
That was the weekend that was
The US Grand Prix according to social media
Brad Pitt, Alex Palou, Daniel Ruffiardo and Ricky Bobby all walk into a paddock led by Daniel Ricciardo riding on a horse… There's a joke in there somewhere, surely?
And no, it wasn't a dream, Daniel really did strut through the paddock on a horse.
These days, we're not quite sure what classifies as a race that had it all, but the US Grand Prix certainly had a lot. America rarely fails to deliver the weird and the wonderful but this weekend it was at its wackiest. And that's before we even get to the on-track action, which included Palou's Formula 1 debut in FP1 and a rapid recovery drive from Lando in the race.
Now that we've had a bit of time to digest it all, let's see if we can make sense of everything that went on in Austin. As always, the best way to do that is by letting you tell the story through social media.
We're still rubbing our eyes at this…
We did our research and on the roads in Texas, horses are legally treated the same as any other vehicle and are subject to the same rules and regulations… Now, there's no precedent set, but we're just going to go ahead and assume it’s the same in the paddock. If Lando can ride a bike, why can't Daniel ride a horse?
Of all the celebrities to make an appearance in Austin this weekend, Horsey McHorse was surely the biggest VIP.
Good question, @evoque… And unbelievably, the answer is yes.
Some more ridiculousness for you… We couldn't explain the horse and no, we can't explain this either. All we can tell you for certain is that we loved it.
Thanks for stopping by, Brad Pitt… And no, we wouldn't be so childish as to make any Pitt-stop jokes…
Us too, @dayanarzata.
One step ahead of you, @McLarenSte…
Speaking of which, meet Daniel Ruffiardo, the newest member of the McLaren team.
That's some next-level graphic design.
Where can we get one of those cookies?
Brad Pitt, Horsey McHorse and Daniel Ruffiardo weren't our only special guests this weekend. 2021 INDYCAR champion Alex Palou made his F1 debut for McLaren in FP1, driving Daniel's MCL36.
The widest smile in the whole of the paddock.
Still not content with all of our special guests? How about the return of Ricky Bobby.
This would be epic.
More baking? Come on people you've got to start sharing the goods.
It was great to see so many of you sporting our US GP merch.
And so many cardboard cut-outs too… Did we miss the memo? Presumably, it was on cardboard.
Nice paint job, @klaudia2499. Keep up the creativity, we love it!
Speaking of creativity, this is brilliant.
Much appreciated, @Mc_LaurenF1!
It was great to see so many of you getting into the spirit, your passion is contagious.
That's some effort, @DanTheFabMan!
It wasn't only @DanTheFabMan, the Circuit of the Americas was a sea of papaya. It was great to see so many familiar faces.
Seems a lot of you were at Turns 15 and 19… Did you link up?
Okay, @Jakeherringmcfc, we're official jealous.
As race day predictions go, that's probably a fair assessment, @Joost_Landzaat.
How about some race-related predictions?
It was always going to be a tough ask with Daniel starting from 15th. The Honey Badger gave it all he'd got, but unfortunately wasn't able to progress through the field. With your support, we'll dust ourselves off and go again. He'll give it everything in the final three races.
On the opposite side of the garage, Lando finished where he started, but that doesn't tell half the story, with the British star falling to 15th before fighting his way back through the pack to sixth with a rapid recovery in the final 20 laps.
If you're going to finish where you started, that's certainly the most entertaining way to go about it.
Another one!
Tired, Lando? You and us both….
Time to recharge those batteries. Just three races remain and its another tough one up next, as we cross the border to Mexico.
We can't wait to see you all there…. Or as they say in Mexico, Nos vemos pronto.



2022 United States Grand Prix
McLaren Formula 1's 2022 United States Grand Prix – Race report
McLAREN combine
Do Lando and Daniel have what it takes to make it to the NFL?
Palou 'loved every second' of his F1 debut in Austin
Alex Palou describes his time behind the wheel of the MCL36 during FP1 at the US Grand Prix
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