EARLY CORONATION FOR ANTONELLI? FIVE TALKING POINTS FOR THE UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX

Antonelli could wrap the championship at Austin this weekend in just his second F1 season, though the math requires Russell to flop and the Mercedes rookie to take his ninth win. Verstappen looks likelier to delay the coronation—Red Bull's RB22 has found its groove, winning the last two grands prix plus a sprint, and he's poised to dominate through the finale.

Haas locked in F2 championship leader Rafael Camara for 2027, replacing Ocon. That leaves Cadillac as the only American team still uncommitted, and Colton Herta's disastrous F2 season—19th in the standings, 181 points behind Camara—has killed the IndyCar star's momentum. McLaren arrives nursing fresh wounds from another Singapore teammate collision, now staring at Red Bull in the mirror and a potential drop to fourth. Whether Cadillac rolls the dice on Herta anyway is the homegrown drama worth watching.