There was to be no repeat of Abu Dhabi’s break-through victory this weekend in the first race at the new Circuit of the Americas circuit in Austin, Texas, but the team still managed to bring in both cars home in the points.

Both cars started on the unfavorable, dirty, side of the grid and lost places off the line – but while Raikkonen lost out through the Esses battling with Hulkenburg, Grosjean fought back and made it past the Finn in the opening laps before spinning under braking – losing time and positions and being very lucky not to beach the car as he stopped with both rear tyres in the gravel.

Both cars fought hard through the race and by the flag Grosjean had made up the time lost to Raikkonen, but neither driver was able to hold off the fast finishing Button and came home 6th and 7th.

The strong race from McLaren sealed the teams position in the constructors championship – with Lotus no longer able to catch the Woking based outfit in third. Fourth in the constructors championship is just one place higher than the team managed in 2011, but a points tally of over 4 times the previous years shows just how much the team has improved. In the drivers championship Raikkonen remains in 3rd position, but Hamiltons victory today puts him in to striking distance of the Finn at next weeks finale in Brazil.

Discussion: SELOC Chat – F1 GP – Texas

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