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We're reaching the last chapter of the calendar with the 2022 F1 US GP, but this is a season that is far from done. The drivers' title is decided as Max Verstappen has retained his championship with a win in Suzuka, but there's still a lot more to play for.
The fight for P2 between Ferrari and Mercedes is still not a done deal. The McLaren vs Alpine battle is as interesting as any other battle on the grid. Most importantly though, the F1 US GP will be the first race weekend after it was revealed that Red Bull had breached the cost cap for the 2021 F1 season.
F1's return to Austin is going to dust up a storm. What else can we expect from the weekend? Find out in our preview and predictions for the 2022 F1 US GP.
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2022 F1 US GP : Preview
Key storylines
#1 The impending Red Bull Cost Cap storm
The news of Red Bull's cost cap breach came a day after the 2022 F1 Japanese GP and because of that, no team has given an official statement over the infringement from the Austrian team. In a now-leaked letter that McLaren sent to the FIA, it requested a stern punishment for Red Bull to help set a precedent in the sport, but officially no team has made a statement in the media.
At Austin, this will be the most talked about story. Keep an eye out for Toto Wolff and Mattia Binotto discussing the potential damage that the Red Bull cost cap could have caused in terms of the championship.
#2 F1's return to the United States for the second time this year
The F1 US GP will be the second race in the United States of America this season, after Miami earlier in the year. F1 is desperate to set up a home in North America because of the lucrative market on offer. Owing to this, we will also see a third race in the United States in Las Vegas.
There will, however, be intrigue surrounding the kind of crowds that the race is able to pull this weekend. Having multiple races in a part of the world only makes sense when there is demand for it. The F1 US GP race weekend will be the litmus test for that as well.
#3 The Haas driver lineup for the 2023 F1 season
Haas has announced a press conference on October 20, the eve of the 2022 F1 US GP. According to rumors, the conference is not for announcing the team's second driver for the next season. This leaves one question still up in the air: Who will be the second driver at Haas for the 2023 season?
On the eve of the F1 US GP, the statements that have made their way from Gene Haas would not make a Mick Schumacher fan too optimistic. Having said that, the team has time at hand. The race in Austin would have been the perfect opportunity for Haas but it remains to be seen what decision the team takes.
Form Guide
In Form
Alpine needs a special mention in this section as the new floor introduced by the team appears to have worked wonders for them. In terms of pace, the French squad appears to have the fastest car in the midfield. The team reclaimed P4 in the championship in Suzuka and will be hoping to extend the lead over McLaren at the 2022 F1 US GP.
Out of form
Mercedes made a lot of noise before the start of the second half of the season. The team claimed that the plank regulations would bring it closer to the front. There were also claims of fighting for wins, podiums, and even trying to snatch P2 in the championship from Ferrari.
None of those things have happened. Other than Zandvoort, the car has not been a frontrunner, and the drivers have had a couple of bad races as well. For a team that has been dominating the sport since 2014, the 2022 F1 season has been humbling.
2022 F1 US GP : Predictions
Who wins the race?
COTA(Circuit of the Americas) is a perfect juxtaposition of a track that requires great aero efficiency in the first and third sectors, and strong straight-line speed on the two straights. Looking at the circuit and the form guide that shows six wins in the last six races, we have to favor Red Bull on this track with Max Verstappen taking the chequered flag once again.
Surprise of the weekend (Team)
AlphaTauri has had a season that has blown hot and cold at times. At the 2022 F1 US GP, there are sections of the track (the long straights) that should help the Faenza-based squad. Expect the team to score points here and be competitive.
Surprise of the weekend (Driver)
Mick Schumacher's second half of the season shows zero points to his name. But what it does not show is that the driver has been performing extremely well. If it wasn't for the pitstop issues at Zandvoort, a points finish was in the offing. If it wasn't for the disastrous strategy in Suzuka, there was a strong opportunity to score points.
None of them have, however, materialized. The German has run out of favor at Haas, that's for sure, but the driver has been on the precipice of a strong breakthrough result. Expect him to showcase it this weekend at the F1 US GP.
Disappointment of the weekend (Team)
The track layout for the F1 US GP should cause a few concerns once again for Mercedes. The car should work great in the downforce-dependent S1 and S3, but the two straights are once again going to see the team hemorrhage lap time to the likes of Ferrari and Red Bull. Expect the German squad to be once the third fastest at the F1 US GP, but the car will be a long way off the benchmarks in Ferrari and Red Bull once again.
Disappointment of the weekend (Driver)
Sergio Perez has been riding a wave of strong performances in the last few races and for the F1 US GP he would be one of the favorites because of his Mexican lineage.
Having said that, when your teammate is Max Verstappen and your direct rival at the 2022 F1 US GP for P2 is Charles Leclerc, it is tough to continue performing at your usual level. Expect one of the off-color races for Perez this weekend.
