Following the punishing weather conditions of the Qatar Grand Prix, which prompted the FIA to investigate its extreme effect upon drivers, the last thing the Formula 1 paddock wanted was another hot race.
But the forecast for this weekend’s United States Grand Prix indicates they can expect one. The first of three consecutive weeks of racing in the Americas is set to be another battle against the heat.Last year the paddock headed to Circuit of the Americas on the same weekend in October and faced race day temperatures of 33C, which marked the hottest F1 race held there since its introduction to the calendar in 2012. But temperatures in some sessions this year will be slightly hotter again.
The sole practice session in the middle of the day on Friday will see the mercury hit around 32C, according to the FIA’s weather forecasts. Qualifying for the grand prix will be held two-and-a-half hours later in blazing sunshine and with 35C air temperature.
The average daily high temperature around this time of year in Austin, Texas is 27C, but F1’s sprint sessions on Saturday will be held on that day in considerably hotter conditions. It will be 32C for qualifying at the start of the afternoon, then 34C for the sprint race at 5pm with 40% air humidity.
F1 has scheduled in a 2pm start time for Sunday’s grand prix, but will likely have similar conditions to the sprint race. Air temperature will be between 33C and 34C through the race, humidity will be 40% and it is expected to be windier than on previous days.
Drivers can expect this weekend’s race won’t be as demanding as their visit to Losail was as the humidity won’t be as high and the Circuit of the Americas offers more respite between its many quicker corners. They can still expect this to be one of the more physically demanding rounds of the year, though compared to what they went through last time it shouldn’t offer a serious cause for concern.
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Jere (@jerejj)
19th October 2023, 7:47
Surprisingly warm period for October (again).
notagrumpyfan
19th October 2023, 8:14
I’m not Simon, but I also shrug a bit when reading some of your ‘first to the post’ comments.
I rather see your posts referring to past races and other interesting tidbits, than open door comments about the weather which is merely repeating what already was mentioned in the article.
Jere (@jerejj)
19th October 2023, 8:42
I wasn’t repeating but merely expressing surprisement.
notagrumpyfan
19th October 2023, 9:50
No need to be ‘surprised’ if the article explains that the expected temperatures are up to 8C higher than normal during this time of year (again) :p
PS kudos for ‘surprisement’ ;)
Jere (@jerejj)
19th October 2023, 9:58
Again, nothing about the article but about what it contains.
You’re clearly trying to twist matters to seem something contradictory by deliberately misinterpreting.
I couldn’t have become surprised before reading or checking weather forecast, so a totally different matter.
Why won’t you & Simon bother someone else instead of always only me.
notagrumpyfan
19th October 2023, 10:10
Maybe a result of the amount of posts.
Just some feedback; ignore it as you wish.
But please don’t miss the positive part in my first reply; you have many interesting posts as well.
Doggy
19th October 2023, 15:56
I’m starting to realize that global warming and climate change is not a “Chinese hoax” after all.
Who would figure it out
SteveP
19th October 2023, 10:22
Isn’t the general trend upward, but 2015 was an aberration?
My memory said it was a major storm through the area just before the weekend and conditions were so bad that qualifying was delayed multiple times and finally happened on Sunday.
Just checked various sources and the memory is still fine :)
CK
19th October 2023, 14:00
I was actually at COTAs in 2015. On Saturday, since qualifying did not happen, the organizers opened the paddock for the handful of (extremely drenched) fans still at the paddock. We were allowed to get up close to the cars and few of the drivers were still hanging around. I have pictures with Vettel, Bottas and couple of others. Fun end to a dreary day.
Nick T.
19th October 2023, 19:43
I hope Qatar, which saw some freak circumstances, doesn’t lead to the media and F1 hyperventilating every time we go somewhere with hot weather and once the drivers complete this weekend without any issue, the issue fades to the background.