023.

SAUBER

WINS: 0, POLES: 0, PODIUMS: 0 | 2023 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX RESULT: BOTTAS 12th, ZHOU 13th

In the last seven races, the former Sauber team have scored only one point at the United States Grand Prix. That point is courtesy of Marcus Ericsson, who finished tenth in 2018.

The team’s best finish here came in 2013, when Nico Hulkenberg finished in sixth, while their only other points-scoring finish at the track came courtesy of Felipe Nasr, who came home ninth in 2015.

The team has recorded five retirements in total at the circuit; their most recent being for Valtteri Bottas in 2022.

Nico Hulkenberg’s fourth place in qualifying for the 2013 United States Grand Prix was a rare high point for Sauber at this circuit. That season is the only time that both Sauber drivers have qualified in the top ten at this track, while Adrian Sutil, Charles Leclerc and Valtteri Bottas have recorded the team’s only other Q3 appearances here in 2014, 2018 and 2022 respectively.

2022 was the first time since 2013 that neither of the team’s drivers was eliminated in Q1 at the United States Grand Prix. Both drivers reached Q2 again in 2023.

HAAS

WINS: 0, POLES: 0, PODIUMS: 0 | 2023 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX RESULT: HULKENBERG 11th, MAGNUSSEN 14th

Kevin Magnussen finished ninth in the 2022 United States Grand Prix, recording Haas’ best-ever result at their home event. Romain Grosjean’s tenth place at COTA in 2016 is Haas’ only other points-scoring race so far at their home event.

2017, 2021, 2022 and 2023 are the only times that both Haas cars have reached the end of the United States Grand Prix. In 2018, Magnussen finished ninth; but the Dane would later lose this position following a disqualification for using more than the allowed amount of fuel.

2018 is the only season in which a Haas driver has reached Q3 at the United States Grand Prix, with Romain Grosjean qualifying in eighth. It was also the first year in which neither Haas car was eliminated in the first part of qualifying.

The team locked out the back row in qualifying for the 2021 event, through they gained positions on the final grid thanks to penalties for other drivers. Both drivers were out in Q1 once again in 2022, while Kevin Magnussen was able to progress to Q2 in 2023.

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