Formula 1 title fight heating up in Texas as McLarens duel and Verstappen plays the hunter

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AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The heat is on in Texas, literally and figuratively.

It’s enough to make a championship leader sweat. A lot.

McLaren driver Oscar Piastri heads into the United States Grand Prix this weekend winless in three races and with his championship lead over teammate Lando Norris trimmed to 22 points with six full races and three sprint races left this season.

Lurking in their rearview mirrors is Red Bull's resurgent reigning champion Max Verstappen, who is hunting them with new vigor after two wins and a second-place finish in the last three races.

If that wasn't enough to make Piastri uncomfortable, Sunday's race has been declared a “heat hazard” event because of soaring temperatures expected to approach and maybe even top 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius).

All of if means Texas could be the start of a sizzling sprint for the title over the final quarter of the season.

“It will be fun to watch,” Haas rookie driver Oliver Bearman said. “I hope it goes down to the wire for all three of them. May the best win.”

Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso knows a bit about title fights. He won the championship in 2005 and 2006. He predicted Verstappen's 63-point gap to Piastri is likely too much to overcome at this stage.

“I would say it’s between the two (McLarens),” Alonso said. “But, yeah, Max is an incredible driver, and if there is anyone that can overcome the deficit of the car, it’s him.”

Piastri and Norris have split 12 victories this season between them, but McLaren's last victory came behind Piastri in the Dutch GP four races ago.

Outwardly, they appear to have moved on from their scrap in Singapore when Norris' 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's main event.

Verstappen, meanwhile, won't 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.

"We’ll try (to win) for sure," Verstappen said. “It’s a great track to drive. Sprint weekend, always a bit hectic, but I’m curious to see what we can do.”

The Dutch driver nipped Norris at the end of qualifying to take pole position for Saturday's sprint race. Piastri will start third in the chase for the first points of the weekend.

Verstappen won the sprint race in 2024 on a weekend that proved crucial to him ending Norris' late-season challenge for the title.

Piastri was consistently behind his teammate in Friday's practice and will be pressed to keep any damage to his championship lead to a minimum this weekend. Qualifying for Sunday's race will take place after the sprint.

Mercedes driver George Russell comes to Texas on the heels of a dominant victory in Singapore and a new contract extension through next season.

Russell left the Singapore podium, his fifth career victory, declaring himself ready to take the next step of winning an F1 championship in the future. He's currently fourth in the driver standings.

Mercedes is widely expected to be one of the favorites in 2026, when F1 overhauls its power unit and chassis regulations. The team dominated the series for several years when F1 first introduced its hybrid engines.

“I’m loyal to Mercedes, they’ve shown their loyalty in me, and I believe going into 2026 Mercedes without a doubt is my best chance of winning a world championship," Russell said. “Maybe we’re wrong. Who knows? No one knows what will happen in 2026."

Ferrari's last victory came at COTA last year when Charles LeClerc and Carlos Sainz finished a surprising 1-2.

LeClerc has five podium finishes this season. New teammate Lewis Hamilton has none. Hamilton has five career victories in Austin but was keeping expectations low.

“I’m really looking at the next six races as, ultimately, test weekends in terms of continuing to learn and improve on our processes,” he said this week.

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