United States Grand Prix Betting Tips

Time is running out for Lewis Hamilton. With just four races remaining, he now finds himself 33 points behind team-mate Nico Rosberg in the world championship race after suffering yet another setback in Japan.

After a little time to get our breath back from a hectic schedule, Betsafe have linked up with Planet F1 once again to gear you up for Round 18 in the USA.

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Slipping away

It was a case of deja vu for Hamilton in Japan, but not in the way he would have hoped for. Prior to this year’s race, the Brit had won twice on the trot at Suzuka from second on the grid, and that was the challenge facing him again for a third time after Rosberg picked up where he left off with a dominant run in practice and qualifying.

However, the real sense of familiarity came when the lights went out. Hamilton saw first place and his title dream fade away fast after a poor start dragged him all the way down to eighth before the first corner came into full view.

Much has been made of Mercedes’ mechanical problems this year, but this is now the seventh occasion this season that a Mercedes car has lost five or more places before the end of the first lap. This time Hamilton confessed it was a mistake on his part that led to a poor getaway, which consequently left him with another race trying to limit the damage as Rosberg quickly asserted his authority.

The sudden decline would have left the Mercedes pit wall frantically picking each other’s brains to give Hamilton the best possible strategy from his lowly position and, to their credit, they delivered for him. After a slightly longer first stint, the Brit was able to undercut both Sergio Perez and Kimi Raikkonen in the pits and the switch to the hard tyre saw Hamilton roar back into life.

Daniel Ricciardo, Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas were all passed in quick succession to take Hamilton up to fourth and now he had his sights firmly set on Sebastian Vettel in third.

After being almost 14 seconds behind at lap 15, Hamilton was just 4.2 seconds away by lap 32. The very next lap, he dived into the pits for a fresh set of hard tyres and was able to get ahead of the Ferrari that came out just behind after applying new softs.

Being on the quicker tyre gave Vettel some hope of taking the place back, but Hamilton began to creep away and step up in his pursuit of second-placed Max Verstappen with just a few laps remaining.

Hamilton attempted a daring overtake on the penultimate lap, but he was forced to take the exit road after the aggressive teenager moved his car to defend whilst under braking. Mercedes would later lodge a complaint to the stewards about the incident, but quickly withdrew after it became apparent that the process would drag on much longer than expected.

Hamilton had to settle for third after losing all momentum and whilst he was straining every sinew to rescue his weekend, there was the ice-cool Rosberg cruising to his ninth win of the season.

The final standings in Japan not only saw Mercedes collect another constructors’ title, but it also means that Rosberg can now afford to finish second behind Hamilton in the remaining four races and still win his first championship.

Hamilton is now relying on his team-mate making mistakes and having some of his bad luck if he has any chance to retain his world crown.

Verstappen 21/2

Hamilton 6/5

What to expect in the USA

Following the race in Japan, Hamilton said he will give the remaining four races “everything I’ve got” in order to stop Rosberg from winning the title and considering the way he fought his way back through the field you do have to believe that he has not given up just yet.

It is also worth keeping an eye on Sebastian Vettel as a minor crack appeared in his relationship with Ferrari after team principal Maurizio Arrivabene said he must earn a new contract with the Prancing Horse. Those comments prompted a few pundits to suggest that Vettel may not be around in F1 for too much longer as he continues to remain out of the title picture.

Also, do not expect too many shocks and surprises as we head into the final stages of the season. Preparation and development for the 2017 campaign will be becoming more of a priority and so this season’s trends will only get stronger and stronger.

About The Circuit of the Americas

The track in Austin, Texas is a new kid on the block when compared to other venues on the 2016 calendar. After only making its debut in 2012, though, there has already been some memorable races placed in the history books.

There is a very long straight and some fast-flowing corners for the drivers to whizz through, but the race itself will feel like it is being run at a snail’s pace after the thrill of Suzuka with average lap speed down to 195 km/h.

Brakes and tyres will really be tested here as there are a whopping 20 corners to negotiate with plenty of elevation change along the way.

The best overtaking opportunities with come at Turn One and Turn 12, so expect lots of action here come Sunday.

There will be 56 laps of the 5.5km circuit, the fastest of which is held by Vettel who posted a 1:39.347 in 2012.

Previous winners and track suitability

Hamilton has been incredibly dominant in the United States, even before the three-year hiatus from 2008 to 2011. The Brit has won four of the last five races in America, including the last two in Austin.

He will have fond memories of both his recent victories. In 2014, he secured his fifth consecutive win for the first time in his F1 career and broke Nigel Mansell’s 20-year record for the most F1 wins by a British driver.

Then, a year later, Austin would be the place that Hamilton was crowned world champion for a third time. Irrespective of the result in 2016, Texas will always have a special place in his heart.

Hamilton has the opportunity this year to join Michael Schumacher at the top of the all-time winners’ list with five career victories in the USA. The German icon racked up all his successes when Indianapolis hosted the event from 2000 to 2007, four of which came in consecutive years.

Schumacher’s victory in 2006 means Ferrari are still the most successful constructor in America with nine wins in total, just one ahead of Lotus and McLaren. There is then a big gap for Mercedes to bridge, who are joint-third on the list with three wins.

The only other current driver on the grid to taste victory in the United States is Vettel. In happier times with Red Bull in 2013, the four-time world champion set a new record for most consecutive wins within a single season after an incredible eighth straight success. A record he would then extend himself with the season finale in Brazil.