Only top five hold qualifying positions after array of Austin penalties
Sunday 22 October 2017 20:07, UK
The provisional starting grid for Sunday's United States GP has been confirmed, with only five of the 20 drivers placed in the positions they qualified.
Behind the top five and the starting grid in Austin has been altered by four drivers - Max Verstappen, Stoffel Vandoorne, Nico Hulkenberg and Brendon Hartley - picking up engine penalties and two others, Lance Stroll and Kevin Magnussen, being hit by grid drops for blocking other cars in qualifying.
US GP Race Day: Sky F1 schedule
A provisional line-up was published on Saturday night but Vandoorne has now taken an extra 25-point penalty for further Honda engine changes on his McLaren. He is now set to start last.
Red Bull's Verstappen is set to start 16th, although the penalties elsewhere mean the Dutchman is only dropping 10 places from the sixth place he qualified instead of the 15 he was meant to lose for exceeding engine allowances.
Despite both being hit by three-place demotions, Stroll (15th) and Magnussen (17th) actually gain two and three places respectively on the grid due to the fact Vandoorne, Hulkenberg and Hartley's engine-change penalties are far larger.
Lewis Hamilton starts on pole ahead of title rival Sebastian Vettel with the Englishman in with an outside chance of wrapping up his fourth world title early. If he wins the race, Vettel must finish at least fifth to keep the fight alive until next week's Mexican GP.
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But with Valtteri Bottas starting third, Mercedes are in position to seal their fourth consecutive Constructors' Championship on Sunday. Ferrari need to outscore the reigning champions by 17 points to stay in contention.
The race starts at 8pm on Sunday evening on Sky Sports F1, with the channel's build-up underway from 6.30pm.
Provisional US GP starting grid
1) Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
2) Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari
3) Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes
4) Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull
5) Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari
6) Esteban Ocon, Force India
7) Carlos Sainz, Renault
8) Fernando Alonso, McLaren
9) Sergio Perez, Force India
10) Felipe Massa, Williams
11) Daniil Kvyat, Toro Rosso
12) Romain Grosjean, Haas
13) Marcus Ericsson, Sauber
14) Pascal Wehrlein, Sauber
15) Lance Stroll, Williams
16) Max Verstappen, Red Bull
17) Kevin Magnussen, Haas
18) Nico Hulkenberg, Renault
19) Brendon Hartley, Toro Rosso
20) Stoffel Vandoorne, McLaren
UNITED STATES GP ON SKY SPORTS F1
6.30pm - US GP Track Parade LIVE!
7pm - US GP Pit Lane LIVE!
7.30pm - US GP Race Build-up LIVE!
8pm - THE UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX LIVE!
10.30pm - US GP Paddock LIVE!
Will Lewis Hamilton clinch his fourth world championship in Austin? Watch the US GP weekend live on Sky Sports F1 - the race begins at 8pm on Sunday. Want to watch but not got Sky F1? Buy a NOW TV pass from £6.99!
