Another pole position, another opportunity to close in on Max Verstappen in the title race: does Lando Norris still believe, or is the pressure in the United States becoming too much? The McLaren driver has the chance to silence his critics on Sunday, but Max Verstappen is back to his old speed this weekend. The Dutchman smells blood and is hunting for his first GP victory since June in Spain. Or will there be a surprise winner in Austin? Here’s a preview, with three things to watch out for.
1. Norris Under Pressure
There was a time when Lando Norris could chase success in Formula 1 relatively freely. A pole here, a victory there; it was good living for the Englishman. But now that he’s in the title race with the fast McLaren, every result counts. This has increased the pressure. More than once he has shown that he can handle it, but mistakes are also creeping into his performances. How will he fare in Sunday’s race?
Take the pole position, for example. Of course, everyone wants to start from P1. But Norris also knows that he has lost the lead more often than he has kept it from pole position. He can’t let that happen again, especially with a hungry Verstappen behind him. Moreover, the RB20 is finally fast again. “It felt like old times,” said the Dutchman on Saturday after winning the sprint race. You can bet he hopes to outsmart Norris at the start, as he has often done this season.
Then there’s the title race. Whether Norris truly believes in it, only he knows. But if the Brit wants to achieve something, he needs a good result to catch up with Verstappen. He can’t afford mistakes. Especially not considering that he only finished third on Saturday and the Dutchman actually increased his lead. The difference before the start of the race in Austin is now 54 points.
Finally, there’s the pressure from others in the starting lineup. The danger is that Norris might focus too much on Verstappen. But don’t underestimate the two Ferraris: they look incredibly fast. “Things are looking good for Sunday’s race,” warned Carlos Sainz after both the sprint race and the qualification. Norris has been warned, as he had to let his former teammate pass him in the sprint race on Saturday.
Verstappen’s Classic Performance
Max Verstappen‘s will, motivation, commitment, and pure speed have not waned, even after Red Bull’s season took a downturn. The three-time world champion kept his cool and continued to believe in himself and the team’s ability to resolve the issues with the RB20. The car, which was unmanageable in recent months, is now back to its old speed. At least, in combination with Verstappen.
The Dutchman has been quick all weekend in Austin, thereby increasing the pressure on Norris. He savored the sweetness of victory in the sprint race on Saturday and hopes for a win in the Grand Prix on Sunday. The last time he won a race on a Sunday was in mid-June in Spain. But his confidence is high. “We’re starting on the front row, the changes to the car are working.” Relaxed, victorious in the sprint race, two points ahead of Norris in the championship, and a car that does what he wants: all signs point to a good performance.
Ferrari: The Dark Horse?
While the focus is primarily – and understandably – on Norris versus Verstappen, one of the Ferrari drivers could well be the dark horse in Austin on Sunday. The scarlet team is in fine form, with both Carlos Sainz and teammate Charles Leclerc making a fast and good impression. This was evident in the sprint race, although the duo lost time due to fierce internal duels.
Nevertheless, Sainz managed to finish second. And the Spaniard was on a very fast final run during qualifying when the session came to an abrupt end. Could he have taken pole position? We will never know. But regardless: fighting for victory is far from unthinkable. This is evident from the race pace data.
Overview of Expected Race Pace:
[Data Table]
