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Lewis Hamilton looks almost certain to secure a sixth Formula One world championship at the 2019 United States Grand Prix on Sunday.

The Mercedes star will be crowned champion for the third year in a row provided he doesn't lose 22 points to team-mate Valtteri Bottas, who sits second in the driver standings and 74 points off the leader.

Seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher is the only other driver to have won six Formula One championships. Hamilton is level with Juan Manuel Fangio on five world titles but could move outright second with the right result in Austin, Texas.

Hamilton, 34, won the United States Grand Prix four times in a row before Kimi Raikkonen clinched victory at the Circuit of Americas in 2018, and the Briton will target a return to top spot on Sunday.

Date: Sunday, November 3

Time: 7:10 p.m. (BST), 2:10 p.m. (ET)

TV Info: Sky Sports F1 (UK), ABC (U.S.)

Live Stream: Sky Go (UK), ESPN Player (U.S.)

For a full list of the drivers, visit the F1 website.

Preview

It looks as though a miracle will be required to stop Hamilton sealing a third consecutive world title in Texas.

Hamilton finished eighth in first practice on Friday but showed much improvement in second practice and topped the timesheets ahead of Saturday's qualifying:

A finish of eighth or higher will be enough to wrap up the 2019 crown for Hamilton, who looks to have recovered from his recent wobble in form and has two wins in the last three races.

The most recent of those was a victory in the Mexican Grand Prix on Sunday, when he beat Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel by almost two seconds to move within touching distance of the title:

Max Verstappen will participate in his 100th Formula One race on Sunday, and Red Bull's leading man will surely see no better way to crown the occasion than by raining on Hamilton's parade.

The Dutchman has long been a contentious figure in Formula One, and Verstappen recently responded to comments from Hamilton and Vettel regarding his controversial driving style, via Sky Sports:

Verstappen tends to toe the line in regards to how close he goes on his overtakes and attracts attention when battling his rivals, but he's also regarded as one of the future stars of the sport.

The 22-year-old impressed in Friday's first practice session and finished faster than any other driver to get his weekend off to a good start:

Of the Formula One field, Vettel (2013) and Raikkonen (2018) are the only other drivers to have won a United States Grand Prix, with Hamilton accounting for six of the past eight victories.

Cold conditions could make for an interesting race come Sunday, with Hamilton also hoping to tie a personal record by winning his 11th race of the season.