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The 2012 United States Grand Prix was the 19th and penultimate race of the 2012 Formula One Season. It was the inaugural event held at the newly built Circuit of the Americas, and the first United States Grand Prix since 2007. It was the 34th Formula One event run under the title of United States Grand Prix, and the 63rd race in the United States altogether.

Sebastian Vettel took pole position ahead of Lewis Hamilton, with Fernando Alonso qualifying ninth. Alonso started seventh, as Romain Grosjean and, in a tactical move, Felipe Massa, both received five-place gearbox penalties.

Hamilton won the race, taking the lead from Vettel with fourteen laps remaining. Vettel finished second, with Alonso driving another strong race to achieve another podium, albeit nearly 40 seconds down on the leading pair, with teammate Massa also recovering strongly to finish fourth.

As a result, Vettel managed to extend his championship lead over Alonso by three points to thirteen. Red Bull-Renault required only four points from the race to win their third constructors' title, and with Vettel coming second they achieved the feat.

The event was Sebastian Vettel's 100th race.


Background[]

Tyres Available
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Formula One returned to the United States for the first since since 2007, where the race was held at Indianapolis. The idea of a race in Austin, Texas was first proposed in 2010, and the Circuit of the Americas broke ground on January 2, 2011. It was completed on September 21, 2012, and officially opened a month later, with American motor racing legend and the country's only living F1 championship winner, Mario Andretti, driving the circuit in a Lotus 79.

As for the championship battle, Sebastian Vettel, who was competing in his 100th race, led Fernando Alonso by ten points after the former's impressive comeback up the field at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Vettel's team, Red Bull-Renault, required just four points take their third consecutive constructors' title.

The DRS zone was the long back straight between turns 11 and 12.

Entry list[]

The full entry list for the 2012 United States Grand Prix is shown below:

No. Driver Entrant Constructor Chassis Engine Model Tyre
1 Germany Sebastian Vettel Austria Red Bull Racing Red Bull RB8 Renault RS27-2012 P
2 Australia Mark Webber Austria Red Bull Racing Red Bull RB8 Renault RS27-2012 P
3 United Kingdom Jenson Button United Kingdom Vodafone McLaren Mercedes McLaren MP4-27 Mercedes FO 108Z P
4 United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton United Kingdom Vodafone McLaren Mercedes McLaren MP4-27 Mercedes FO 108Z P
5 Spain Fernando Alonso Italy Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari F2012 Ferrari 056 P
6 Brazil Felipe Massa Italy Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari F2012 Ferrari 056 P
7 Germany Michael Schumacher Germany Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team Mercedes W03 Mercedes FO 108Z P
8 Germany Nico Rosberg Germany Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team Mercedes W03 Mercedes FO 108Z P
9 Finland Kimi Räikkönen United Kingdom Lotus F1 Team Lotus E20 Renault RS27-2012 P
10 France Romain Grosjean United Kingdom Lotus F1 Team Lotus E20 Renault RS27-2012 P
11 United Kingdom Paul di Resta India Sahara Force India F1 Team Force India VJM05 Mercedes FO 108Z P
12 Germany Nico Hülkenberg India Sahara Force India F1 Team Force India VJM05 Mercedes FO 108Z P
14 Japan Kamui Kobayashi Switzerland Sauber F1 Team Sauber C31 Ferrari 056 P
15 Mexico Sergio Pérez Switzerland Sauber F1 Team Sauber C31 Ferrari 056 P
16 Australia Daniel Ricciardo Italy Scuderia Toro Rosso Toro Rosso STR7 Ferrari 056 P
17 France Jean-Éric Vergne Italy Scuderia Toro Rosso Toro Rosso STR7 Ferrari 056 P
18 Venezuela Pastor Maldonado United Kingdom Williams F1 Williams FW34 Renault RS27-2012 P
19 Brazil Bruno Senna United Kingdom Williams F1 Williams FW34 Renault RS27-2012 P
20 Finland Heikki Kovalainen Malaysia Caterham F1 Team Caterham CT01 Renault RS27-2012 P
21 Russia Vitaly Petrov Malaysia Caterham F1 Team Caterham CT01 Renault RS27-2012 P
22 Spain Pedro de la Rosa Spain HRT F1 Team HRT F112 Cosworth CA2012 P
23 India Narain Karthikeyan Spain HRT F1 Team HRT F112 Cosworth CA2012 P
24 Germany Timo Glock Russia Marussia F1 Team Marussia MR01 Cosworth CA2012 P
25 France Charles Pic Russia Marussia F1 Team Marussia MR01 Cosworth CA2012 P
Free Practice 1 only
23 China Ma Qinghua Spain HRT F1 Team HRT F112 Cosworth CA2012 P

Practice Overview[]

FP1[]

FP2[]

FP3[]

Practice Times[]

No. Driver Team FP1 FP2 FP3
Time Pos Time Pos Time Pos
1 Germany Sebastian Vettel Austria Red Bull-Renault 1:38.125 1
2 Australia Mark Webber Austria Red Bull-Renault 1:40.650 5
3 United Kingdom Jenson Button United Kingdom McLaren-Mercedes 1:40.528 4
4 United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton United Kingdom McLaren-Mercedes 1:39.543 2
5 Spain Fernando Alonso Italy Ferrari 1:40.337 3
6 Brazil Felipe Massa Italy Ferrari 1:40.966 6
7 Germany Michael Schumacher Germany Mercedes 1:42.588 17
8 Germany Nico Rosberg Germany Mercedes 1:41.159 9
9 Finland Kimi Räikkönen United Kingdom Lotus-Renault 1:41.880 14
10 France Romain Grosjean United Kingdom Lotus-Renault 1:41.998 15
11 United Kingdom Paul di Resta India Force India-Mercedes 1:41.783 11
12 Germany Nico Hülkenberg India Force India-Mercedes 1:41.023 7
14 Japan Kamui Kobayashi Switzerland Sauber-Ferrari 1:41.036 8
15 Mexico Sergio Pérez Switzerland Sauber-Ferrari 1:41.473 10
16 Australia Daniel Ricciardo Italy Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1:41.825 12
17 France Jean-Éric Vergne Italy Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1:41.833 13
18 Venezuela Pastor Maldonado United Kingdom Williams-Renault 1:42.539 16
19 Brazil Bruno Senna United Kingdom Williams-Renault 1:44.548 22
20 Finland Heikki Kovalainen Malaysia Caterham-Renault 1:43.443 19
21 Russia Vitaly Petrov Malaysia Caterham-Renault 1:43.522 20
22 Spain Pedro de la Rosa Spain HRT-Cosworth 1:46.917 23
23 China Ma Qinghua Spain HRT-Cosworth 1:48.559 24
23 India Narain Karthikeyan Spain HRT-Cosworth DNP
24 Germany Timo Glock Russia Marussia-Cosworth 1:44.464 21
25 France Charles Pic Russia Marussia-Cosworth 1:43.288 18

Qualifying[]

Q1[]

Q2[]

Q3[]

Qualifying Results[]

Pos. No. Driver Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Grid
Pos Time Pos Time Pos Time
1 1 Germany Sebastian Vettel Austria Red Bull-Renault 1 1:36.558 1 1:35.796 1 1:35.657 1
2 4 United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton United Kingdom McLaren-Mercedes 2 1:37.058 4 1:36.795 2 1:35.766 2
3 2 Australia Mark Webber Austria Red Bull-Renault 3 1:37.215 2 1:36.298 3 1:36.174 3
4 10 France Romain Grosjean United Kingdom Lotus-Renault 4 1:37.486 5 1:36.906 4 1:36.587 8*
5 9 Finland Kimi Räikkönen United Kingdom Lotus-Renault 12 1:38.051 10 1:37.404 5 1:36.708 4
6 7 Germany Michael Schumacher Germany Mercedes 10 1:37.927 8 1:37.102 6 1:36.794 5
7 6 Brazil Felipe Massa Italy Ferrari 8 1:37.667 3 1:36.549 7 1:36.937 11*
8 12 Germany Nico Hülkenberg India Force India-Mercedes 9 1:37.756 6 1:37.066 8 1:37.141 6
9 5 Spain Fernando Alonso Italy Ferrari 11 1:37.968 9 1:37.123 9 1:37.300 7
10 18 Venezuela Pastor Maldonado United Kingdom Williams-Renault 6 1:37.537 7 1:37.011 10 1:37.842 9
11 19 Brazil Bruno Senna United Kingdom Williams-Renault 5 1:37.520 11 1:37.604 10
12 3 United Kingdom Jenson Button United Kingdom McLaren-Mercedes 7 1:37.565 12 1:37.616 12
13 11 United Kingdom Paul di Resta India Force India-Mercedes 13 1:38.104 13 1:37.665 13
14 17 France Jean-Éric Vergne Italy Toro Rosso-Ferrari 15 1:38.434 14 1:37.879 14
15 15 Mexico Sergio Pérez Switzerland Sauber-Ferrari 16 1:38.500 15 1:38.206 15
16 14 Japan Kamui Kobayashi Switzerland Sauber-Ferrari 14 1:38.418 16 1:38.437 16
17 8 Germany Nico Rosberg Germany Mercedes 17 1:38.862 17 1:38.501 17
18 16 Australia Daniel Ricciardo Italy Toro Rosso-Ferrari 18 1:39.114 18
19 24 Germany Timo Glock Russia Marussia-Cosworth 19 1:40.056 19
20 25 France Charles Pic Russia Marussia-Cosworth 20 1:40.664 20
21 21 Russia Vitaly Petrov Malaysia Caterham-Renault 21 1:40.809 21
22 20 Finland Heikki Kovalainen Malaysia Caterham-Renault 22 1:41.166 22
23 22 Spain Pedro de la Rosa Spain HRT-Cosworth 23 1:42.011 23
24 23 India Narain Karthikeyan Spain HRT-Cosworth 24 1:42.740 24
107% time: 1:43.317
Source: [1]
Notes
  • * — Romain Grosjean received a five-place grid penalty for a gearbox change,[2] and Felipe Massa received the same penalty when Ferrari broke the FIA seal on his gearbox in order to maximise Fernando Alonso's grid position.[3]

Grid[]

Pos. Pos.
Driver Driver
______________
Row 1 ______________ 1
2 Sebastian Vettel
Lewis Hamilton ______________
Row 2 ______________ 3
4 Mark Webber
Kimi Räikkönen ______________
Row 3 ______________ 5
6 Michael Schumacher
Nico Hülkenberg ______________
Row 4 ______________ 7
8 Fernando Alonso
Romain Grosjean* ______________
Row 5 ______________ 9
10 Pastor Maldonado
Bruno Senna ______________
Row 6 ______________ 11
12 Felipe Massa
Jenson Button ______________
Row 7 ______________ 13
14 Paul di Resta
Jean-Éric Vergne ______________
Row 8 ______________ 15
16 Sergio Pérez
Kamui Kobayashi ______________
Row 9 ______________ 17
18 Nico Rosberg
Daniel Ricciardo ______________
Row 10 ______________ 19
20 Timo Glock
Charles Pic ______________
Row 11 ______________ 21
22 Vitaly Petrov
Heikki Kovalainen ______________
Row 12 ______________ 23
24 Pedro de la Rosa
Narain Karthikeyan ______________

Notes:

* Romain Grosjean received a five-place grid penalty for an unscheduled gearbox change (qualified fourth).

Ferrari tactically removed the seal on Felipe Massa's gearbox, incurring a five-place grid penalty for the Brazilian (qualified seventh). This moved Fernando Alonso up to seventh and onto the clean side of the grid.

Race[]

Report[]

F1-usgp-2012-crowds-austin-texas

2012 USGP at Circuit of the Americas, looking west from above turn 9.







Results[]

Pos. No. Driver Constructor Laps Time/Retired Grid Pts
1 4 United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton United Kingdom McLaren-Mercedes 56 1:35:55.269 2 25
2 1 Germany Sebastian Vettel Austria Red Bull-Renault 56 + 0.675 1 18
3 5 Spain Fernando Alonso Italy Ferrari 56 + 39.229 7 15
4 6 Brazil Felipe Massa Italy Ferrari 56 + 46.013 11 12
5 3 United Kingdom Jenson Button United Kingdom McLaren-Mercedes 56 + 56.432 12 10
6 9 Finland Kimi Räikkönen United Kingdom Lotus-Renault 56 + 1:04.425 4 8
7 10 France Romain Grosjean United Kingdom Lotus-Renault 56 + 1:10.313 8 6
8 12 Germany Nico Hülkenberg India Force India-Mercedes 56 + 1:13.792 6 4
9 18 Venezuela Pastor Maldonado United Kingdom Williams-Renault 56 + 1:14.525 9 2
10 19 Brazil Bruno Senna United Kingdom Williams-Renault 55 + 1:15.133 10 1
11 15 Mexico Sergio Pérez Switzerland Sauber-Ferrari 56 + 1:24.341 15
12 16 Australia Daniel Ricciardo Italy Toro Rosso-Ferrari 56 + 1:24.871 18
13 8 Germany Nico Rosberg Germany Mercedes 56 + 1:25.510 17
14 14 Japan Kamui Kobayashi Switzerland Sauber-Ferrari 55 + 1 Lap 16
15 11 United Kingdom Paul di Resta India Force India-Mercedes 55 + 1 Lap 13
16 7 Germany Michael Schumacher Germany Mercedes 55 + 1 Lap 5
17 21 Russia Vitaly Petrov Malaysia Caterham-Renault 55 + 1 Lap 21
18 20 Finland Heikki Kovalainen Malaysia Caterham-Renault 55 + 1 Lap 22
19 24 Germany Timo Glock Russia Marussia-Cosworth 55 + 1 Lap 19
20 25 France Charles Pic Russia Marussia-Cosworth 54 + 2 Laps 20
21 22 Spain Pedro de la Rosa Spain HRT-Cosworth 54 + 2 Laps 23
22 23 India Narain Karthikeyan Spain HRT-Cosworth 54 + 2 Laps 24
Ret 2 Australia Mark Webber Austria Red Bull-Renault 16 Alternator 3
Ret 17 France Jean-Éric Vergne Italy Toro Rosso-Ferrari 14 Suspension 14

Milestones[]

Standings after the race[]

Drivers' World Championship
Pos. Driver Pts
1 Germany Sebastian Vettel 273
2 Spain Fernando Alonso 260
3 Finland Kimi Räikkönen 206
4 United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton 190
5 Australia Mark Webber 167
6 United Kingdom Jenson Button 163
7 Brazil Felipe Massa 107
8 France Romain Grosjean 96
9 Germany Nico Rosberg 93
10 Mexico Sergio Pérez 66
11 Japan Kamui Kobayashi 58
12 Germany Nico Hülkenberg 53
13 United Kingdom Paul di Resta 46
14 Venezuela Pastor Maldonado 45
15 Germany Michael Schumacher 43
16 Brazil Bruno Senna 31
17 France Jean-Éric Vergne 12
18 Australia Daniel Ricciardo 10
19 Finland Heikki Kovalainen 0
20 Russia Vitaly Petrov 0
21 Germany Timo Glock 0
22 France Charles Pic 0
23 India Narain Karthikeyan 0
24 Spain Pedro de la Rosa 0
25 Belgium Jérôme d'Ambrosio 0
Constructors' World Championship
Pos. Team Pts
1 Austria Red Bull-Renault 440
2 Italy Ferrari 367
3 United Kingdom McLaren-Mercedes 353
4 United Kingdom Lotus-Renault 302
5 Germany Mercedes 136
6 Switzerland Sauber-Ferrari 122
7 India Force India-Mercedes 99
8 United Kingdom Williams-Renault 76
9 Italy Toro Rosso-Ferrari 21
10 Malaysia Caterham-Renault 0
11 Russia Marussia-Cosworth 0
12 Spain HRT-Cosworth 0

Notes[]

  1. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named VET pole
  2. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named GRO 5 place
  3. "Felipe Massa grid penalty elevates Fernando Alonso". BBC Sport. November 18, 2012. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/20386671. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
V T E 2012 Formula One Season
Teams Red Bull | McLaren | Ferrari | Mercedes | Lotus | Force India | Sauber | Toro Rosso | Williams | Caterham | HRT | Marussia
Engines Renault | Mercedes | Ferrari | Cosworth
Race Drivers Vettel | 2 Webber | 3 Button | 4 Hamilton | 5 Alonso | 6 Massa | 7 Schumacher | 8 Rosberg | 9 Räikkönen | 10 Grosjean | 10 D'Ambrosio | 11 Di Resta | 12 Hülkenberg | 14 Kobayashi | 15 Pérez | 16 Ricciardo | 17 Vergne | 18 Maldonado | 19 Senna | 20 Kovalainen | 21 Petrov | 22 De la Rosa | 23 Karthikeyan | 24 Glock | 25 Pic
Other Drivers Buemi | Paffett | Turvey | Rigon | Bird | Bianchi | Daly | Gutiérrez | Bottas | Wolff | Van der Garde | Rossi | González | Clos | Luizzi | de Villota | Chilton
Cars RB8 | MP4-27 | F2012 | F1 W03 | E20 | VJM05 | C31 | STR7 | FW34 | CT01 | F112 | MR01
Tyres Pirelli
Races Australia | Malaysia | China | Bahrain | Spain | Monaco | Canada | Europe | Britain | Germany | Hungary | Belgium | Italy | Singapore | Japan | Korea | India | Abu Dhabi | United States | Brazil
Team Reports Red Bull | McLaren | Ferrari | Mercedes | Lotus | Force India | Sauber | Toro Rosso | Williams | Caterham | HRT | Marussia
Driver Reports Vettel | Webber | Button | Hamilton | Alonso | Massa | Schumacher | Rosberg | Räikkönen | Grosjean | di Resta | Hülkenberg | Kobayashi | Pérez | Ricciardo | Vergne | Maldonado | Senna | Kovalainen | Petrov | de la Rosa | Karthikeyan | Karthikeyan | Glock | Pic
Tests Jerez | Barcelona 1 | Barcelona 2 | Mugello | Young Driver
See also 2011 Formula One Season | 2013 Formula One Season | Bahrain GP protests | Category
V T E United States United States Grand Prix
Circuits Sebring (1959), Riverside (1960), Watkins Glen (1961–1980), Phoenix (1989–1991), Indianapolis (2000–2007), Austin (2012–present)
CircuitoftheAmericas2012
Formula One Races 19591960196119621963196419651966196719681969197019711972197319741975197619771978197919801981–19881989199019911992–1999200020012002200320042005200620072008–2011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023
Non-F1 races 1908190919101911191219131914191519161917–1957 • 1958
See also Miami Grand PrixLas Vegas Grand PrixUnited States Grand Prix WestIndianapolis 500Detroit Grand PrixCaesars Palace Grand PrixDallas Grand PrixQuestor Grand Prix
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