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The 2025 Formula 1 season will be entering its final act by the time the F1 circus rolls into Austin this weekend, writes Naman Arora.
Six rounds remain, and McLaren is mathematically certain to win the Constructors’ Championship but the score and script are far from settled.
From title tension at the top to whispers of regulation changes behind the scenes, the United States Grand Prix promises a heady blend of championship drama, technical intrigue and Texan spectacle.
The title fight
Defending champion Max Verstappen has spent the past three races clawing back ground on the McLaren duo of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris who have dominated much of the season.
His second place in Singapore kept the pressure on, trimming Piastri’s lead to 63 points.
Norris sits just 22 points behind his teammate after edging him in a tense battle that saw the pair even make light contact on lap one.
With Austin and Mexico forming a rapid-fire double-header, there’s little breathing space.
A single slip could shift the balance of the championship, and with Verstappen rediscovering his rhythm, McLaren’s garage is starting to feel the heat from within and without.
“We go into the United States Grand Prix as the 2025 Constructors’ Champions, which is something we are very proud of,” McLaren team principal Andrea Stella added.
“This weekend is also a Sprint event, giving both our drivers good opportunities to continue scoring more important points.
“It is one of the drivers’ favourite circuits to race at, so we look forward to providing them with the conditions to have a strong race weekend.
“I’m extremely proud of the entire team who have worked hard to get us to this point but we still have a lot more to achieve this year.”
Mercedes resurgence
George Russell’s victory in Singapore was a reminder that Mercedes are not done yet.
His dominant qualifying and composed race management hinted at real progress, even if team boss Toto Wolff urged caution.
Engineering director Andrew Shovlin called the result ‘a progressive trend’, and the team will be hoping for another strong showing on American soil.
Meanwhile, Russell’s still-pending contract renewal adds a human subplot.
Both parties insist it’s merely paperwork, but the longer it lingers, the more eyes it draws.
Sprinting to the finish
The Circuit of The Americas will also host one of the season’s final three sprint weekends.
Teams will have just one hour of practice before diving into Sprint Qualifying on Friday, forcing them to arrive with near-perfect setups.
The format rewards boldness, and at this stage of the season, few can afford to play it safe.
Sprint qualifying follows a three-part format similar to regular qualifying, with the five slowest drivers dropped after each of the first two sessions.
SQ1 lasts 12 minutes, SQ2 runs for 10, and SQ3 wraps up in eight, setting the grid for the 100km Sprint race.
Points are awarded to the top eight finishers, ranging from eight for the winner to one for eighth place, contributing directly to the championship standings.
After Austin, the final Sprint weekends of the season will be held in Brazil and Qatar.
With 24 points on offer across the remaining sprint races, every lap matters.
Make America Race Again
While the championship storylines rage on, the future of F1 is increasingly intertwined with the United States.
Cadillac will field Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Pérez in 2026, marking a landmark American entry that has already sent ripples through the paddock.
Ford’s impending return alongside Red Bull under the 2026 power unit regulations further cements the country’s growing stake in the sport.
Expect both brands to make their presence felt in Austin, from marketing activations to quiet technical meetings, as preparations intensify for the new hybrid era.
Texan Track
Since debuting in 2012, the United States Grand Prix has grown into one of Formula 1’s crown jewels, regularly drawing crowds of over 400,000.
From the infamous steep climb into Turn 1 to the rollercoaster sweep of the esses, the track offers a mix of technical precision and overtaking flair.
Drivers call it one of the most satisfying laps in modern F1, and fans call it one of the best weekends on the calendar.
Add in Austin’s famously eclectic energy with part barbecue smoke, part live music, part pure adrenaline and it’s easy to see why ‘everything’s bigger in Texas’ feels like more than just a slogan.
As the lights go out this weekend, spectators can expect fireworks both on and off the track.
The title fight, the future of the grid, and the sheer spectacle of F1 in America are converging for what could be one of the defining chapters of 2025.
