Formula 1: USA Grand Prix – Copybet
McLaren have the constructors' championship trophy safely in the bag as Formula 1 2025 heads towards the home straight, but the team's drivers, Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, will be wary of the growing threat from reigning drivers' champion Max Verstappen.
The Red Bull ace still has an outside chance of claiming his fifth consecutive drivers' crown and the series now heads stateside for the USA Grand Prix, a race where Verstappen has an excellent record.
USA Grand Prix
The Circuit of the Americas has been a happy hunting ground for Max Verstappen in recent years, as the Dutchman took victories at the Austin, Texas venue in 2021, 2022 and 2023.
This season has been all about McLaren, and the surprisingly still healthy relationship between title protagonists Piastri and Norris. That is assuming there is no fallout from Singapore, where Norris muscled his way past the Australian championship leader on the first lap, much to Piastri's ire.
The title race has looked like a straight duel for much of the season. The pair have shared 12 wins and while Piastri leads by 22 points, Norris has suffered two non-finishes to Piastri's one.
However, while Verstappen's hopes of retaining his title have looked remote for much of the season, a recent resurgence in form means he is by no means out of it.
Verstappen won two races in the early part of the season, but managed only three other podiums in the first 14 races of the year. However, since the summer break he has finished second in the Netherlands and Singapore and won in Italy and Azerbaijan.
While he couldn't catch George Russell at Marina Bay last time, both McLarens were behind him and Verstappen can be fancied to further close the 63-point gap to Piastri with a victory this weekend, particularly with a sprint race offering an extra opportunity for points.
USA Grand Prix
British rookie Oliver Bearman is officially bottom of the standings out of the drivers who have scored points, but a return of 18 points from as many races is nothing to be ashamed about.
The Haas driver put together a run of four straight 11th-place finishes in midseason, missing out on points by the smallest margin, and was 12th in Italy and Azerbaijan.
Those two results are sandwiched between a superb sixth place at Zandvoort, where he started from the pitlane, and a mature drive to ninth in Singapore last time.
The Ferrari junior clearly has plenty of talent, and looks good value to bring his Haas home in the top 10 on Sunday.