F1 United States Grand Prix predictions: Pierre Gasly can make his point

Free F1 tips, best bets and analysis for the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas this weekend.

Where to watch

Practice one & two Sky Sports F1, 8pm & 11pm Friday

Practice three & qualifying Sky Sports F1, 8pm & 11pm Saturday

Race Sky Sports F1, 8pm Sunday

Best bet

Pierre Gasly points finish
2pts 8-5 Coral

Fernando Alonso top-six finish
1pt 2-1 Coral

Preview

After two races disrupted by rain the Formula 1 community will be looking forward to a sunny weekend in Texas for the United States Grand Prix.

Newly crowned double world champion Max Verstappen put up one of his best career performances to hold off Lewis Hamilton at the Circuit of the Americas last year, and the Red Bull star is hot favourite for victory.

It's not uncommon for a driver's form to dip after they have sealed the title, but bookies are taking no chances with the Dutch dynamo, who claimed his 12th win of the season in Japan last time out.

Charles Leclerc won two of the first three races this year, but claimed just one victory in the following 15 events and has finished behind Red Bull's number two driver Sergio Perez in each of the last two races.

Last year in Texas drivers struggled with overheating tyres and that's not a good omen for the Ferrari pilots, whose cars have been burning through their rubber recently.

Mercedes would have had high hopes of a competitive showing in Singapore and Japan, but neither race went their way and Hamilton's fifth place at Suzuka was the best result they achieved in the Far East.

A tyre-eating track will be right up their street, but qualifying pace is an issue and a lack of straight-line speed hampers their ability to overtake in the races.

Alpine had a disastrous race in Singapore that saw them lose fourth place in the constructors' championship to McLaren, but the French squad hit back in Japan with Esteban Ocon fourth and Fernando Alonso seventh.

Alonso is the most experienced driver in the history of F1 but he's not lacking speed and three of his last five finishes were in the top six. The Spaniard is attractively priced to improve that record in Texas.

Pierre Gasly will be looking forward to getting his hands on the Alpine next year after a frustrating final season at AlphaTauri.

The Frenchman has had to start from the pitlane in three of the last six races and had a weekend to forget in Japan. Prior to that he scored points in Italy and Singapore, though, and is a decent bet to add to his tally this weekend.

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