Lando Norris’ pursuit of Max Verstappen leads F1 United States Grand Prix story

Formula 1 is back this week with the United States Grand Prix.

After a three-week break, the grid returns to life with the first of three straight races, which will see the grid travel from Austin to Mexico City and finally São Paulo.

As the grid becomes active again, the main question facing the game is:

Can Lando Norris catch Max Verstappen?

The three-time champion currently holds a 52-point lead over Norris, but the momentum appears to be in the McLaren driver’s favor. Norris has won two of the last four races – the Dutch Grand Prix and the Singapore Grand Prix – and both of those wins have come since Verstappen’s last win, which came at the Spanish Grand Prix in June.

In fact, McLaren has won three of the last four Grands Prix, with Oscar Piastri winning the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

That momentum has many inside the sport, such as former Haas teammate Guenther Steiner, picking Norris to catch Verstappen for the drivers’ championship before the season ends.

Can Norris catch Verstappen? This weekend’s United States Grand Prix could be a key test for Verstappen and Red Bull in this battle. As the reigning Constructors’ Champion has struggled in recent race weekends, many with the team, such as senior advisor Dr. Helmut Marko, have pointed to the Circuit of the Americas as the way Red Bull will find out if their RB20 May complete some promised upgrades. , and the team can make a final stand.

The battle between Norris and Verstappen leads the story but isn’t the only battle to be seen this weekend at Texas.

Could McLaren slip away in the Constructors’ Championship?

Following an emotional British Grand Prix won by Lewis Hamilton in July, McLaren found themselves third in the Constructors’ Championship, with Ferrari in second and Red Bull on top of the standings.

They head into Austin leading the Constructors’ Championship, currently holding a 41-point lead over Red Bull.

As mentioned above, McLaren may be the most popular team in the game at the moment. Between Piastri and Norris they have won three of the last four Grands Prix, and the last race weekend that did not see at least one of their drivers on the podium was the Japanese Grand Prix in April.

The Woking-based operation comes to Austin with the wind at their backs, having risen up the standings in recent weeks. But while Red Bull are behind them in second place, they may also have to worry about Ferrari sitting behind them in third. Charles Leclerc’s victory at Monza brought the Scuderia back into the fight, and they may yet dominate this title race.

The return of Liam Lawson… and the absence of Daniel Ricciardo

While the grid was quiet for the past three weeks, there was still a story that shook the entire game.

Red Bull decided to make changes to the visa cash app RB F1 team, dropping Daniel Ricciardo and replacing him with Liam Lawson for the remainder of the season. The move ended Ricciardo’s “fairytale” dream return to Red Bull following his surprise decision to leave the team for Renault after the 2018 F1 season.

Lawson filled in admirably for Ricciardo last year, when the Australian driver’s surprise return to the grid was cut short by injury. Lawson impressed many within the sport in five races with AlphaTauri last season and finished an impressive ninth at the 2023 Singapore Grand Prix.

While Lawson’s return perhaps gives him an inside track to a seat alongside Yuki Tsunoda at VCARB for 2025, the organization has not yet confirmed its lineup for next season. Lawson has a six-grand prix potential for that spot this week.

As far as Ricciardo is concerned, the United States Grand Prix will never be the same without him. After all, this is a driver who only arrived in the paddock in 2022 as Daniel Ricciardo:

Photo by Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images

The sober seat goes…?

Putting aside the seat next to Tsunoda in the VCARB, another spot on the grid for 2025 remains excellent.

The seat next to Nico Hulkenberg at Sauber.

Earlier this season the organization announced that Hulkenberg would be joining the team on a multi-year deal, ahead of Sauber becoming an Audi works operation in the 2026 season. This gives the German-based manufacturer a German driver in the lineup for 2026.

Could they be keeping an eye on the other?

Mattia Binotto, retained in the summer to run the Audi operation, recently confirmed that Mick Schumacher was one of the drivers under consideration by the team to drive alongside Hulkenberg. Schumacher will bring a combination of youth – he won’t turn 26 until next March – and experience to the team, looking to drive full-time at Haas.

Still, Schumacher is not the only young driver under consideration. Franco Colapinto’s performance since taking over from Logan Sargent at Williams has certainly attracted attention, as has Gabriel Bortoletto’s performance in F2 this year, as he leads that championship with two race weekends remaining. Have been.

Then of course there is Valtteri Bottas, who currently occupies one of those seats at Sauber. Rumors were swirling during the three-week fall break that Bottas was close to signing a new deal with Sauber, and while pen has not yet been put to paper, some media outlets believe that The Bottas deal will be announced this week.

Is this the week we finally find out who will get the second seat at Sauber for 2025?

Franco Colapinto’s star continues to rise

Talking about the young Argentinian driver…

In the three races with Williams since replacing Logan Sargent, all Franco Colapinto has done is finish P12 in his debut, finish P11 at the Singapore Grand Prix last time out, and surprise at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix Finishing on P8, which was his first driving in the tough race. Baku City Circuit at any level.

Colapinto’s performance has James Vowles vowing that he will try to find a place for him on the grid next year, given that Williams’ 2025 lineup is set between Alexander Albon and Carlos Sainz Jr. Whether Vowles succeeds in that quest remains to be seen – and we may get news on that front from Sauber this week – Colapinto’s star turn is perhaps the most exciting story to track over the remainder of the season.

Toyota is back in Formula 1

Liam Lawson’s promotion from reserve driver to a spot in VCARB for the remainder of the season wasn’t the only news to hit the F1 grid during the break.

Last week Haas announced a new technical partnership with Toyota Gazoo, the motorsport division of Toyota. After leaving the sport following the 2009 season, the renowned manufacturer has returned to F1 in a limited capacity. Under the terms of the technical partnership, Haas will receive design, technical and manufacturing services from TGR, while Haas will provide TGR’s drivers, engineers and staff the opportunity to experience life in F1.

Additionally, Haas’ existing deal with Ferrari, under which Haas uses Ferrari power units, remains in place.

Toyota Gazoo branding will also appear on Haas’ race cars, which will debut at the United States Grand Prix this weekend.

Be warned, as F1’s lone American team, Haas isn’t done making news before their three home races. You may have to wait a while for their next business announcement – depending on when you’re reading this…

sb nation on the ground

Final story?

sb nation Heading to Austin this week for the United States Grand Prix. I’ll be there all week, so expect wall-to-wall coverage this week. If you’re in Austin, be sure to say hi!