By Joe Murphy
Fake harbour or not, the teams head to Miami for the first installment of an American Grand Prix, this season. An uncharacteristically early visit to the ‘Land of the Free’ coincides with a time in the season where both Championship Standings are extremely close. After Imola’s Sprint Race, this weekend offers a return to a more traditional format. A new track at a new destination creates major uncertainty for fans trying to guess the outcomes at this venue, especially before practice. As ever, Wheel2Wheel Reports intends to give you a useful, five point insight into how proceedings could go down. Let’s start with some De Ja Vu from the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix predictions article…
Max to make it back to back wins...
It’s a new track. It’s much more unknown than that of the other tracks on the calendar. Therefore, the best driver in the best street circuit car, has the best chance. Uncertainty could lead to a surprise winner but I expect not. I see this weekend playing out in a similar fashion to how events unfolded in Jeddah. Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen will be tussling for the lead all weekend, before the Dutchman inevitably takes the lead. With the circuit layout at the “very limit of the rules” according to Planet F1, there could be incidents and a stop start nature to this race. We don’t exactly know yet how easy overtaking will be. These are conditions that Max thrives in, with the Dutchman expected to put his Red Bull up front, and keep it there.
Something resembling good luck for Carlos Sainz…
Third time lucky. That’s the saying, no? Carlos Sainz has endured a nightmare last two outings after a positive start to the campaign. He already seems well off title contention and when you consider he beat Charles last season in the Ferrari head-to-head, you can tell that the Spaniard has more to offer. Perhaps it can happen this weekend. Whilst a race win may be slightly optimistic, Ferrari will be hoping he can, at the very least, stick his car ahead of Sergio Perez’ Red Bull. Checo himself has had a strong start to the campaign, so this feat won’t be easy. However, you discount Carlos at your peril.
Hamilton has to respond to his critics...
He has to finish above George Russell this weekend. It’s crucial for a number of reasons, not least for his vanishing, slim title chances. His confidence must be pretty low, probably since December last year with the start to this season not helping in any way. While his Mercedes car certainly isn’t helping him, George Russell is outperforming his more experienced teammate. Only in one race has he beaten his younger counterpart. Lewis cannot allow this to continue. As correctly pointed out by numerous critics over the last fortnight, Hamilton is most dangerous with his back well and truly up against the wall, as it appears to be now. A new venue benefits the more experienced driver, so Lewis should have the edge over George. An edge that he must use to surpass his teammate and most other midfield cars in the battle for a decent points finish. Because, let’s be honest, that’s where the Mercedes is right now, at best.
Alfa Romeo can’t keep up this pace, surely…
Valtteri Bottas is more competitive with and threatening to Lewis Hamilton this season as he was in the previous five years while racing in the same car. His Alfa Romeo has been stupendous and actually appears somehow quicker than the car of the reigning Constructors Champions. Despite this, I don’t think this run will continue. I feel that rookie Zhou is racing well and at a place where the Alfa probably is. The team have done well to capitalise on the misfortune of others so far this campaign. McLaren and Red Bull in Bahrain, Mercedes in Saudi Arabia and Ferrari last time out, for example. As a fan of the Finn, I hope this run continues, but I could see more of a struggle taking place in Florida.
Aston Martin and Alpine fortunes to be reversed in spectacle, rather than classic race…
In the last race, Aston Martin went from arguably the slowest car to a double points finish. On the contrary, Estaban Ocon and Fernando Alonso went from the third quickest car to no points at all. With the Miami track sure to benefit Alpine more, I expect the result to be different to how they were in Imola. In fact, I’d go as far to say that Alonso or Ocon could put themselves in contention for a podium, should the Ferrari or Red Bull pair encounter misfortune. Alpine and McLaren should be an intriguing battle whereas, unfortunately for fans of the team in green, Vettel and Stroll are more likely to find themselves racing Albon and Latifi’s Williams’. As for the race itself, it will certainly be a spectacle in terms of pyrotechnics and as show. In race terms, it could be rather less special.
WHEEL2WHEEL REPORTS 