For the second time this season, Formula One will come stateside as drivers descend upon Austin and the famed Circuit of the Americas for the United States Grand Prix this weekend.
Red Bull driver and three-time reigning champion Max Verstappen leads McLaren's Lando Norris by 52 points with six races remaining, making for the closest title fight since the 2021 season. However, Norris has made serious strides over the latter half of the campaign, which includes making up 28 points in the most recent four races since the summer break.
The famed Circuit of the Americas will play host to the latest chapter of the championship battle this weekend, culminating in Sunday afternoon's Grand Prix. Here's what you need to know ahead of the race, including how to watch every second of F1 action in Austin.
What Happened in the 2023 United States Grand Prix?
Verstappen, who had already clinched his third straight championship in Qatar in the previous race, arrived in Austin and dominated the field in Saturday's sprint race. However, he qualified in sixth for the Grand Prix and had to fight his way up the grid—and fight he did. Verstappen struggled with his brakes in the latter stages of the race, but managed to hold off Lewis Hamilton and Norris to secure his 15th win of the season and the 50th victory of his F1 career.
Hamilton, who initially finished just 2.2 seconds behind Verstappen, was later disqualified for a violation regarding the plank underneath his Mercedes. Norris was promoted to second and Ferrari's Carlos Sainz rounded out the podium in third.
Full Race Weekend Schedule
Much like last year, the 2024 U.S. Grand Prix will have a unique schedule due to the incorporation of a sprint race on Saturday before Sunday's main event. That means teams and drivers will get just one practice session on Friday to work out the particulars before launching into qualifying for the sprint race later Friday afternoon.
On Saturday, drivers will have their first opportunity of the weekend to score points in the sprint race, which will last just 19 laps. (The full race distance for the Grand Prix will be 56 laps.) Later in the evening, teams will turn their focus to the actual race, beginning with a qualifying session to set the grid for Sunday.
Finally, lights out for the Grand Prix will take place on Sunday afternoon. Here's a look at the complete schedule for the weekend.
How to Watch the 2024 United States Grand Prix
It's a busy weekend in Austin, as the No. 5 Georgia Bulldogs arrive to take on the No. 1 Texas Longhorns in football on Saturday. As a result of that matchup and a number of others, ESPN won't be able to carry every session on its flagship channel. However, each and every session will be available across the network's various other channels, including ESPN2 and ESPNews. Additionally, all of Saturday and Sunday's session will stream live on ESPN+.
Here's exactly where to watch each session and when.
What's Happened So Far During the 2024 F1 Season?
After back-to-back seasons of Verstappen dominance, the 2024 F1 campaign has delivered (and then some) from an entertainment standpoint. Though it looked like Verstappen and Red Bull were bound for another runaway victory in both the drivers' and constructors' championships after the first few races, Norris emerged suddenly and earned his first career F1 victory at the Miami Grand Prix.
Verstappen responded with three wins in the next four races, but Norris remained competitive going into the summer break in late July. After the paddock reconvened in August, the 24-year-old McLaren driver came out with a fire, winning in both the Netherlands and Singapore to cut the gap down to the current deficit of 52 points. With six races remaining, the championship fight is well and truly on.
While it's been a two-driver battle up top, a total of seven drivers have won races in 2024. Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton won for a record-setting eighth time at the British Grand Prix. Charles Leclerc finally broke through to claim victory at his home race in Monaco. Carlos Sainz and George Russell came out on top in Australia and Austria, respectively. And Norris's teammate Oscar Piastri also earned his first career win in Hungary, before crossing the line first again five races later in Azerbaijan.
All in all, the 2024 season has been one of the most competitive in recent memory and there's reason to expect it'll remain that way across the final six races and into next year.
What to Expect From This Year's U.S. Grand Prix
The battle between Verstappen and Norris has dominated the headlines in F1 this season, and there's little reason to think that will be different in Austin. Still, with so many different drivers having won races in 2024, any of those that line up on the grid behind the wheel of a Red Bull, McLaren, Ferrari or Mercedes could have a chance to steal a victory. Many teams are expected to bring upgrades to COTA, making the race an interesting battle—both technically and strategically.
McLaren has maintained a clear advantage on the field over the last four races since the summer break, overtaking Red Bull in the constructors' standings. The team now leads by 41 points with six races to go and barring a midseason overhaul by another outfit, should be well positioned for a win in Austin. Keep an eye on Piastri, who's been one of Norris's biggest challengers across the latter half of the season.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as United States Grand Prix: How to Watch, Full Schedule and What to Expect.
