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The 2022 F1 US GP will be the sport's second visit to America after racing in Miami earlier this season. Next season, we will have another addition to the sport's calendar as it will race in Las Vegas as well.
F1 has started to penetrate the US market in the last few seasons and an interesting thing to look at this weekend will be the number of spectators that show up for the race. The week's total attendance will show how much of a success the event will be, especially since the drivers' championship is already sealed.
Having said that, COTA is a fun track and has often thrown interesting races for the fans. This is arguably one of the reasons why the sport has seen a booming interest in this part of the world. So, how do we think the 2022 F1 US GP will pan out? Find out as we share our top 5 bold predictions for the weekend.
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#5 The F1 US GP might not be the most spectacular race of the season
Not trying to put a damper on the race weekend, but the 2022 F1 US GP might not be the most action-packed race we see this season. The track tends to line the cars up by their pace. There aren't too many surprises on that front. Additionally, the two downforce-heavy sectors 1 and 3 tend to aid the field spread.
The cars are surely in a better position when it comes to following each other this season. With tire degradation still a question mark, however, we might not be looking at the most exciting race this season (unless Max Verstappen decides to start the race from the back of the grid).
#4 AlphaTauri and Aston Martin will fight it out for points
Aston Martin will be keeping an eye on the F1 US GP to score another points finish. The team has now clawed its way up the championship standings from P9 at one stage to P7. Alfa Romeo in P6 is also within touching distance with only seven points separating the two teams. Aston Martin now has a car that can be good on all types of circuits.
The track layout for the 2022 F1 US GP should not be a concern for the team either. Having said that, what could be concerning is the form that AlphaTauri has shown on tracks with long straights. The car tends to favor the tracks with low downforce and the layout for the F1 US GP with its two long straights falls in that category. With the top 5 teams somewhat settled, the 6th fastest team out of Aston Martin and AlphaTauri could be fighting it out during the F1 US GP for points.
#3 Alpine beats McLaren at the 2022 F1 US GP
Alpine's race in Japan was more or less a statement to McLaren that the French squad means business. After losing P4 in the championship in Singapore due to a double DNF, the French team roared back into contention with what could only be described as a dominant display in the midfield.
Don't let the performance in the rain on Sunday fool you because even in the dry, Alpine held a comfortable advantage. Alpine's advantage lies in the straights while the car is still not leaking lap time in the corners to McLaren.
With the F1 US GP track layout having two long straights demanding straight-line efficiency, it is going to play into the hands of Alpine. Expect the team to stretch the advantage to McLaren by the time all is said and done this weekend.
#2 Mercedes will have a not-so-impressive outing
Looking at the challenges for COTA, a car needs to have great aerodynamic efficiency, great straight-line speed, and the ability to ride over bumps. The Mercedes package does have great aero efficiency and it was evident even in Japan where the car did not lose much time to Red Bull in the first sector.
The problem for the Mercedes package lies in its inability to have strong straight-line speed efficiency and riding the bumps. The Mercedes package produces excess drag that works to its detriment in a straight line. Moreover, the car is a handful on the bumps, with images of Lewis Hamilton holding his back after the race in Baku still fresh in our minds.
Overall, Mercedes will continue to be the third fastest car on the grid, but the aim of beating Ferrari or even fighting for the win might be a step too far on this track.
#1 Max Verstappen wins the 2022 F1 US GP
It's hard to look beyond the Max Verstappen-Red Bull combo. The car has been quick on all circuits in the second half of the season while the driver has been relentless in his own right. This relentlessness has seen Verstappen drop just one race in the second half of the season and even that was due to fuel miscalculation by the team in Singapore.
Looking forward to the 2022 F1 US GP, the track demands good aero performance in the first and third sectors followed by great straight-line speed for the two long straights. Additionally, tire degradation and bumps are two other aspects that could throw a wrench in the plans for any team.
In all these aspects, Red Bull appears to hold a clear superiority over everyone else. Even if Ferrari poses a challenge, expect Verstappen to have an answer for it. For the 2022 F1 US GP, picking Max Verstappen as the winner seems like a safe bet at the moment.
