2017 American Grand Prix preview

Did you know that 10 different circuits in the United States have staged an F1 world championship round - but only six of those have hosted a US Grand Prix? And that only two of the current drivers have won a race in the US?

Here are some more facts about the Grand Prix:

Circuit: Circuit of The Americas

Circuit length: 5.513 km

Number of corners: 20 (9 right, 11 left)

DRS zones: 2

Race laps: 56

Race distance: 308.405 km

Circuit lap record: 1m 39.347s - Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull, 2012

First world championship US Grand Prix: 1959, Sebring (won by Bruce McLaren, Cooper-Climax)

Number of US Grands Prix: 38 (Watkins Glen - 20; Indianapolis - 8; Phoenix - 3; Austin - 5; 
Sebring, Riverside - 1)

Additional Formula One Grands Prix in the US:* 18 (Long Beach - 8; Detroit - 7; Las Vegas - 2; Dallas - 1)
*Not including the Indianapolis 500, which was officially a world championship round between 1950 and 1960.

Longest US Grand Prix: 1960 Riverside (2h 28m 52.2s)

Shortest US Grand Prix: 2005 Indianapolis (1h 29m 43.181s)

Last year's podium: 1 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), 2 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes), 3 - Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull)

Most US Grand Prix appearances (current field): 11 - Fernando Alonso, Kimi Raikkonen; 9 - Felipe Massa; 6 - Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel

Most US Grand Prix wins (driver): 5 - Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton; 3 - Jim Clark, Graham Hill; 2 - Jackie Stewart, Carlos Reutemann, James Hunt, Ayrton Senna; 1 - Bruce McLaren, Stirling Moss, Innes Ireland, Jochen Rindt, Emerson Fittipaldi, Francois Cevert, Ronnie Peterson, Niki Lauda, Gilles Villeneuve, Alan Jones, Alain Prost, Mika Hakkinen, Rubens Barrichello, Sebastian Vettel

Most US Grand Prix wins (constructor): 9 - Ferrari; 8 - Lotus, McLaren; 3 - BRM, Mercedes; 2 - Tyrrell; 1 - Cooper, Matra, Brabham, Williams, Red Bull

Most US Grand Prix wins (engine manufacturer): 11 - Ford; 9 - Ferrari; 6 - Mercedes; 4 - Climax, BRM; 3 - Honda; 1 - Renault

Most US Grand Prix pole positions (driver): 4 - Michael Schumacher; 3 - Graham Hill; 2 - Stirling Moss, Jack Brabham, Jim Clark, Mario Andretti, Jackie Stewart, James Hunt, Ayrton Senna, Sebastian Vettel, Nico Rosberg, Lewis Hamilton; 1 - Jochen Rindt, Jacky Ickx, Ronnie Peterson, Carlos Reutemann, Niki Lauda, Alan Jones, Bruno Giacomelli, Gerhard Berger, Kimi Raikkonen, Rubens Barrichello, Jarno Trulli

Most US Grand Prix pole positions (constructor): 8 - Lotus; 7 - Ferrari, McLaren; 3 - Mercedes; 2 - Cooper, BRM, Brabham, Tyrrell, Red Bull; 1 - Williams, Alfa Romeo, Toyota

Most US Grand Prix pole positions (engine manufacturer): 11 - Ford; 7 - Ferrari; 5 - Climax, Mercedes; 4 - Honda; 2 - BRM, Renault; 1 - Repco, Alfa Romeo, Toyota

Number of US GP wins from pole: 17 from 38; two from five in Austin

Lowest US GP winning grid position: 10th (Bruce McLaren, Cooper/Climax, at Sebring in 1959)

Most US GP podium places (current field): 5 - Lewis Hamilton; 3 - Sebastian Vettel; 2 - Felipe Massa, Fernando Alonso, Nico Rosberg, Daniel Ricciardo; 1 - Kimi Raikkonen, Romain Grosjean

Number of American drivers to have started at least one Grand Prix: 40

Best F1 finish by an American driver: 1st (by five different drivers - Mario Andretti, Dan Gurney, Phil Hill, Peter Revson, Richie Ginther)

Best finish by an American driver on US soil: 1st (Mario Andretti, in the USA West Grand Prix at Long Beach, 1977)

Fascinating fact: Bruce McLaren, Jochen Rindt and Emerson Fittipaldi are among a number of well-known drivers to have claimed their breakthrough F1 wins in United States Grands Prix. Of the current grid, though eight different drivers have led at least one lap, only Lewis Hamilton (2007, 2012, 2014-2016) and Sebastian Vettel (2013) have triumphed on US soil.

Now let's see my predictions:

Pole position: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes

Race:

1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
2. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes
3. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull

Fastest lap: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes

Surprise: Keep an eye on Nico Hulkenberg. He has been pretty good in Austin with Sauber and Force India.

Post your own predictions to our F1-4-LIFE PREDICTORS LEAGUE!

The rules:

POINTS:  1st - 3  2nd - 5  3rd - 10 

HOW IT WORKS: the aim of the game is simply predict who comes where in the race (top3). A total of 18 points can be won on a race day. If you get winner and and 3rd place right but 2nd wrong you get 13 points same if you get 1 correct. eg. 2nd you get 5 points. If a driver wins the race and you said he would come 2nd or 3rd no points would be awarded. Same if he came in another position, and you predicted that wrong. A table will be posted up every race weekend. The point scoring system will change once the cars become more competitive. Everyone will say a merc 1,2 so it won't be close or fun. 

HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR PREDICTIONS: send an email to f14lifeblog@gmail.com or message the Facebook page to submit your predictions. You have until lights out to make them. If you submit them when the race has started they won't count. So be quick! like the Mercedes. 

THE PRIZE: the winner of the league will win themselves a admin place on the F1 4 LIFE page along side AE, JT, MW, MH, JI and PM. If you don't want to be an admin you are welcome to participate anyway. We may also come up with some other prize if it helps. 

That's it for today and if you want to send me feedback then email me: f14lifeblog@gmail.com