Hamilton Looking To Press Home His Advantage In Austin

Formula 1 is set to return this weekend as the teams and drivers cross the pond for the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas. With three races of the season remaining and with Mercedes-Benz driver Lewis Hamilton holding just a precarious 17 point lead over his German teammate Nico Rosberg, there is plenty still to be decided in the Driver’s Championship.

Although Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo can still mathematically challenge, it is effectively a two-horse race, and one that looks to be heading for a thrilling climax, especially given the double points on offer at the final race in Abu Dhabi. The Mercedes-Benz drivers’ success this year has meant the Constructor’s Championship has been rather one-sided and, in achieving their ninth one-two finish of the season at the Russian Grand Prix in Sochi, the pair tied up the title for their team last time out.

Yet Hamilton’s fourth consecutive victory in Southern Russia was three weeks ago and a great deal has happened in the world of Formula 1 in the meantime. The Marussia team, still reeling from Jules Bianchi’s accident in Japan, were placed in administration this week and will join Caterham in missing the race this Sunday as a result of similar financial difficulties. That only 18 cars will now line up on the grid takes some of the focus from the tight race at the top but the Austin track has become such a favourite with the drivers that we can still expect some scintillating and aggressive driving.

This is Formula 1’s third visit to the Texan track since it made the calendar back in 2012 and the ‘Circuit of the Americas’ is seen by many as the long sought-after solution to the tricky problem of establishing F1 a permanent home in the United States. Experts have hailed the circuit as having a great mix of fast, sweeping corners and tight, technical sections and the many changes in elevation ask questions of the drivers, nowhere more so than the penultimate corner, which plunges them downhill off-camber as they race for the line. Austin has fast become an F1 highlight and Hamilton has the advantage of having taken victory there before.

He is looking for a fifth win on the bounce to bolster his position and after dominating at Sochi his form could not be better, but equally Rosberg will hope to put his recent mistakes behind him and prove wrong those who have questioned his ability to withstand the pressure. Hamilton’s recent hot streak has seen the German relinquish a strong lead of his own but we cannot discount the possibility of yet another reversal of momentum.

Johnny Herbert is crossing the Atlantic with his Sky Sports colleagues and will bring you all the very best of the action from Austin. Make sure to benefit from his key insights and analysis by tuning into Sky’s F1 HD channel over the coming weekend.

Johnny is available for corporate entertainment and after dinner speaking globally. For more information please email ckrarup@championsukplc.com or call Charles Krarup of Champions Celebrity on 07896660734.