![\"Austin](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/COTA-Austin-2025.jpg\")
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McLaren driver Oscar Piastri heads into the United States Grand Prix this weekend winless in three races and with his Championship<\/a> lead over teammate Lando Norris trimmed to 22 points with six full races and three sprint races left this season.<\/p>\n Lurking in their rearview mirrors is Red Bull\u2019s resurgent reigning F1 Champion Max Verstappen, who is hunting them with new vigor after two wins and a second-place finish in the last three races.<\/p>\n If that wasn\u2019t enough to make Piastri uncomfortable, Sunday\u2019s race has been declared a \u201cheat hazard\u201d event because of soaring temperatures expected to approach and maybe even top 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius).<\/p>\n All of if means Texas could be the start of a sizzling sprint for the F1 Title over the final quarter of the season.<\/p>\n \u201cIt will be fun to watch,\u201d Haas rookie driver Oliver Bearman said. \u201cI hope it goes down to the wire for all three of them. May the best win.\u201d<\/p>\n If anyone can pull this off, it\u2019s Verstappen<\/p>\n Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso knows a bit about F1 Title fights. He won the Championship in 2005 and 2006. He predicted Verstappen\u2019s 63-point gap to Piastri is likely too much to overcome at this stage.<\/p>\n \u201cI would say it\u00b4s between the two (McLarens),\u201d Alonso said. \u201cBut, yeah, Max is an incredible driver, and if there is anyone that can overcome the deficit of the car, it\u00b4s him.\u201d<\/p>\n Piastri and Norris have split 12 victories this season between them, but McLaren\u2019s last victory came behind Piastri in the Dutch Grand Prix four races ago.<\/p>\n Outwardly, they appear to have moved on from their scrap in Singapore when Norris\u2019 first-lap bump of Piastri opened the door to beat him on the day. Norris ended up third and Piastri was fourth. Both drivers said they will be allowed to freely race in the Saturday sprint and Sunday\u2019s main event.<\/p>\n Verstappen, meanwhile, won\u2019t say it, but he has to be relishing his position as he closes in from third in the standings. Verstappen has won three of the last four years at the Circuit of the Americas and has multiple career wins at the next race in Mexico City, as well.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u00b4ll try (to win) for sure,\u201d Verstappen said. \u201cIt\u00b4s a great track to drive. Sprint weekend, always a bit hectic, but I\u00b4m curious to see what we can do.\u201d<\/p>\n As strong start to the Dutchman\u2019s weekend stateside<\/p>\n The Dutch driver nipped Norris at the end of qualifying to take pole position for Saturday\u2019s sprint race<\/a>. Piastri will start third in the chase for the first points of the weekend.<\/p>\n Verstappen won the sprint race in 2024 on a weekend that proved crucial to him ending Norris\u2019 late-season challenge for the Title.<\/p>\n Piastri was consistently behind his teammate in Friday\u2019s practice<\/a> and will be pressed to keep any damage to his Championship lead to a minimum this weekend. Qualifying for Sunday\u2019s race will take place after the sprint.<\/p>\nThe heat is on in Texas, literally and figuratively, enough to make a Formula 1<\/a> Championship leader sweat with much to look forward to this weekend.<\/p>\n![\"Azerbaijan](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Verstappen-Baku-2-2025-1.jpg\")
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