F1 LIVE | Qualifying for the US Grand Prix: Can McLaren beat Red Bull?

After just one free practice, qualifying is on the horizon. On Friday in Austin, the Formula 1 drivers will attempt to set the fastest time and thus gain pole position for the United States Grand Prix on Sunday. Who will secure the best starting position for the F1 race? You can read it all in our live blog.

F1 LIVE | Qualifying United States Grand Prix

The pressure is off at Red Bull, but not for Perez

Max Verstappen and Red Bull Racing are under no pressure with both the drivers' and constructors' world titles in the bag. But that is not the case for Sergio Perez. All attention is now focused on securing second place in the drivers' championship, something Red Bull has not yet achieved since the team's debut in 2005.

Since McLaren released a comprehensive update package in 2023 after a difficult start, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have been hot on the heels of the Austrian racing team. The latter even won the sprint race in Qatar, and it is therefore expected that the team from Woking will be the main challenger to the reigning world champions in Austin. However, they will have to keep an eye on their mirrors because Ferrari and Mercedes also want to score as many points as possible.

In 2022, Verstappen broke a record shared until then by Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel. He won 15 races during the season, and few at the time thought it possible that that feat could be surpassed in the near future. Meanwhile, the Dutchman already stands at 14 wins in 2023 and could already match his own record in Austin. He could extend it further in the four F1 races to follow.

F1 arrives at the technical Circuit of the Americas with five rounds left. It's a thrilling circuit with some sections that recall some of the most famous corners of the whole calendar, like Maggots and Becketts and Istanbul’s turn 8. However, this circuit still has some bumpy sections that could make these ground-effect cars quite unstable, making it tricky for the engineers to find the right setup.

The limited time (only an hour of practice on Friday) could strongly impact this weekend, as teams will need to make the car is as fast as possible around COTA, not only in qualifying but also in the race. This is a demanding track not only for tyre management but also for fuel consumption. Despite this, some teams have decided to bring some upgrades this weekend.