AUSTIN, Texas — Formula 1 arrives in Austin for the United States Grand Prix, kicking off a final six-race stretch that will decide one of the most unpredictable championship battles in recent memory. The season will conclude by either crowning a new world champion or marking the greatest come-from-behind victory in the sport’s history.
The weekend’s main event is Sunday’s Grand Prix, which follows a shorter “sprint” race on Saturday designed to provide additional action for fans. Drivers will compete in qualifying sessions ahead of each race to determine their starting positions on the grid.
While McLaren has already secured the team’s Constructors’ Championship, the drivers’ title remains fiercely contested between its two drivers, Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, both vying for their first world championship. However, a resurgent Max Verstappen of Red Bull is rapidly closing in, creating a tense three-way fight.
“I would say that the two McLarens have a little bit of an advantage, just because of the points,” said two-time champion Fernando Alonso. “But Max is an incredible driver, and if there is anyone that can overcome the deficit of the car, it’s him. So, let’s see.”
Piastri currently leads his teammate Norris by 22 points. Although Norris has narrowed the gap over the last three races, he still faces an uphill battle. “Going into the year, I would have been pretty happy if I was in this position,” Piastri, in only his third F1 season, told reporters. “I probably would have believed it, but I would have been pretty stoked.”
Despite finishing ahead of Piastri in the last three events, Norris expressed dissatisfaction with his own driving. “We’re not talking about that many points that I’ve gained,” Norris said. “It’s not because I’ve been doing a perfect job, or even a good enough job. I think I still need to be better in many different circumstances.”
The primary threat to the McLaren duo is Verstappen. After overcoming earlier car troubles, the Red Bull driver has won two of the last three races, beating both Piastri and Norris in all three. Verstappen, in third place, has slashed his deficit to Piastri from 104 to just 63 points in the last four races. With 264 points still available across the final six Grand Prix weekends, including three sprint races, the title is far from decided.
Verstappen, a four-time world champion, appeared nonchalant about his chances of securing a fifth title. “Fifty-fifty,” he quipped when asked to rate his prospects. “You either win it or you don’t. I just see every race weekend as an opportunity to try and win if possible. If we don’t, we don’t. Life goes on.”
This calm demeanor contrasts sharply with the intense aggression that defined his first championship run in 2021. Now 28 and a father, Verstappen has adopted a more relaxed approach off the track without losing any of his speed on it. “I guess it helps if you’ve already won,” he added.
Papaya Rules
Tensions within the McLaren camp have been a topic of discussion following a minor collision between its drivers at the last race in Singapore. Norris made a daring opening-lap overtake on Piastri, resulting in their wheels touching.
Piastri confirmed that Norris has “taken responsibility” for the contact and that the team has addressed it internally. “It’s quite clear for us as a team that how lap one unfolded wasn’t how we want to go racing,” he said, indicating he was ready to move on. “We analyzed the incident, and there has been responsibility placed on Lando, ultimately. But I’m very happy there’s no favoritism or bias.”
Norris concurred that McLaren “held me accountable” but defended his actions. “When you’re fighting for wins between us two drivers, then of course you’re going to have trickier moments,” the British driver said. “There was a gap, and I went for it.”
Despite the incident, Piastri dismissed any suggestion that McLaren should implement team orders to favor him against the rising threat from Verstappen. “Every driver wants a fair chance to try to win a championship,” he told reporters. “For me it’s more than fair to let us both keep fighting for that.”
McLaren is chasing its first driver’s title since 2008, when Lewis Hamilton won. The stakes are particularly high this year, as a major regulation change next season will force all teams to redesign their cars, potentially resetting the competitive order.
F1 Moves from ESPN to Apple
The race weekend began with major news for American fans, as Formula 1 announced a landmark five-year broadcasting deal with Apple, set to begin in 2026. After the current season, races will no longer be available on ESPN. Instead, all sessions, including qualifying and the Grand Prix races, will be streamed on Apple TV+. The paid F1 TV app will continue to be available in the U.S. but will be bundled with an Apple TV+ subscription.
“We’re thrilled to expand our relationship with Formula 1 and offer Apple TV subscribers in the U.S. front-row access to one of the most exciting and fastest-growing sports on the planet,” said Apple senior vice president Eddy Cue.
The announcement follows the success of Apple’s “F1: The Movie,” a project for which seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton served as a producer and adviser. Speaking on Thursday, Hamilton reflected on the sport’s explosive growth in the United States since the Austin Grand Prix was added in 2012.
“I love that we’ve been able to tap into the sporting community here,” Hamilton said. “The journey that we’ve been on — from Netflix, to then the biggest sports movie of all time — has been amazing. There’s a huge turnout every time we come here, and this is one of my favorite weekends of the year.”
/GENERAL%20CROP%20-%202025-10-18T001752.040.webp?ssl=1 "Brown Defends Secrecy Over Lando Norris Sanctions")
