Texas Showdown: The Unpredictable Return to COTA

 

I love this race; it's like the American Silverstone. 

It has so many parallels, and if Silverstone is the home of F1® in Britain, then the American circuit in the vibrant city of Austin, Texas, must be the home of F1®. 

This weekend at the Circuit of the Americas promises to be an actual test of nerve, strategy, and sheer unpredictability.

The Triple Threat: Red Bull, McLaren, and Mercedes

As we approach the week of the Texas Grand Prix at Senate Grand Prix, we are preparing the tickets, packages, and VIP Hospitality for our clients. As we discuss F1® together, we have decided on four main drivers to watch. There are no surprises, as it comes from the form of Max, George, and then the fight between Lando and Oscar.

• Max Verstappen (Red Bull): Max arrives in formidable form, having won the last three races here from 2021 to 2023. He is also in huge form right now, and the car is going toe to toe with Zak Browns McLaren.

• McLaren (Piastri & Norris): The Papaya duo is fighting a fierce civil war, with Oscar Piastri still leading the Drivers' Championship despite Lando Norris closing the gap after the Singapore incident. 

• COTA's layout rewards precision and consistency—both trademarks of Piastri's driving. However, Norris, fresh from his aggressive drive in Singapore, is determined to take the fight directly to his teammate.
• There has been a lot said about the bump Lando gave Piastri, and it may not fit into Papaya Rules, but it does fit into a driver's passion to win the coveted prize of a WDC, and there can be only one. 

• George Russell (Mercedes): After his unexpected and dominant victory in Singapore, George Russell is looking to keep the momentum going. Toto Wolff's Mercedes has shown impressive performance over the last few races, and the team is undoubtedly a favourite.

This race track is a demanding circuit that requires a perfect compromise in setup. 

The steep uphill climb to Turn one always makes for dramatic starts, and the "esses" section (Turns 3-6) is almost identical to Silverstone's legendary Maggotts/Becketts sequence.

With an F1 Sprint weekend on tap, providing extra points and a chaotic Saturday, this race is guaranteed to be fast, fierce, and unpredictable until the very last lap.

And as always, when the lights go out and the drama unfolds, here at Senate Grand Prix, there is only one winner, and that's you, the race fans!