2024 US Grand Prix: History and Major Talking Points
by Tyler Doty | by Tyler Doty
The History of the United States Grand Prix
While younger and newer fans may associate Formula 1’s presence in this part of the world with the iconic Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, F1’s history of racing events in the US dates back much further to even before the modern World Championship even existed.
The first F1 World Championship event in the US was held during the inaugural 1950 season, though it wasn’t the United States Grand Prix as most would expect. Instead, it was the 1950 Indianapolis 500, which also counted as the third round of the Formula One Championship.
After plenty of ups and downs, it was not until 2012 that Austin was awarded a 10-year contract to host the US Grand Prix, and that led to the building of a brand new track - the Circuit of the Americas. The US Grand Prix has since gained significant prestige, transforming into a festival-like weekend that has showcased performances from renowned entertainers like Justin Timberlake, Bruno Mars and Taylor Swift over the years, while few can forget Michael Buffer’s “Let’s Get Ready to Rumble” introduction of every driver at the 2017 event.
The 2022 United States Grand Prix currently ranks as the sixth-best attended F1 event on record with 440,000 spectators passing through the gates at the Circuit of the Americas over the weekend, and while that dropped to 432,000 last year, that is a figure which still ranks seventh on the all-time attendees list.
Talking Point 1: Can McLaren Close the Gap to Red Bull?
As we head into the final six rounds of what has already been a compelling F1 season, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen currently leads the driver standings by 52 points over McLaren’s Lando Norris, whose recent pace has raised hopes that we could be in for a thrilling final stint of the 2024 season.
Red Bull is anticipated to introduce upgrades in Austin which are aimed at addressing some of the RB20’s challenges in recent weeks, but the reality is - the car isn’t the only problem! The team’s number two, Sergio Perez, is having an absolute stinker this season and with Oscar Piastri enjoying his best-ever season, it is McLaren that is now looking increasingly likely to claim the coveted Constructors' Championship, currently leading the standings by 41 points.
With a healthy lead, the major task for the Woking squad is now to finish the job, as there will undoubtedly be major nerves creeping in as they edge close to their first constructors crown in over two decades. To add to the tension for McLaren, Red Bull is making it known that they are pulling out all the stops to secure both titles, talking up their “magic floor” which is expected to improve the RB20’s mechanical and aerodynamic performance.
Still, McLaren has been head and shoulders faster than the field since the summer break, and Ferrari has been their nearest challenger, so it will certainly be interesting to see how Red Bull’s upgrades fare this weekend. Ahead of qualifying, Norris is the favorite to win the US Grand Prix at -115, while odds of +410 are available for Verstappen to win his fourth in a row here in America.
Talking Point 2: How Will Hamilton’s Mercedes Era End?
The final quarter of the 2024 Formula 1 season will also bring the end of an era, as Lewis Hamilton’s historic partnership with Mercedes will draw to a close. The seven-time world champion has just six races left to go with the Silver Arrows before he makes the switch to join Ferrari for the 2025 season.
Mercedes have barely laid a finger on the top teams this season and despite seemingly overcoming his qualifying woes to claim third on the grid in Singapore, Hamilton’s frustrations with his team were evident in that race, when they opted to send him out on soft tires which ruined his start. The Brit made his feelings clear over the team radio and opted to forego speaking to the media after the race.
Nevertheless, Singapore conditions are widely considered the most challenging on the race calendar, and rest assured, the former world champion will be determined to make the end of his tenure with Mercedes entertaining, starting in Austin, a circuit he loves driving on.
Both Hamilton and teammate George Russell are currently priced at +1900 to win the US Grand Prix on the pre-qualifying market.
Talking Point 3: Will Lawson Secure A Seat for Next Season?
As if preparing for the US Grand Prix was not a daunting enough task for F1 drivers, the pressure is multiplied for youngster Liam Lawson, who has six races to prove himself at Red Bull and earn a contract for next year.
The 22-year-old has replaced Daniel Ricciardo in the AlphaTauri and is now racing for his future, which could lead to one of three outcomes: a contract in 2025 with RB, being promoted to Red Bull in place of Perez, or being dropped for next season.
Thus, while the New Zealander will be partnering up with Yuki Tsunoda for the closing stages of the calendar, he is also going head-to-head with the Japanese, who also still has an outside chance of being called up to Red Bull in 2025.
Lawson and Tsunoda are pitted against each other in the Free Practice matchups.
