F1 fans spot Daniel Ricciardo and Lance Stroll blunders at Austin Grand Prix

19 October 2023 , 08:18

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Austin is preparing for the big race weekend

F1 hits America this week - but Daniel Ricciardo and Lance Stroll will be uncomfortable at the welcomes they've received.

More than 440,00 fans will flock to the Austin GP this weekend, including multiple A-list celebs, for the second of three F1 races in America this year. It will be the 11th time the Circuit of Americas has hosted F1, having taken over from Indianapolis.

But fans have already spotted two huge blunders from organisers as preparations get underway for Friday's qualifying sessions. That will be followed by a Saturday sprint race, with the Grand Prix itself taking place 8pm GMT on Sunday.

The weekend will mark the return of Ricciardo, who will drive for Red Bull's sister team Alpha Tauri after recovering from a broken hand. But the Australian arrived at the venue to see his name incorrectly spelt 'Daniel Riccardo' above his garage.

@V3RLEC flagged up the mistake on social media, writing: "Daniel RICCIARDO WITH AN I finally comes back after two months and this is the first thing he has to see." And it wasn't the only error on show, as noted by another X user in @ValeroRacing.

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"Here in Austin preparations for the #USGP are ongoing," they wrote. "Interesting detail though, the posters around the COTA track show Felipe Drugovich alongside the rest of the drivers instead of Lance Stroll."

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Drugovich does serve as a back-up driver to Stroll and Fernando Alonso at Aston Martin. However, the 23-year-old has never competed in an F1 race, making his inclusion all the more baffling.

The errors would have been lamented by Austin GP chiefs, who are keen to outdo the upcoming Las Vegas Grand Prix. F1 will hit 'sin city' for the first time in November, with the famous Las Vegas strip part of the temporary street circuit.

Regardless, there is nothing up for grabs in terms of titles in the final five Grand Prix races of 2023. Max Verstappen is already crowned F1 world champion for the third successive season, and his Red Bull team have long wrapped up the constructors' title.

Fraser Watson