After last year’s battle for Formula 1 honours went down to the wire, the drivers’ and constructors’ titles could be sewn up with three races to go if Red Bull can maintain their recent dominance at this weekend’s United States Grand Prix.
Verstappen became a two-time world champion in the last round of the campaign in Japan, and the Dutchman will lead the charge again as Red Bull bids to wrap up the constructors’ title at the Circuit of the Americas.
The all-conquering Milton Keynes outfit need just 26 more points to secure their first constructors’ title since 2013 and are well placed to get the job done with Verstappen, the 2/5 favourite with LiveScore Bet for a record-equalling 13th win of the season.
With the 25-year-old driving in a different league to everyone else on the grid, he is tough to oppose as he goes in search of back-to-back wins in Austin.
Red Bull rivals slipping further behind
Last year’s edition of the United States Grand Prix produced a thrilling battle between title rivals Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, the Red Bull driver just holding off the Brit to claim a vital win.
Verstappen and Hamilton’s tussle produced the closest finish to a United States Grand Prix since the inaugural race in Austin in 2012, but this year’s renewal may not be as tight.
Ferrari continue to save their best for Saturday and are 19/20 with LiveScore Bet to have the fastest car in qualifying. However, tyre wear has badly hampered their chances when it has come to race day recently.
Tyre degradation is just the latest in a long line of issues to have dented the Scuderia’s prospects. It will be tough for Charles Leclerc, once considered a serious threat to Verstappen, to improve upon a run of one win in 15 races if the problem is not solved.
Silver Arrows missing the mark
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Red Bull’s other main challenger, Mercedes, appear to have taken a step back too with Hamilton failing to make the podium in the last five races.
George Russell, who sits above Hamilton in the drivers’ standings, endured a frustrating Asian leg of the season and his chances of finishing runner-up to Verstappen in the title race look to have gone.
The Silver Arrows are planning to introduce their final package of upgrades for the year in Texas, but the team does not expect them to have a significant effect when it comes to closing the gap on the Red Bulls.
Prediction
Red Bull have proven to be head and shoulders above the rest, and while the Circuit of the Americas usually provides plenty of great wheel-to-wheel racing, the final result could be a familiar one.
While Verstappen has taken all the glory, team-mate Sergio Perez continues to have a solid year and at 19/20 with LiveScore Bet to finish in the top three may offer a bit of value in Sunday’s race.
The Mexican has finished on the podium in nine of this year’s 18 races and should have taken a bit of confidence from his win in Singapore and runner-up spot in Japan.
Further down the grid, Sebastian Vettel appeals at 5/6 with LiveScore Bet to post a third consecutive top-10 finish.
The German, who will retire from F1 at the end of the season, is signing off strongly, making good use of an improved Aston Martin to claim sixth in Japan.
The four-time world champion has a decent record in Austin, recording Red Bull’s only other win at the venue in 2013 and finishing in the points six times in seven appearances since that victory.
Source: Livescore