Lewis Hamilton’s countdown to the US Grand Prix took an unexpected twist when he got locked in his private Mercedes room as his official press conference time ticked by. But the average age of those consulted was just 32 and Hamilton was the best-supported participant among the over 45s, as well as the most liked driver among British fans. Anyway, here at the Circuit of Americas Hamilton remains the local favourite. ‘It is a place of great, great memories – a beautiful city with an amazing crowd and great races. At the centre of the excitement is, of course, the rivalry between Hamilton and Verstappen, with the Dutchman leading the championship standings by six points with six races remaining. ‘It is important to win every race somehow and to maximise our points over the next six races. Mexico (the race that follows the US) is not going to be good for us.

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