F1, US Grand Prix: Qualifying Predictions

The United States Grand Prix weekend has commenced, and if last year’s driver introductions are anything to go by, the event is likely to be a star-studded fan-pleaser.

All eyes remain set at the top as the race might prove to be a championship decider if Lewis Hamilton scores his fifth consecutive win and Sebastian Vettel finishes third or lower. With a gap of 67 points separating the duo, the title hopes for Ferrari seem to be fading fast and Austin might turn out to be the final nail in the coffin.

Mathematically, it is possible for the red team to secure the championship but the odds are stacked against them. Reliability issues for Mercedes is a rarity, not the norm; and history shows that Lewis has a knack of playing it safe on the track by not getting involved in risky manoeuvres if the drivers’ title is on the line.

To make matters worse, a three-place grid penalty has been awarded to Sebastian for not slowing down sufficiently during the red flag period.

To make matters more interesting, the battle for the best of the rest is on for not just the drivers but also the constructors. Eight points are required for Haas to catch up to Renault and their respective drivers, Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hülkenberg, are tied on 53 points along with Force India’s Sergio Perez for the seventh-place spot on the drivers’ standings.

The US Grand Prix might or might not be where the winner for the 2018 season is announced, but it will surely provide for adequate entertainment either way. Here are our qualifying predictions for the race in Austin:

#5 Tight intra-team battle for Sauber

Charles Leclerc has qualified higher on the grid than teammate, Marcus Ericsson since the Chinese Grand Prix, with the exception of Hungary. Now that the Swedish driver finds himself without a seat in Formula One for the next season, he might be able to perform better without the pressure on his back.

Although, there also remains a possibility that he would be eager to showcase his capabilities to the other teams still hiring. His teammate, meanwhile, is headed to Ferrari for the upcoming season and would be eyeing any opportunity coming his way to make a name for himself before donning the red overalls.

A straight fight between the 21-year-old still in his first season in Formula One and the other Sauber driver with almost five seasons under his belt could prove to be an enthralling watch.

#4 Haas qualify ahead of Renault

Haas have had a knack of securing better starting grid positions than their immediate rivals, Renault, in the recent few races. Between Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean, at least one of them presumably would reach Q3, if not both.

On the other hand, despite having a formidable line-up in Nico Hülkenberg and Carlos Sainz, Renault might not be able to extract the best from them over the weekend. Having started the season as clear favourites for the fourth position in the constructors’ table, the French manufacturers have slipped down the rung in terms of development and are now on the verge of being caught out by Haas.

With only four races to go on the calendar, either team would be hoping to solidify their position behind the top three teams. The racers, themselves, would also be looking to end their respective seasons on a high, thus making it an absorbing fight.

#3 Midfielder on the second row

If history is anything to go by, a wet qualifying is predictably going to throw up a few surprises. It is possible for a driver outside the top six to gain advantage of the weather conditions and grab a position on the second row on the grid for Sunday.

A rain hit qualifying session remains the best chance for anybody outside the top three teams to secure a starting place near the front end of the pack. Racers like Esteban Ocon, Pierre Gasly and Lance Stroll, among others, would be rubbing their hands together for the opportunity and their teams would be strategizing to make it happen.

A number of these racers have proved themselves in rain hit sessions in the past and it is likely that they would be able to bring out the best in themselves if the skies opened up.

#2 Weather becomes a deciding factor

The weather looks likely to remain damp, especially for the sessions on Saturday, with rain refusing to relent. Strong winds and overcast conditions are to be expected. A qualifying session in the rain could well mean that the driver with the best possible timing and tyre choice would secure a better spot on the grid for Sunday.

It would be vital for the teams to get their tyre strategy spot on if they want the track position advantage for race day. If the rain decides to play hide and seek, it would ultimately boil down to the grip of the tyres and the residual water on track.

Moreover, even if it doesn’t rain during the session itself, a possibility remains of the track not drying up completely before qualifying begins. The lack of proper practice could hamper the drivers, especially those with little to no experience on the Texas track.

#1 Lewis Hamilton clinches pole

Even with a minimal number of laps on the board, Lewis Hamilton heads the pack during both practice sessions on Friday. It wasn’t much to go on, especially as nobody really got as much time on the tarmac as they would have hoped for with the rain falling hard. However, coming on the back of six wins in seven Grands Prix, the Briton’s confidence would be soaring high.

That, mixed in with a healthy points cushion and a chance of a wet session coming into play, would be the perfect ingredients for the four-time world champion to grab onto yet another pole position of his career. The Mercedes driver has won at the Circuit of the Americas five times in the past and starting at the front of the group would boost his chances of scoring yet another victory in Austin.