GOING FOR A SMOKE
Neatly parked on the start/ finish stripe of the Circuit of The Americas is the iconic shape of a Mustang. Under the hood is a 5.8-litre V8: pure American muscle capable of producing 725 thunderous horsepower. When it fires up…
Mechanics from Stewart-Haas Racing, breath condensing in the morning chill, huddle around the steel-framed beast. It is unseasonably cold here in Texas, but finally the numb-fingered posse persuade the Ford to rumble into life. Hot, blue smoke billows out of the pipes positioned just ahead of the right-rear fender.
The guttural roar tempts both Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen out of the relative warmth of the Haas F1 garage to inspect their sister team’s. Both F1 drivers are grinning from ear to ear at the prospect of wrestling the powerful but heavy Mustang around the fast sweeps of Austin’s quick circuit, a day before practice begins for the United States Grand Prix.
