USA F1 Grand Prix 2017: Start Time, Drivers, TV Schedule and More
Lewis Hamilton's bid to wrap up a fourth world title will be the focus of attention at the 2017 USA Formula One Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, on Sunday.
Hamilton, who boasts a commanding lead over Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel, will win the drivers' championship if he seals first and his German rival finishes lower than fifth.
It looks close to impossible for Vettel to make up the ground this season, but the German is unlikely to simply concede defeat to his rival from Mercedes. Ferrari have struggled to recover from problems experienced during three races in Asia, but Vettel still has a point to prove in Texas.
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Before a preview, see below for the schedule and viewing details for the race:
Date: Sunday, October 22
Time: 8 p.m. BST/2 p.m. CDT. 3 p.m. ET.
TV Info: Sky Sports F1. NBC.
Live Stream: Sky Go. NBC Sports App.
Lewis Hamilton
Hamilton's remit is a clear one. The 32-year-old can secure a fourth world title provided he scores "16 more points," than Vettel, per Andrew Benson of BBC Sport.
It's difficult to imagine Vettel being beaten so soundly. Similarly, the other scenarios guaranteeing a title for Hamilton, also outlined by BBC Sport, are tough to envisage: "He wins and Vettel finishes sixth or below. He comes second and Vettel finishes 10th or below."
It may be more likely Vettel takes advantage of the 25 points up for grabs in Texas and reduces the gap between himself and Hamilton.
Even so, the latter is confident in his car, applauding the reliability Mercedes have achieved this season, per the Daily Telegraph: "So we'd often hit the ground running with a balance I'm more comfortable with, which then naturally helps you easily step forward throughout the weekend in the right direction."
Hamilton is the driver in form, and he has the vehicle to dominate on the famed Circuit of the Americas.
Sebastian Vettel
He may be 59 points behind Hamilton in the championship standings, but Vettel is refusing to give up on the title chase.
Speaking ahead of events in Texas, the 30-year-old said he is ready to take any chance he has left, no matter how small, per Reuters (h/t PlanetF1.com): "We are still in there, our chances are slimmer than they have been some races ago. There is a chance. We're going for it."
What Vettel needs is to avoid the calamities he was plagued by during the Asian races. There was the crash at the starting line in Singapore, followed by a reprimand for missing the national anthem before the Japanese GP, a decision Vettel dubbed "a bit of a joke," per Christian Nimmervoll of Autosport.com.
The pressure is still intense on Ferrari, despite Vettel needing a minor miracle to pip Hamilton to the title. Yet as Luke Smith of NBCSports.com pointed out, "for Ferrari to have gone from pre-season favorite with the fastest car to losing the title with three races to spare is a serious failure that will take some recovering from."
Vettel needs a strong showing in Texas to prolong the championship battle and maybe in the process help Ferrari save face.
Max Verstappen
Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo have done their bit to help Red Bull Racing keep pace with Ferrari and Mercedes. Their most recent efforts have included Verstappen winning the 2017 Malaysia F1 GP.
The victory was a reminder of the precocious 20-year-old's awesome natural talent. Yet Verstappen is set to take grid penalties in Texas after he makes an anticipated engine change, according to Adam Cooper of Motorsport.com.
At least Verstappen's immediate future won't lie away from Red Bull Racing. There had been rumours Mercedes and Ferrari were ready to lock horns to secure his services at some point in the next two years, per Pete Gill of Sky Sports F1.
However, Vertsappen has since committed himself to Red Bull for longer, per the team's official Twitter account:
Since Red Bull won't impact the destination of this season's title too much, Verstappen can use this race to continue his fine recent form and show why Red Bull were smart to extend his stay.
It's Hamilton's title to lose, but it may be too much to ask for him to wrap it up this weekend. Instead, he'll simply add to his already sizeable lead, but not enough to avoid delaying the inevitable for another race.
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