Hughes wavers 'scary' lead Mercedes: "Just a different engine setting"

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13:08, 23 Oct 2021

In FP1 of the United States Grand Prix, Red Bull Racing seemed to be no match for title rival Mercedes. In FP2 this picture was nuanced. Renowned F1 journalist Mark Hughes dismissed Mercedes' so-called lead.

Hughes states in his review of Friday at Circuit of the Americas that it is difficult to determine who was fastest. Lewis Hamilton picked up the fastest time, but it was taken away as he drove over the track limits at Turn 9. Sergio Perez eventually took the fastest time.

Hughes wrote on The-race.com: "Even Hamilton's disallowed time was only 0.104s faster than Perez, indicating a) that the scary 0.9s Mercedes advantage seen in the first session was just a matter of a more aggressive engine mode than Red Bull and b) Perez is properly on the pace at the start of a weekend for the first time all season."

Verstappen can be optimistic

For Max Verstappen it wasn't the happiest of sessions on the first day. However, Hughes sees no reason for Verstappen to complain. On the contrary, looking at the bigger picture, Verstappen has reason for optimism.

Pos.	Driver	Team	Points
1	Kimi Antonelli Kimi Antonelli	MercedesMER	292
2	George Russell George Russell	MercedesMER	211
3	Lewis Hamilton Lewis Hamilton	FerrariFER	191
4	Lando Norris Lando Norris	McLarenMCL	186
5	Charles Leclerc Charles Leclerc	FerrariFER	167
6	Max Verstappen Max Verstappen	Red Bull RacingRBR	145
7	Oscar Piastri Oscar Piastri	McLarenMCL	120
8	Isack Hadjar Isack Hadjar	Red Bull RacingRBR	71
9	Liam Lawson Liam Lawson	Racing BullsRCB	59
10	Pierre Gasly Pierre Gasly	AlpineALP	41
11	Arvid Lindblad Arvid Lindblad	Racing BullsRCB	31
12	Franco Colapinto Franco Colapinto	AlpineALP	27
13	Oliver Bearman Oliver Bearman	HaasHAA	18
14	Gabriel Bortoleto Gabriel Bortoleto	AudiAUD	10
15	Nico Hulkenberg Nico Hulkenberg	AudiAUD	7
16	Carlos Sainz Carlos Sainz	WilliamsWIL	6
17	Alexander Albon Alexander Albon	WilliamsWIL	5
18	Esteban Ocon Esteban Ocon	HaasHAA	3
19	Fernando Alonso Fernando Alonso	Aston MartinAST	3
20	Yuki Tsunoda Yuki Tsunoda	Racing BullsRCB	1
21	Lance Stroll Lance Stroll	Aston MartinAST	0
22	Valtteri Bottas Valtteri Bottas	CadillacCAD	0
23	Sergio Perez Sergio Perez	CadillacCAD	0

Hughes wavers 'scary' lead Mercedes: "Just a different engine setting"

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