Formula 1: United States Grand Prix Betting Preview

Formula 1 returns from a month-long hiatus into a Sprint weekend for the US Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA).

The last six races of the season will take place over eight weeks and feature two double-headers. New constructors’ championship leaders McLaren have won the previous two GP and head to Austin as favourites.

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, winless since June, holds a 53-point lead over Lando Norris. Verstappen has won the last three US GP, however, the Briton has the momentum heading into the final quarter of the season.

Several teams are bringing upgrades to Texas after working flat out at their factories to produce parts for this weekend’s race. Mercedes will use their final upgrade of 2024 as they attempt to tackle the top teams.

The Track

The 5.5km track was resurfaced to reduce the bumpy nature of the circuit. In addition, the track limits have been increased by repainting the lines on the outside of various corners.

There are 20 Turns featuring two straights, tight hairpins, and medium-speed sections that draw inspiration from iconic circuits like Silverstone and Suzuka.

It also features a lofty 40m elevation change heading into the first turn and can be tricky as cars tend to bunch up. Drivers should be cautious at the first turn otherwise their race could end prematurely.

COTA features two DRS zones, although we haven’t seen much fantastic close racing in recent years. There is more of an emphasis placed on team strategy and managing tyre degradation.

Regarding setup, teams have to strike a balance between wanting good straight-line speed or better performance in the medium-speed sections. Tyre management is crucial at COTA and teams will likely do a two or three-stop strategy.

Red Bull Relying On Upgrades To Challenge McLaren

Verstappen has a great record at COTA, winning on his last three visits. But his backs against the wall with McLaren winning three of the last four races.

The three-time world champion has struggled with the Red Bull car this season at times. He complained about its balance and how it struggles with high kerbs found at traditional tracks. Red Bull team boss Christian Horner is pinning the team’s hopes on the upgrades for COTA to provide their driver with the ingredients to challenge McLaren.

McLaren team boss Andrea is aware of a renewed threat this weekend. “Many teams will be bringing updates in these final races, so we expect some close competition, but as always, we keep our heads down, focus on ourselves and look to consistently deliver points in our quest for both titles,” he said.

We expect McLaren to be dominant but look out for strong performances from Mercedes and Ferrari.

Stat of the weekend: Lewis Hamilton has finished one place behind Max Verstappen in the last three US GP.

Predictions

Grand Prix Winner: Norris

Grand Prix podium: Norris, Piastri, Verstappen

Sprint Winner: Piastri

Sprint podium: Piastri, Norris, Verstappen

Top 4 and 5: Lewis Hamilton, Sainz

Winning Margin: Under six seconds

Fastest lap: Lando Norris

Pole position: Norris

First to retire: Zhou Guanyu

First car to retire: Sauber

Most Team Points: McLaren

Both Cars Qualify for Q3 Shootout: Mercedes

Practice 1/2/3 Winning Car: Norris/ McLaren

Safety Car: Yes

Top 6: George Russell, Sergio Perez, Alex Albon

Top 10: Fernando Alonso, Nico Hulkenberg

Fastest pit stop: Red Bull