F1 US Grand Prix betting preview, free tips & where to watch

F1 tips, best bets and predictions for the United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas.

Where to watch

Sky Sports F1, 7.10pm Sunday

Best bets

Valtteri Bottas to win the race
2pts 7-4 Hills

Alex Albon podium finish
1pt 9-1 RedZone

Preview

It's 7-4 the field for the United States Grand Prix after a fiercely competitive qualifying session at the Circuit of the Americas near Austin, Texas.

Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas ended Ferrari's run of six straight pole positions by edging out Sebastian Vettel by 0.012 seconds, while just 0.108 seconds covered the first four.

All four – Bottas, Vettel, Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc – will be eyeing victory and desperate to grab the early advantage.

The Texan circuit features a superb first corner. Though a tight turn, the track is acres wide with a steep uphill approach, giving the drivers several viable options to negotiate the corner. And this year it's even more spicy as the braking zone has become seriously bumpy.

Mercedes had a clear advantage during high-fuel runs in Friday's practices, and they have had the sharpest strategies all season, so Bottas looks the right favourite assuming he emerges intact from the first corner.

Even if Bottas wins, his teammate Lewis Hamilton needs to finish only eighth to seal a sixth world drivers championship. On a weekend during which he hasn't looked entirely happy, expect that to be Hamilton's priority.

Verstappen is tempting at the prices. His Red Bull is kind to its tyres and he was second last year after starting 18th.

However, the Dutchman has been driving over-aggressively since the summer break and could be a risky bet.

His young teammate Alex Albon has done a solid if unspectacular job since being promoted from the Toro Rosso team before the Belgian Grand Prix.

The Red Bull team have opted to start Albon on the soft tyre, rather than the medium that the other leading drivers will begin with.

At many circuits that is a strategic disadvantage, but tyre manufacturer Pirelli reckon starting on softs is the quicker way to complete the race distance in Austin. Albon just needs to make sure he keeps them in good condition in the opening laps.

It should also help him get a better start than those around him, and Kimi Raikkonen used the strategy to win in Texas for Ferrari last year.

Albon is worth a small bet to reach the podium.

Starting grid

1 V Bottas 1.32.029, 2 S Vettel 1.32.041, 3 M Verstappen 1.32.096, 4 C Leclerc 1.32.137, 5 L Hamilton 1.342.321, 6 A Albon 1.32.548, 7 C Sainz 1.32.847, 8 L Norris 1.33.175, 9 D Ricciardo 1.33.488, 10 P Gasly 1.33.601, 11 N Hulkenberg 1.33.815, 12 K Magnussen 1.33.979, 13 D Kvyat 1.33.989, 14 L Stroll 1.34.100, 15 R Grosjean 1.34.158, 16 A Giovinazzi 1.34.226, 17 K Raikkonen 1.34.369, 18 G Russell 1.35.372, 19 R Kubica 1.35.889, 20 S Perez - starts from pitlane.

Track facts

Venue Circuit of the Americas, Austin, Texas
Number of laps 56
Lap length 5.516km
Lap record 1.37.392 L Hamilton (Mercedes) 2018
TV All live on Sky Sports F1
Circuit characteristics The layout is made up of reproductions of some of the greatest corners from circuits around the world and there are extreme undulations.
DRS zone The pits straight and before turn 12
Last five years (grid) K Raikkonen (2), L Hamilton (1), L Hamilton (1), L Hamilton (2), L Hamilton (2)
Last year Kimi Raikkonen took the lead into the first corner from second on the grid, then made a one-stop strategy work for him to take victory for Ferrari.
2018 pole L Hamilton, 1.32.237
2018 fastestlap L Hamilton, 1.37.392 on lap 40
2018 classified finishers 16/20
Reason for retirements Collision (3), mechanical (1)
Weather Sunny, 21C