Red Bull 'vulnerable' at USGP as surprise F1 winner picked over Max Verstappen

18 October 2023 , 18:33

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Max Verstappen may not have it all his own way in Austin this weekend (Image: Getty Images)

Damon Hill tipped Lando Norris to upset Red Bull in the Sprint race at this weekend's United States Grand Prix.

Formula 1's alternative format will be used at the Circuit of the Americas. It marks the first time that back-to-back Sprint weekends have been held after a shorter race also took place at the Qatar Grand Prix two weeks ago.

That weekend very much belonged to Verstappen, who sealed his third world title before winning the Grand Prix. But it also marked a first F1 victory for Oscar Piastri who got the better of the Red Bull star to win the Sprint.

With McLaren looking so strong in these latter stages of the season, Piastri and team-mate Norris look likely to be chief threats to Red Bull in the remaining races. And 1996 world champion Hill thinks it might be the latter's turn to break his F1 duck this weekend.

"I think Lando has got to win," said the Sky Sports F1 pundit, referring to Saturday's Sprint race in Austin. He's due one, isn't he Lando? Sprint, Lando – race is going to be Max.

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"I just think it's a question of who else is on the podium. Checo [Perez] has got to turn the wick up. The Mexican Grand Prix is coming up. He's got to do something. Find that thing, whatever it is or not try too hard or something. I don't know what it is."

Norris takes part in his 100th F1 Grand Prix this weekend. The Brit has always enjoyed a strong reputation in the sport and is widely regarded as a potential future champion, but so far the stars have failed to align for Norris to win a race.

So he would no doubt dearly love to prove Hill correct. Explaining why he feels Verstappen's closest rivals might have a chance in the shorter race, the former Williams driver pointed out where Red Bull's RB19 appears to be at its weakest.

"The thing that is interesting was the weak point, the 'Achilles Heel' if you can call it that at all, with this Red Bull and Max is when drivers are on their flat-out pace. And it seems to be evident that, while their car is particularly good at saving tyres over a long stint, the shorter the race, I think the more vulnerable the Red Bull is."

Verstappen admitted that could be the case after the Qatar race, in which drivers were mandated by the FIA not to exceed 18 laps of total tyre usage amid fears of potential blowouts. He won the race regardless but felt he was not able to pull away as usual because the shorter stints meant tyre management was much less of a factor.

Daniel Moxon