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The 2023 F1 US GP will see a return to the sprint format once again. We already had one last race in Qatar and it proved to be quite interesting and eventful.
The reviews for a sprint format are mixed, there are some that like them and there are others that are not a huge fan of it. There's one thing that's true about the format though, it keeps everyone on their toes.
The race track in COTA is a great mix of fast-speed and slow-speed sections with two long straights blended into the circuit. So what can we expect from the race this weekend? Let's take a look.
#1 Max Verstappen wins the 2023 F1 US GP
The thing about Austin is that the racetrack might just be the true test of any car, it does not offer any peculiar challenges in terms of setup. There were a few issues earlier when it came to the bumpy nature of the track but that is something that has been taken care of.
The track attacks almost every aspect of a car and an all-rounded car like Red Bull should do well. Will it have an advantage similar to the one in Japan? Probably not but it will still be significant enough for Max Verstappen to be the favorite to win this weekend.
#2 Mercedes makes a return to the podium
Mercedes was disappointed after the race in Qatar where both drivers tangled at the start of the race.
In hindsight, looking at the speed of the car, the two drivers should have fought for the podium, there's no doubt about that. However, the crash meant Lewis Hamilton was out of the race while George Russell was at the back of the track.
Mercedes is bringing a set of upgrades to the car for the 2023 F1 US GP as well. With a set of slow-speed sections featuring prominently in the third sector, Mercedes might be able to leapfrog McLaren here.
A podium for either Russell or Hamilton won't be a bad call by the looks of it.
#3 Ferrari will be stronger in Austin as compared to Qatar
The race in Qatar was a bad one for Ferrari and one of the major reasons why that happened was the car's deficit in the fast speed sections.
It did, however, come as a surprise that Charles Leclerc was overtaken by George Russell even though he was last on the grid at the safety car restart.
The track layout for the 2023 F1 US GP is a bit different in that respect. While the first sector might be the one where Ferrari struggles, the car will crawl back at least some of, if not all of the deficit in the long straight in sector 2 and the the slow speed section in sector 3.
Ferrari should be competitive against McLaren and Mercedes this weekend, but it does remain to be seen how much.
#4 No podium for Sergio Perez
Sergio Perez needs a strong weekend in Austin and he needs a strong result at the 2023 F1 US GP.
The Mexican is under a lot of pressure and will be keeping one eye on Daniel Ricciardo as well through all of this. There's one issue, however, and that is the gulf in performance between Max Verstappen and his teammate Perez.
That gulf has remained the same and with teams making improvements to their cars, other drivers have entered that gap. Hence, when Verstappen qualifies for the pole position, the seven-tenths of a second gap between him and Perez means the latter qualifies outside of the top five.
In Qatar, Perez was essentially slower in his Red Bull as compared to George Russell in his Mercedes.
With a more rounded track, we might see something similar as all three teams in the pursuing pack will be closer to Red Bull than what has been the norm. A podium might be out of reach for Sergio Perez at the 2023 F1 US GP.
#5 No points for Lance Stroll
Coming into the 2023 F1 US GP, Lance Stroll has even seen his father put a hand around his shoulder in the media. Aston Martin owner and Lance's father Lawrence claimed that the young Canadian has been unlucky, and that has led to a lack of performance this season.
While there might be a part of it where it is correct. That's not the whole story, the bigger story is whether Lance put things together at the 2023 F1 US GP. The Aston Martin has been a car that has confused a lot of people by its downturn in form. Simply put, the car's not good enough right now to be a podium contender.
Having said that, points are on the table every race as Alonso has shown. Unfortunately, we don't expect Lance Stroll to score points at the 2023 F1 US GP as his point-less streak continues.
