Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (1) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB19 chases Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain driving the (44) Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team W14 on track during the F1 Grand Prix of United States at Circuit of The Americas on October 22, 2023 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
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F1 News: Early Look at Top Contenders for the 2024 US Grand Prix

Posted by AR1 staff

The Formula 1 world has been thrown for a loop this season. Last year’s US Grand Prix winner, Max Verstappen, has dominated the sport in recent years and started the 2024 campaign off the same way, winning seven of the first 10 races.

However, Verstappen has gone eight straight races without a victory, so winning the championship this year is far from a sure thing. Coming off a second-place finish at the Singapore Grand Prix, Verstappen and the rest of F1 have a few weeks until the US Grand Prix in Austin, Texas. Even with a long wait between races, it’s never too soon to start looking at the leading favorites to win the US Grand Prix, which is always one of the best F1 races of the season.

Lando Norris

Surprisingly, it’s Norris and not Verstappen who has the shortest betting odds for the US Grand Prix in October. Norris certainly has momentum on his side after taking the checkered flag at the Singapore Grand Prix, his third win of the season. He has also won two of the last four races on the F1 circuit and has the best chance of anyone catching Verstappen in the title race. The obvious caveat is that Norris has never won the US Grand Prix. However, he finished as the runner-up to Verstappen last year, so he should have some level of comfort with the Circuit of the Americas, which is enough of a reason to think he’ll keep it going and win in Austin.

Race winner Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing, Second placed Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes, Third placed Lando Norris of Great Britain and McLaren and John Hammond of Red Bull Racing celebrate on the podium during the F1 Grand Prix of United States at Circuit of The Americas on October 22, 2023 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
Race winner Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing, Second placed Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes, Third placed Lando Norris of Great Britain and McLaren and John Hammond of Red Bull Racing celebrate on the podium during the F1 Grand Prix of United States at Circuit of The Americas on October 22, 2023 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

Max Verstappen

While he’s not the favorite, Verstappen still has favorable odds to win the US Grand Prix. After all, he’s taken the checkered flag in Austin in each of the last three years. His skill set as a driver makes him well-suited for the unique challenges that the Circuit of the Americas presents for F1 drivers. Nevertheless, one has to wonder whether Verstappen is experiencing a crisis of confidence after going eight consecutive races without a victory. That’s the type of drought he hasn’t experienced in recent years. The recent punishment he received for cursing also seems to be something of a distraction. Verstappen even hinted at an early retirement following the race in Singapore. If his mind isn’t fully focused on the US Grand Prix, his streak of winning in Austin could come to an end after three straight victories.

Race winner Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing celebrates on the podium following the F1 Grand Prix of United States at Circuit of The Americas on October 22, 2023 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images)
2023 Race winner Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing celebrates on the podium following the F1 Grand Prix of United States at Circuit of The Americas on October 22, 2023 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images)

Lewis Hamilton

Hamilton is easy to overlook because he’s a distant sixth in the F1 standings right now. The last few races haven’t been his best, so he’s fading late in the season. However, Hamilton does have two victories this season, winning the British Grand Prix and the Belgian Grand Prix. More importantly, he has a record six US Grand Prix victories. Of course, the last time he won at the Circuit of the Americas was in 2017. Hamilton also finished second behind Verstappen at the US Grand Prix in both 2021 and 2022. Clearly, he knows this track well and is comfortable racing in Austin, making him a potential sleeper to capture the checkered flag for a seventh time.

That’s no less than five drivers who should be considered serious contenders to win the 2024 US Grand Prix. To bet on one of these drivers or anybody else, consider trusted sportsbooks like Bodog as the platform for your wager. Bodog is a reputable bookmaker with great features and a lucrative welcome bonus for new users.

Oscar Piastri

The Australian teammate of Norris on the McLaren-Mercedes team is also someone to watch closely at the Circuit of the Americas. Piastri has taken the checkered flag in two of the last six races amidst Verstappen’s slump, winning in both Hungary and Azerbaijan. After finishing third in Singapore, Piastri has finished among the top 3 in five of the last six races and has eight consecutive races finishing no worse than fourth. Clearly, the McLaren team has the vehicles for both Norris and Piastri performing at a high level, giving the Aussie a fighting chance. However, he’ll have to overcome a lack of experience and success at the Circuit of the Americas after retiring in last year’s US Grand Prix due to overheating.

Oscar Piastri
Oscar Piastri

Charles Leclerc

Currently, Leclerc sits third in the F1 standings, giving him a fighting chance of catching Verstappen if he can finish the season strong. He already has two wins this season, including the Italian Grand Prix in early September. Leclerc is also on a run of five straight top-5 finishes. His history at the US Grand Prix also makes Leclerc an interesting candidate to win. He finished third at the Circuit of the Americas two years ago and earned pole position last year before being disqualified. If he can avoid a similar fate this season, he could be the one giving Norris and Verstappen a run for their money.

Sprint winner Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing, Second placed Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes, Third placed Charles Leclerc of Monaco and Ferrari pose for a photo with Sha'Carri Richardson in parc ferme athe Sprint ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of United States at Circuit of The Americas on October 21, 2023 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images)
Sprint winner Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing, Second placed Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes, Third placed Charles Leclerc of Monaco and Ferrari pose for a photo with Sha’Carri Richardson in parc ferme athe Sprint ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of United States at Circuit of The Americas on October 21, 2023 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images)