gettyimages-1435125867-1.jpg
Getty Images

So much winning for Red Bull Racing. Max Verstappen clinched his second Formula 1 drivers' title in as many seasons at Suzuka back on Oct. 9, then found out that the FIA would not levy a large fine or remove points from his 2021 campaign for the team exceeding the spending budget, as it was determined the amount was not egregious. Now they come to Austin, Texas with one focus: win the Constructors' Cup as the series' top team.

There will also be the battle for second behind Verstappen between the Dutchman's teammate, Sergio Perez, and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc. Perez moved into second after Suzuka, and with only four more races remaining both drivers will want to claim something for their respective teams, with Perez knowing that good runs will not only secure Red Bull a 1-2 finish in the drivers' standings but also cement their claim to the Constructors' Cup. Red Bull would need to be 147 clear of Ferrari at Austin's conclusion to claim the Cup for the first time since 2013, and according to Formula1.com, Ferrari could score a 1-2 finish and set the fastest lap but Red Bull would still claim the constructors' championship by finishing third and fourth.

Aside from that battle, Austin will be interesting for things happening off track and during practices. There may be four races to go until the 2022 season is in the books, but drivers unsure of rides for 2023 (and teams unsure of their lineups) are making inquiries and investigating who may or may not be available.

This includes bringing up talent from the other Formulas, as Williams will be doing with Logan Sargeant, who will drive in the first open practice for the team so they can see how he handles the spotlight. The American has already impressed in his first season in F2 with a pair of wins and a couple of additional podium finishes.

There are also a few IndyCar teams -- and drivers -- prowling around the paddock, checking the temperature on any F1 drivers interested in driving in North America or an F1 team who may be looking at a different avenue for some new talent.

How to watch the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix

  • Date: Sunday, Oct. 23
  • Location: 3.426-mile (5.513 kilometer), 20-turn Circuit of the Americas, Austin, Texas
  • Time: 3 p.m. ET
  • TV: ABC
  • Stream: fuboTV (try for free) 

What to expect

It's been 10 years since Oct. 12, 2012, when Mario Andretti, the last U.S. driver to win the Formula 1 championship, took the ceremonial first laps in his title-winning Lotus 79 at the Hermann Tilke-designed circuit, and a lot has happened since Lewis Hamilton rolled across the start/finish line back on November 18, 2012 to win the first United States Grand Prix to be held at the track outside Austin, Texas. 

What hasn't changed too much over that period is the circuit, a testament to the thought behind the original design, so COTA (as it is known) will be a familiar place for the field. It will also be familiar because Tilke took some of the best features of other tracks on the calendar and incorporated it into the design of the circuit, which was carved out of the hills much in the tradition of the great European circuits. 

There's a little bit of Spa at COTA in the run up the hill of the front straight to Turn 1, which leads to a series of turns based on Silverstone's Maggots-Becketts-Chapel section. A blind corner at Turn 10 delivers the cars to the hairpin at Turn 11 and down a short, 0.62-mile straight that starts the return to the front section of the track and brings the field past a grassy hill based on Hockenheim's stadium section. This section is all downhill and leads to one of the few narrow corners of the track and the pair of left-hand turns that brings the field back to the front straight.

For such a long track, there are only two DRS zones: At the midway point between Turns 10 and 11, and just before the entrance to the final two left-handers that bring the field back to the pits and grandstands. As for tires, Pirelli will be bringing the middle three of the range. Teams will receive two sets of the "white" hards, three sets of the "yellow" mediums and eight sets of the "red" softs. If you are looking for a comparison, these are the same tires used earlier this season at Saudi Arabia, Imola, Miami, France, Hungary, Belgium and Italy.