What time does F1 start at COTA? And everything about the 2023 American GP

Can someone make it difficult for Verstappen in Texas?

It was a remarkable race weekend in Qatar. Verstappen won his third world title, during the weekend there was a maximum number of laps that could be driven on the tires and several drivers said they had never experienced such a physically demanding race. The riders and the rest of the teams have been able to recover for a week and can now prepare for the 2023 American GP.

The real GP of America, we must add. We previously drove in the United States for the Miami GP and later there will also be the return of Las Vegas to F1. So this weekend there will be racing at the Circuit of the Americas, or COTA for short, in Austin, Texas. Just like last week, we will be dealing with a sprint race this weekend. Before we forget: Daniel Ricciardo returns this weekend. We are curious to see what American attribute he will bring to the circuit this time.

What should I know about the 2023 American GP?

COTA is like a Greatest Hits CD. The combination of turns 3 to 6 is similar to the S-turns in Suzuka or the Maggots/Becketts section in Silverstone. Turns 12 to 15 resemble the stadium section of the Hockenheimring. The unique thing about the circuit is the first corner: a steep climb uphill leads to a sharp hairpin bend.

Despite the fact that Verstappen has won the championships, we do not expect him to slow down. It's daring, but we dare: Red Bull will also be the fastest at COTA. After that, things can get exciting again. McLaren is on a great run and Mercedes is bringing a new floor to America. Let's see if Hamilton can get further than the first corner this time.

Who has a lot at stake?

As always, the rumor mill is running at full speed in F1. One of the latest gossip concerns Pérez: if the Mexican does not reach second place in the championship, he will have to make way for Ricciardo, it is claimed. Of course, this theory was disproved by Red Bull, but it is still important for Pérez to finish second among the drivers. He now stands at 224 points, followed by Hamilton with 194 points.

Among the teams, McLaren managed to score more points than any other team in the past three races. Yes, also more than team Verstappen. Thanks to this advance, McLaren now stands at 219 points. The orange team still has to tolerate Aston Martin (230 points), Ferrari (298 points), Mercedes (326 points), and of course the champion Red Bull (657 points). With four races left after the 2023 American GP, the cards have not yet been shuffled.

What does Max Verstappen say?

"I'm really looking forward to the race in Austin this weekend, as a team we have many special memories of it," Verstappen reports on Verstappen.com . 'The atmosphere on the circuit is also unique, there are so many Oracle Red Bull Racing fans to cheer us on.'

'Obviously it's another sprint race weekend, so it can be quite hectic for us as we only have one session to try to find the optimal balance in the car. High temperatures are also forecast, so I expect another tough race," Verstappen adds.

What's the weather like at COTA in Austin?

So warm, as Max Paulusma just revealed. On Friday the mercury can rise to 37 degrees. Thanks to the wind and clouds it does feel a bit cooler. So you don't have to be afraid of Qatari scenes. Despite the cloud cover, 0.0 millimeters of rain is forecast. The teams can therefore safely leave the rain tires at home.