After almost a two-year hiatus, F1 finally returns to Austin, Texas for the 2021 US Grand Prix where points are at a premium particularly for Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen.
Six points is the difference between these two world-class drivers after both fell short in the Turkish Grand Prix. And six is the number of races left – including this one – that will eventually determine this season’s champions.
Max Verstappen was able to reclaim the lead when he finished second in Istanbul behind Valtteri Bottas, while Lewis Hamilton had to settle for the fifth spot following a grid drop due to a power change.
The Dutch driver now has pole position in the drivers standings but he’ll be in for a challenge considering the fact that the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) is one of Mercedes’ favourite tracks.
With another exciting race in the horizon, allow SBOTOP to get you up to speed with the latest US Grand Prix 2021 updates.
Mercedes plan to dominate in COTA but Red Bull have other plans
Getting maximum points in Austin, Texas is going to be the main objective for Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen this weekend.
COTA has been known as a stronghold for the Silver Arrows. Meanwhile, the next race after this – the Mexican Grand Prix – is a great track for Red Bull since they’ve won twice there in the last five years.
Looking ahead to this weekend’s race, Lewis Hamilton knows what’s at stake and he vows to put on a good show while maximising his chances.
“A lot can happen in these six races, so I think we’re just taking it one race at a time, give it everything we’ve got,” said Hamilton.
Mercedes appeared to have improved their overall speed for their W12 as shown in the Turkish GP where they thrived on the straights – which will be present in COTA.
When asked about the perceived performance advantage for Mercedes, Max Verstappen shrugged it off saying that Red Bull’s RB16 can take on the challenge.
Verstappen is no stranger to doing well in this track since he has scored two podiums in his last two appearances in COTA – including his stunning drive from P18 to P2 back in 2018.
While these two are taking the spotlight in the championship race, the second drivers behind them should play a pivotal role moving forward.
Valtteri Bottas denied Max Verstappen maximum points in Istanbul which is why Lewis Hamilton is only trailing by six, and we expect Mercedes to order the Finn to ward off the Dutch once more.
Sergio Perez is tasked to play the same role for Red Bull, but he has to do better in the qualifying to gain a more favourable position on the grid.
McLaren and Ferrari battle for third
While Mercedes and Red Bull are tussling for the constructors’ championship, another thing to watch out for is the nip-and-tuck battle between McLaren and Ferrari.
McLaren are leading by 7.5 points over Ferrari but their duel has been unpredictable at best so far.
Ferrari got the upper hand in Istanbul when Charles Leclerc finished fourth and Carlos Sainz Jr. was eighth while Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo were P7 and P13. Prior to the Turkish Grand Prix, Daniel Ricciardo led a one-two in Monza and Lando Norris nearly won in Russia.
The Scuderia got the advantage in the Turkish Grand Prix because of their new-spec hybrid system which gave them a boost in performance for the said race.
P3 at the constructors’ standings appears to be a reachable objective for Ferrari, which isn’t bad considering their P6 finish last season.
History
History favours the Mercedes drivers in this one given their track record in Austin, Texas. Lewis Hamilton has the most titles in this track with seven – including a four-peat from 2014 to 2017.
Kimi Raikkonen won in the 2018 edition representing Ferrari for one last time and Lewis Hamilton took home the honours in 2019 to seal his sixth F1 championship.
The 2020 US Grand Prix was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
What are the odds?
Despite COTA being known as a happy hunting ground for Mercedes, Max Verstappen is dubbed as the favourite to win, as per the US Grand Prix 2021 odds.
Looking at his head-to-head betting odds with Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen is priced at 1.74 while the former is pegged at 2.08.
Valtteri Bottas is poised to claim the final podium spot at 2.20 while the Ferrari duo of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr. should challenge for P3 as well.
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