As F1 travels to the United States for the second of three visits this season, the US Grand Prix in Austin, Texas is shaping up to be a pivotal race.
The Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas is a favourite among fans and drivers, praised by drivers like Jenson Button and Mark Webber for its first sector. F1 has been visiting this track since 2012, when over 100,000 spectators gathered at the inaugural event.
The track may seem familiar to the eagle-eyed F1 fans. That’s because Turns 3 to 6 mimic Silverstone’s Maggotts and Beckettes corners and the S Curves at Suzuka. The steep uphill run to Turn 1 has provided some great overtaking opportunities in recent years. Like in 2024, when Charles Leclerc jumped from 4th to 1st on just the opening corner. While COTA provides plenty of entertainment for fans, the amount of left-hand turns compared to right-hand ones puts greater physical strain on the drivers’ necks. Overall, with a track praised by drivers and fans, COTA should deliver some great wheel-to-wheel action this year.
With McLaren already confirmed as Constructors’ Champions, the focus shifts to the battle for the Drivers’ title. Max Verstappen is 63 points behind Oscar Piastri, and with six races to go, his hopes for a 5th world title must be wearing thin. The McLaren duo’s battle rages on, with Norris trailing only 22 points behind the Australian. Last time out in Singapore, some contact between the pair led to post-race discussions within the team on how the two were racing each other. Does this mean any ‘papaya rules’ could come into place this week? We will soon find out.
George Russell delivered an impressive win last weekend in Singapore, and Mercedes seem to be going from strength to strength. Mercedes have warned not to expect too much at the coming tracks, but say that they hope to continue on this upwards trend. With Ferrari 27 points behind the Silver Arrows, the battle for second place in the World Constructors’ Championship isn’t wrapped up just yet. But with disappointing 6th and 8th place finishes in Singapore, Ferrari seem to be one step behind.
Now, what does COTA bring to the table for our rookies? As with Singapore, F2 and F3 do not race in Austin. This means the rookies could have trouble on an unfamiliar track. However, Kimi Antonelli did have a standout performance last time we travelled to North America, capturing his maiden podium in Canada. Could the Italian have another surprise this week? Liam Lawson raced at this track last year, finishing 9th. This was a notable achievement as he started from the back of the grid. VCARB fans will be keen for Lawson to repeat this points finish. As for Hadjar, Bortoleto, and Bearman, none of these rookies have ever taken on the Texas circuit. Despite finishing outside of the points, Hadjar qualified Q3 again in Singapore, so is looking for a strong performance at COTA. Breaking a long streak of good performances, Gabriel Bortoleto finished 17th in Singapore. The Brazilian will be hoping to spring back to his usual form, and at a very different circuit, he could have a great chance. Finally, Ollie Bearman scored points in Singapore and managed the race smartly. At his team Haas’s home race, it would be great for Bearman some points and impress the home crowd.
