McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton – the winner of the last United States Grand Prix in 2008 – won the first race at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, while second for Sebastian Vettel put the Red Bull driver on the verge of a third consecutive title at the championship decider in Brazil. Third place for Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso – the German’s only championship rival – has also kept his title hopes alive, meaning that for the first time in its history Pirelli will come to the final race of the season as sole tyre supplier with two drivers fighting it out for the championship crown on the last round. Pirelli’s Paul Hembery expressed the company’s excitement at the position of the championship. While he admitted Pirelli could have supplied its softest compounds at Austin, the company could be forgiven for erring on the side of caution, with so little data available for the new circuit.