As Formula 1 returns after a month away, the sport is raring to go for what promises to be a fascinating Sprint weekend at the United States Grand Prix in Austin, with a driver swap and teams pinning hopes on upgrades.
The United States GP at the Circuit of the Americas has become a favourite of F1 since its debut in 2012, with close racing, championship deciders and daring overtakes playing out in front of capacity crowds.
In 2024, fans will be treated to what is expected to be another classic. The competitive order is dramatically different compared to F1’s last visit, with Max Verstappen unlikely to cruise off into the distance.
A controversial driver change is accompanied by a new alliance for F1’s smallest team, potentially season-transforming upgrades, and yet more one-off liveries to celebrate racing at the US GP.
The controversial F1 return of Liam Lawson at the US GP
Liam Lawson and RB are likely relieved of the near-month-long break between Singapore and Austin. The fallout from Daniel Ricciardo’s sacking has yet to fully settle, and the break allowed all involved to assess a fast-moving and volatile situation.
But F1 is a sport that never sleeps, and all eyes will be on the New Zealander to see if he can cope with the immense pressure on his shoulders as he returns to the cockpit. He performed admirably last year, replacing Ricciardo after his wrist injury, but 2024 is a very different story.
A Red Bull seat is now potentially on the line for 2025, and every turn of the wheel, setup choice, decision in a debrief, and mistake will be scrutinised closely. To add an extra layer of discomfort, he still has to battle the hostile reception from certain areas of F1’s fanbase for being the driver to replace Ricciardo.
Seldom has a driver needed a clean weekend. A perfect storm is brewing for Lawson. Playing it too safe in the Sprint and race risks mixing with the Saubers at the back, while taking too many risks will result in a dreaded crash. A power unit-related grid penalty for Sunday’s race will make his comeback even more challenging.
As a driver capable of solid performances and battling for titles in other categories, he has more than what is required to endure what will be a difficult weekend, regardless of the result. It will be intriguing to see if he gets close to Yuki Tsunoda in Austin as he begins life as a full-time RB driver.
A silent Max Verstappen?
The FIA spectacularly shot itself in the foot in Singapore by electing to pass down a sentence of community service to Verstappen for swearing in a press conference. In another ill-advised move by FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem before the race weekend, swearing over the radio was criticised, and the penalty awarded to Verstappen coincided with this intervention.
The Dutchman hardly spoke for the rest of the weekend in Singapore, leading to farcical scenes of the media interviewing him in the paddock away from the FIA cameras and presenters. Verstappen has yet to serve his punishment, which continues to be met with widespread ridicule by drivers, fans, journalists and TV pundits alike.
With the spectre of the issue still hanging in the air in Austin, there is every possibility the reigning world champion will elect to opt to stay mostly silent for another weekend. Should he continue his vow of silence, the FIA will likely take a dim view, and further punishment could be handed down.
The FIA will want to draw a line under this incident, but this does not seem likely. Press conference presenters will be praying for a more vocal Verstappen than the one they got in Singapore.
McLaren vs Red Bull: A potential reset
McLaren now has unquestionably F1’s fastest car and momentum in the Constructors’ Championship battle. Now 41 points ahead of Red Bull, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri will seek to increase the gap at the top of the standings.
Norris has been imperious, winning in Zandvoort and Singapore, while Piastri’s Baku win was a defensive driving masterclass. With a 52-point gap to Verstappen, Norris needs to win again this weekend to have any hope of catching Verstappen. But he will likely not enjoy a simple cruise to victory in Austin.
While licking their wounds, Red Bull has worked in the background on a substantial upgrade package, with Austin the target for its debut. Given the massive decline in performance compared to the start of 2024, Red Bull’s ability to reign in McLaren before the season finale in Abu Dhabi may well depend on the success of this package.
No detail is available on what’s included as yet, but if Red Bull’s offset to its wind tunnel is resolved, this could bring the champions back to race-winning ways. Upgrades before 2022 almost guaranteed an upturn in performance; now, the reverse is a real possibility, so Red Bull will be hoping for a positive outcome.
Whether visible or hidden beneath the surface, the newly upgraded RB20 will be met with intrigue in the paddock by its rivals. If it can close the gap to McLaren, it will not take long for both championships to become plausible once again. The reaction of McLaren and Norris during the weekend will be telling as they battle to keep their momentum.
Haas and Toyota – paddock reaction and a need to impress
While it is far too early to get any insight into the new technical agreement between Haas and behemoth Toyota, paddock reaction across the weekend to the alliance will be intriguing.
The most obvious change will be consigned to the bodywork, with Toyota Gazoo Racing adorning the rear wing and other parts of the car. But Haas has made life more complicated by opting to have the first race of its technical partnership at its home race in Austin.
Toyota leadership and ground staff will scrutinise Haas in Austin, with this first race likely an observation exercise before integration truly begins for the automotive giant’s racing arm. That is a potential recipe for disaster should the team buckle under the pressure of the intense attention it will get from the media and its new partner.
Points are always desired in F1, particularly in the intense lower-field battle, but throw in a home race, the added pressure of a Sprint weekend and a need to impress a company as successful as Toyota, and fireworks will surely follow this weekend.
The final push by teams before focus shifts to 2025
Red Bull is not the only team bringing upgrades to Austin. This weekend is realistically the last chance in 2024 for major packages to be applied to the cars to attempt to move up the competitive order. Securing a high finish in the standings by season’s end can translate into millions more dollars for a team.
Sauber desperately needs its upcoming upgrade package to work. It is currently rooted to the bottom of the standings, the only team yet to score a point so far this season. Although it is doubtful that the upgrades will transform it into a points scorer overnight, hope will go a long way to raising morale.
Mercedes is also planning a final push, bringing more parts to the W15. Having dramatically fallen behind McLaren and Red Bull in recent races, the impact of its new floor will either make or break its season if it hopes to salvage the remaining races.
Ferrari will bring minor upgrades to Austin, but only a miracle will see the Scuderia catch the top three teams in the final leg of the 2024 season. Its focus, along with the rest of the grid, will shortly shift to 2025.
F1 US GP special liveries – approaching overkill?
All three races in the United States now have teams create special liveries to mark the ocassion, with Austin no exception. McLaren, Alpine, Haas, and, to a lesser extent, Williams will all feature custom paint jobs for this weekend. But these are becoming less and less special with every iteration.
Alpine’s livery received a mixed response. Some called it a McLaren in disguise, while others described it as hideous. The promotion of the new Indiana Jones video game has not quite come off in livery form, while McLaren’s partial return to its chrome livery is the best of the bunch so far.
These liveries are great for marketing but do not guarantee airtime on camera, and certainly not an increase in performance. The obvious exception this weekend is the home team, Haas. The American outfit will likely get a slight increase in coverage during sessions, but the focus will still be on the front of the grid.
Indiana Jones must always win out in his movies, but intrigue in the Alpine livery has faded as quickly as interest in the franchise’s final film last year, so on this occasion, he’s sadly lost. One-off liveries are beginning to stop feeling special or evocative due to their frequency, negating their appeal.
While promotions and tie-ups are nothing new in F1, these collaborations work best when kept to a minimum. Fans will remember the race, not the livery of the car that won. Whether many fans will actually care about the paint adorning the cars this weekend will be a point of interest.
READ MORE: Liam Lawson to have ‘soft landing’ on F1 return with Austin grid drop
