A new chapter begins

The Formula One circus moves to the United States to begin the final stretch of the calendar, with the drivers' championship still to be determined, as the constructors' championship was decided in favor of McLaren at the previous race in Singapore. Such has been the dominant performance of the vehicles based in Woking, Surrey, England.

Just when it seemed like we would have a championship finale contested only by McLaren teammates, the timeless reigning world champion, Max Verstappen, appeared to revive Red Bull from the ashes and give themselves a chance to retain the title he's now held for four consecutive seasons.

From my point of view, the energy drink team's chances are slim, not because of the Dutchman's driving quality—that's beyond dispute—but because the points gap is so high and because it has to be discounted by two good drivers with excellent vehicles. It's doubly difficult for both drivers from the papaya-colored team to give up so much. One, perhaps, but both? It seems like an impossible mission, although many continue to bet on the champion. There's a reason he's considered the most dominant driver in recent years and probably one of the three or four most extraordinary in the entire history of F1.

As an example of how difficult his task is, let's remember what happened just two weeks ago: Verstappen could only close the gap by six points on Piastri and even less on Norris despite finishing ahead of both, with the problems they had when they narrowed the gap, something that probably won't happen again for the remainder of the season.

Another somewhat discouraging outlook for Red Bull, although auspicious for Mercedes, was Russell's dominant performance and the statements from their sporting director, who stated that they expect a progressive trend in the car's performance. If Mercedes begins to take over in the remaining races until the end of the season, the situation will worsen even more for Verstappen.

This very short-term double date in Austin and Mexico City, plus the points awarded in tomorrow's sprint race, could determine much of the hopes of having a trio vying for the championship. This would add much more excitement to a championship that, from the perspective of on-track competition, overtaking, and vehicle parity, has left much to be desired so far.

The rest of the teams are more focused on 2026 than on the remaining races to finalize the calendar; enormous challenges are predicted, driven by the new regulations and changes to the power units, where the electric component takes on greater importance. Although no one is saying it openly, it's clear that the behind-the-scenes activity has been and will continue to be very intense. No one knows for sure how the new vehicles will perform, although everyone has high hopes for a much better next year.

I can't help but mention that, in addition to all the technical and mechanical changes, we'll have another team on the grid next year with the addition of Cadillac. As if that weren't enough news, we'll also be seeing the arrival of none other than American engine technology in the category, something that hasn't happened for a long time. For those unaware, Red Bull is abandoning the Honda engines that have helped it win past championships and opting for Ford in this era of new regulations. According to reports, the North American firm has been developing the power units that will power Max Verstappen for several years, and his desire to remain number one.

A new chapter begins this afternoon with the only free practice session and qualifying for tomorrow's sprint race. That day, qualifying for the race on Sunday will also take place. Plenty of great action, not to be missed.