The Formula 1 circus jets off to the Americas after a four-week break this weekend to start a hectic end-of-season period in Austin, Texas.
The United States Grand Prix is the first race of two triple-headers remaining this season, with six Grands Prix scheduled over the next eight weeks.
The month-long break and the chaotic end to the year, which includes three Sprint weekends, means that most teams have had the opportunity and motivation to bring upgrade packages to their cars this weekend, which could hint at how the fight for the championships may pan out.
US Grand Prix Tips
Fastest Lap – Lando Norris at 11/10
Will there be a safety car? No at 8/13
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Nimble Norris to claim extra point
Lando Norris produced a dominant display in Singapore four weeks ago, taking pole position for the fifth time this season before leading every lap of the race and eventually crossing the line almost 21 seconds ahead of Max Verstappen.
The 24-year-old Briton’s best lap was a 1:34.925, which was second only to Daniel Ricciardo, who pitted late to finish his Formula 1 career with a flourish.
This time was over three-tenths quicker than Charles Leclerc in third and, were it not for Ricciardo’s late pit stop, it would have been the fourth successive Grand Prix in which Norris would have claimed the extra point for the fastest lap.
There are upgrades to come for all the top teams, but McLaren’s pace advantage in Singapore was vast and it would take a massive turnaround for any of the other constructors to leapfrog them in the performance department.
The papaya hierarchy have confirmed that Norris will get the more favourable decisions on the pit wall for the remainder of the season as they look to win both the World Drivers’ Championship and the World Constructors’ Championship.
Do not be surprised to see Norris claim another fastest lap point at the Circuit of the Americas.
Safety first at the Circuit of the Americas
The United States Grand Prix has been held at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas since 2012 and there was at least one safety car deployment in 2013, 2014, and 2015.
However, since then the 5.5-kilometre track has proved relatively safe, with 2022’s double callout for Bernd Maylander marking the only United States Grand Prix since then to call the safety car into action.
There have been three Virtual Safety Car periods in this nine-year period, but the reliability of the cars and the skill of the current crop of drivers have made 2024 an uneventful year in terms of collisions.
In fact, there has not been a safety car period in any of the last nine Grands Prix and last time out saw the first ever safety car-less Singapore Grand Prix.
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