JAMES VOWLES "Well done, Alex. You're showing good resilience out there. Unfortunately, when someone hit you into turn one, that damaged the car and it was race over for you. Thank you for fighting through. The good news is the car's got pace, so we'll get it right in quali and we've got a good chance the remaining of the year." ALEX "Yeah, well, we need to fix the car. I don't think it's all that great. I don't think we are understanding it much with the rear locking, but well done to Franco. I think we're quicker than the midfield, most of them." JAMES VOWLES "Yeah, understood on that rear locking. We will get on top of it."

Alex takes the chequered flag in P16 after racing with floor damage since the opening lap. A tough day for Albono but he fought hard in his 100th Grand Prix.

OCO boxes meaning Alex rises another place to P16. LAP 54/56

5 laps remaining here at COTA. Alex currently chasing down Stroll for P16...

Alex catches up with the Sauber of Bottas and makes his move up to P17. LAP 48/56

Alex still pushing from the back of the grid here. Keep going Albono... LAP 42/56

Alex is called into the pits on lap 34 and swaps for fresh hard tyres. Returns to the track in P19.

"It's good pace. We'll extend as long as we can at the moment." LAP 33/50

"The car is coming back to me. It's just f***ing around."

Alex battling against multiple cars here. GAS seems to pass by leaving the track and gaining an advantage, currently being investigated. TSU also passes Alex, now sitting in P15. LAP 30/56

Albono with a top draw overtake on Stroll coming out of Turn 15! Up to P14 now... LAP 28/56

"This pace is good." LAP 26/56

Albono is now within DRS range of Stroll in P14 and chasing down the rear wing of the Aston Martin... LAP 25/56

The pit window has opened here and the pack are starting to box. Alex longing it out currently, moving up the grid to P14. LAP 20/56

"16 laps into this race and we don't know what other people are doing." LAP 17/56

"Have a look at Turn 19. That's the worst corner." LAP 14/56

ZHO spins and Alex gains a place up the grid. P18 currently. LAP 10/56

Alex is at the back of a 14-car DRS train here. P19 currently. LAP 8/56

And we are back racing here at COTA on lap 7...

"Alex from here, you're looking at plan B."

Alex making use of the safety car to pit, boxing for fresh medium tyres and a new front wing. LAP 4/56

There's a safety car here on lap 3 as Hamilton spins off. Alex currently in P18...

Lights out here at COTA! Alex makes contact with Ocon on the opening lap resulting in a drop back to P18 for the time being...

Alex on his formation lap here. It's almost time...

Alex will be itching to battle his way up the grid from P14. Tyre management will be key here with Albono starting the race on fresh medium Pirellis...

We are just moments away here in Austin! The grid is pumping and the track is scorching, 5 minutes to go till lights out....

Getting set in Austin

Alex's 100th Grand Prix is almost upon us! Stay tuned for live updates as Albono goes racing at the Circuit of the Americas...

Alex just misses out on going through to Q2 by 0.018 of a second. It's such a shame but we have no doubt Albono will be ready to battle up the grid from P16 tomorrow.

Alex improves on his previous time with a 1:34.051 - currently in P13, it's gonna be close...

Alex ventures back onto track with another set of fresh soft tyres, 4 minutes remaining to improve his Q2 chances - currently in P12.

Alex heads back into the garage for the time being, currently sitting in P9 with just over 6 minutes to go...

Alex sets a 1:34.102 to go P6 for the time being...

Alex boxes early for some fresh soft tyres and heads straight back out...

Alex goes P1 for now, albeit being one of the only drivers to set a time...

We are underway here at the Circuit of The Americas. Alex is first out onto track here...

Alex is out right at the front of the queue ready to go in Q1...

Lid on, ready to go...

Howdy all Albono fans! We are back from Austin, quali is just moments away - let's go...

We'll be back later for Grand Prix Qualifying. Join us then!

"Well done Alex, tough race fighting back through all that, but some good learning we can take forward for the rest of the weekend," says the Team Principal. "Yeah, I think some things worked, some things didn't," is Albono's reply.

And that's it. Alex just ran out of time to catch Lawson - but there's race pace in this car, and it bodes well for the rest of the weekend!

Alex is into DRS range of Lawson. Can he catch him? 2 laps to go.

"Pace is good," Alex's race engineer reports.

"Nice work into Turn 1. Gap to car in front at 2.6"

Alex gets past Alonso into Turn 1, and he is up to P17. Three positions gained, there is race pace in this car!

Next up the road is Alonso. Alex is within DRS range of the Spaniard. 8 to go.

Alex gets Bottas, and he's up to P18. 10 laps to go.

"There's a train of three cars being held up by Ocon in P15, so they're all in the DRS train," is the call from the pit lane.

Alex gets Zhou on the long run down to Turn 12. Bottas next!

"The rear locking is insane" Alex reports

"Zhou is almost out of DRS range of Bottas"

Alex is right behind Zhou in P19. Can he get a pass done?

Alex up to the back of the pack without any trouble. What can he do from here?

Alex will remain in the pit lane while the others do a lap.

43 degrees celsius, to be exact. And the wind will make things tricky too!

Alex will take a pit lane start for the Sprint after setup changes were made to his car.

Checking in 📍

First up: it's time to Sprint!

Albono records a time of 1:37.706, but it's not enough to beat his previous best lap of 1:35.054. Unfortunately that's only good enough for a P18 finish, so Alex exits at the end of SQ1. Thanks for joining us today — we'll be back tomorrow, when the Sprint Race gets under way in Austin.

Alex's first lap comes in at 1:35.054. He's currently in P9.

"Go push..."

Alex ventures out onto Circuit of the Americas, as the clock starts ticking in SQ1.

This season’s fourth Sprint Quali is under way! Don’t forget that it’s medium tyres only at this stage…

Sprint Quali is just five minutes away.

More action from Austin coming up shortly... 🔜

All set for Sprint Quali 🏎️

Alex finishes the session in P14, with a best lap time of 1:34.618. We’ll be back later today for Sprint Quali!

Albono switches back to used hard tyres for the final few minutes of FP1.

Alex's first completed push on soft tyres results in a best lap time of the session — 1:34.618. That moves him up to P7.

We're entering the closing stages of Free Practice 1.

It’s another stint at Circuit of the Americas for Alex, this time on soft tyres.

Albono is called back into the garage.

AA23 is gathering data for the team, as he takes in some race simulation...

Alex heads back out, still on hard tyres.

Albono returns to the pits for the first time today.

It's rather gusty at Circuit of the Americas at present.

AA23 records a new best lap time of 1:36.838, putting him into P5 as things stand.

Albono posts a first lap time of 1:39.401.

Alex heads out onto the track in Austin, on a set of hard tyres.

FP1 is under way!

We’re almost ready to get going at Circuit of the Americas.

Ready for FP1 🔜

Hello and welcome to Alex’s United States Grand Prix live blog! We’ll be bringing you coverage of AA23’s progress across the weekend, starting with Free Practice 1 in 45 minutes time…