(Austin) Crowned world champion for the third consecutive year in Qatar two weeks ago, Max Verstappen (Red Bull) wants to continue his harvest of victories and records this weekend at the United States GP in Austin.
The 26-year-old Dutchman, winner of 14 of the first 17 races of the year, can notably equal in Texas the greatest number of successes obtained in a season (15), a mark he established last year.
He can also reach the symbolic mark of 50 victories in F1 and thus get closer to the Frenchman Alain Prost (51) and the German Sebastian Vettel (53).
“I am not in Formula 1 to leave a legacy or chase records,” Verstappen emphasized after winning his new title. I am here to win and have fun with those who allow me to achieve this, because I never imagined it would be possible. »
On the fast Texan circuit, the Dutchman should once again showcase the superiority of his RB19 single-seater, almost untouchable this season and very comfortable on this type of track.
“This weekend should be exciting with another sprint and we will only have one session to find the best settings for the car. The temperatures are going to be high so it’s going to be a tough weekend,” Verstappen predicted.
His teammate Sergio Pérez, who will do two races almost at home between Austin and Mexico next week, will once again be under pressure to defend his second place in the championship coveted by the Briton Lewis Hamilton.
“I can’t wait to compete in the next races, Austin is a nice circuit and I think I can perform well here,” said the Mexican. Last week I went to the factory and worked hard with my engineers to see where we were good, where we were going wrong and how to improve.”
With a 30-point lead, Pérez has a small cushion over the seven-time world champion, but he has only scored five points over the last three weekends and must therefore react.
Hamilton, who hit his compatriot and teammate George Russell in Qatar, wasting a great opportunity to reduce his delay, will be revengeful at the wheel of his Mercedes on a circuit where he has won five times (2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017).
With only five races and two sprints to go, the Briton no longer has much room to maneuver to hope to dislodge Pérez from his place as runner-up.
McLaren, the team in good form at the moment, is also eagerly awaited in Texas after having placed its two drivers on the podium in the last three races, the Grand Prix of Japan and Qatar and the sprint won by the Australian Oscar Piastri in the Gulf emirate.
The papaya orange single-seaters therefore seem best placed to challenge Verstappen’s hegemony this weekend and probably until the end of the season.
“We have been consistent and our hard work is paying off. It won’t be easy, but I’m sure we can still bring home points for the team,” said Briton Lando Norris, who will compete in his 100th race in F1.
Ferrari, which had another frustrating weekend in Qatar, must absolutely recover to stay in the race for second place in the constructors’ standings, currently occupied by Mercedes. The Scuderia therefore no longer has the right to make mistakes…
“We are going to compete in five races in three weekends with the sprints so the whole team will have to be at their best level to try to take advantage of each opportunity that presents itself,” underlined Fred Vasseur, boss of the Italian team.
