Top ten pictures from the 2012 United States GP

2012 United States Grand Prix

Posted on

| Written by

Ten of the best pictures which tell the story of the United States Grand Prix.

Mark Webber, Friday practice

The Circuit of the Americas caught driver after driver out on Friday with is slippery surface. Among them was Mark Webber, who had this harmless spin off the track.

Michael Schumacher, Friday practice

Michael Schumacher explored the new track but this was his one and only appearance at the Circuit of the Americas as he retires after the next race in Brazil.

The track’s run-off areas originally featured a patriotic combinations of stars and stripes, but the stars were removed prior to the race weekend after broadcasters said they would be distracting.

Romain Grosjean, Saturday

Romain Grosjean was back on form in qualifying, beating team mate Kimi Raikkonen to fourth on the grid.

Unfortunately his hard work was undone by a gearbox change penalty and then a spin during the race. He finished seventh.

Felipe Massa, Saturday

After conducting practice starts with both cars Ferrari concluded they did not want Fernando Alonso starting from the dirty side of the grid in his eighth position.

The team took the controversial decision to deliberately incur a gearbox penalty for Felipe Massa, dropping him from sixth to eleventh, promoting Alonso to seventh place and the clean side of the grid.

Fan, Circuit of the Americas

Just one of the hundreds of thousands of Formula One fans who turned up to see the return of Grand Prix racing in America. His headgear reveals he’s been to a few previous F1 races in America and the Indianapolis 500, and made visits to Ferrari’s home grounds at Monza and Imola.

Start, United States Grand Prix

The effect of starting on the dirty side of the grid was immediately apparent. As the cars headed to turn one those who started on the left already had the drivers who had lined up behind and to their right alongside them. However Grosjean made a decent start from the eighth position Alonso had vacated.

Pastor Maldonado and Bruno Senna, United States Grand Prix

Williams team mates Pastor Maldonado and Bruno Senna diced for position at turn one.

Leiws Hamilton, United States Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton seized his opportunity to win the United States Grand Prix when Sebastian Vettel was briefly delayed by the lapped Narain Kathikeyan.

Like Mika Hakkinen before him, Hamilton won his penultimate race for McLaren in the USA before leaving the team.

Mario Andretti, United States Grand Prix

Fittingly, 1978 world champion and Circuit of the Americas ambassador Mario Andretti joined the all-champions podium after the race. And he donned one of Pirelli’s Stetson hats as well.

Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso, United States Grand Prix

Red Bull clinched the constructors’ championship in America but the drivers’ championship shootout is set for next Sunday in the Brazilian Grand Prix.

More United States Grand Prix pictures

Share your United States Grand Prix pictures and video

Were you at the Circuit of the Americas last weekend? Share your pictures and video from the United States Grand Prix here:

2012 United States Grand Prix

    Browse all 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix articles

    Images © Red Bull/Getty images, Mercedes/Hoch Zwei, Lotus F1 Team/LAT, Ferrari/Ercole Colombo, COTA, Pirelli/LAT, Williams/LAT, McLaren/Hoch Zwei, COTA, Red Bull/Getty images

    Author information

    Keith Collantine
    Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

    Got a potential story, tip or enquiry? Find out more about RaceFans and contact us here.

    16 comments on “Top ten pictures from the 2012 United States GP”

    1. The track’s run-off areas originally featured a patriotic combinations of stars and stripes, but the stars were removed prior to the race weekend after broadcasters said they would be distracting.

      Pah… what a shame. It looked very cool.

      By the way, distracting to who? the drivers, doubt it. The spectators? heck, once you see them, you won’t stare at them as if they were the prettiest thing on earth.

      1. I thought it was more to do with the detracting the attention from the sponsors…

        1. That’s the version I read as well @electrolite. The stars apparently made the sponsor-banners lose out for attention.

          1. Not that any F1 fan pays attention to any of the adverts this far into a season. UBwho? LGwhat? Pirellmeh… THey just become shapes in the background that no-one takes any notice of.

            Put the stars back. They looked great.

    2. Yeah, finally the photo with Mario. Thanks Keith. Great photos as usual. Great coverage.

    3. broadcasters said they would be distracting

      Who are these broadcasters and how is it that they get a say in these matters?

      1. I found the colors already … welll, not distracting but just too much / over the top.
        Already from the first time I saw it at Paul Ricard.

    4. The picture of Grosjean is so confusing!

    5. What a fantastic set of photos, maybe the best all year.

    6. Nice photos, great track, even better race. I don’t recall any carbon fibre debris on track in the race, which seems unusual this year.

      1. Exactly, no front wing damage!

    7. the cowbow’s hat has also been to daytona and and montreal a least twice. this guy means business!

      1. You met him before? How do you remember then?

        1. Checking the pins on the hats I see he made it to: Imola, Monza, Indy F1 (x3), Canada (x3) and Indy 500… (but I don’t see any Daytona).

          1. up and left 3 pins from imola 2006

      2. @f1yankee Such a cool hat, he must be very proud of it.

    Comments are closed.