The United States Grand Prix takes place this weekend so check out our preview and tips from F1 expert Louis Bollard.
F1 betting tips: United States Grand Prix
5pts McLaren double podium at 10/11 (General)
2.5pts Isack Hadjar to finish in the top six at 6/1 (General)
2.5pts Liam Lawson to finish in the top six at 7/1 (General)
1pt Racing Bulls double top six finish at 50/1 (General)
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Double delight for McLaren
Formula One heads to one of the great conventional racing tracks this week for a sprint weekend at Circuit Of The Americas in Austin. After a run of outlier circuits we return to normality where I expect MCLAREN to stomp their authority back on this title race.
Max Verstappen has become a thorn in the side of McLaren since a mid season upgrade package which has seen him chip away at the McLaren advantage on outlier tracks. This will be biggest test for Verstappen yet as the all round demands of COTA will play beautifully into the hands of McLaren.
Sector one of this circuit is one of the best places to watch F1 cars as you can visibly see the performance difference in high speed corners. This section is where I expect the McLaren will flourish compared to the rest of the field.
This weekend will be first race since Budapest where tyre wear will be a major factor playing into McLarens strength. McLaren will have a clear edge over 17 cars in the field while the Verstappen performance level is debatable. The McLaren dual forecast is available at 5/2 which I wouldn't put people off backing but preference is to take the 10/11 on the double podium given the Verstappen factor.
On the contrary to McLaren expecting to go well, Ferrari and Mercedes are vulnerable this weekend, especially Ferrari. The former "king of the outliers" car had a torrid time at the three outlier tracks we just visited with Charles Leclerc finally looking to be broken by the team.
Even after a 1-2 last year, COTA is now a nightmare for Ferrari, given the bumps on the circuit (most notably turn 9), plank wear is a concern so the cars will need to be raised as they will not want a repeat Leclerc's disqualification for plank wear in 2023. To counter this, the team will need to raise the ride height and perform extensive lift-and-coast which will drastically hinder race day performance.
To a lesser extent Mercedes will be less suited to here than they were in Baku and Singapore. These hot conventional circuits will expose weaknesses in the car but I am keen to get on Mercedes in any matchups with Ferrari throughout the weekend.
The joy of six
Given these vulnerabilities in the top teams, backing a midfield team with a high ceiling to take advantage looks prudent. I have landed on RACING BULLS to get into the top 6.
On balance, the Red Bull junior team now looks to have the edge on its rivals on conventional tracks. While Williams's strengths look to be confined to outliers and Aston Martins to slow speed tracks, the Racing Bulls is an all round car that can mix it with any poor performing top teams on these circuits.
So far, ISACK HADJAR and LIAM LAWSON have four top six finishes between them this season including Hadjar's maiden podium. With both drivers pushing for seats next season, a promotion for one and survival for the other, they will be keen to impress on a circuit where they have the machinery to do so.
Lawson had a strong race here last year finishing P9 after staring P19 after a penalty while Hadjar hasn't raced here before we've seen he adapts quickly. With this weekend being a sprint, the easy to drive and setup Racing Bulls can be straight on the pace as others grapple with setup configurations throughout the weekend.
Posted at 1125 BST on 16/10/25
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