What storylines will come into play at the Circuit of the Americas?

Formula 1 is back in the Americas for the final stint of the 2025 season, with the grid gearing up for a thrilling race around the Circuit of the Americas.

The title fight between the two McLaren drivers has been ramping up over the last few rounds, and we may see the championship contenders come to blows.

As it stands, Oscar Piastri sits atop the Drivers' Standings with 336 points, with Lando Norris just 22 points behind.

Max Verstappen has become the talk of the town once again, with his recent performances catapulting him back into the championship fight.

Although the chances of Verstappen claiming a fifth title are slim, he could certainly split the McLaren duo in the standings if his excellent form continues.

Circuit of the Americas - Photo: Race Pictures

What makes the Circuit of the Americas so exciting?

Circuit of the Americas is a distinctly American track, from the drifts around the tight corners to the excruciatingly long straight.

From Formula 1 to MotoGP, this circuit has hosted legends across all divisions of motor racing. For such a young circuit, it has certainly made its mark.

COTA was one of the very first purpose-built tracks for Formula 1. It opened to the public to host Formula 1, IndyCar, and NASCAR.

The track was oddly built on top of a clay-like soil, which has aged rather poorly in its relatively young life. However, this makes the racing even more interesting as the conditions are wildly different to other venues on the calendar.

The 3.426-mile circuit has 20 corners, with a distinct 41m elevation change at the end of the home-straight. It has nine right-handers and 11 left-handers with a mixture of fast straights and tight hairpins.

Will McLaren's 'Papaya Rules' pop in again?

McLaren's infamous 'papaya rules' have been called into question recently with a handful of incidents between their title contenders forcing the team to make those difficult decisions.

During the Singapore Grand Prix, Norris made an aggressive pass on Piastri on the opening lap and the team was forced right in the middle of the conflict.

Piastri, the current championship leader, became frustrated with McLaren's decision-making as the team refused to swap the cars or discuss the collision between the cars.

The championship leader aired his thoughts over the team radio: "So are we cool with Lando just barging me out of the way or? What’s the go there?

"That's not fair. I'm sorry, that's not fair. If he has to avoid another car by crashing into his team-mate, then that's a pretty **** job of avoiding."

McLaren celebrates winning the constructors' in Singapore - Photo: Race Pictures

Tensions were certainly raised amidst McLaren securing the 2025 Constructors' Title, and Piastri ended up missing the celebrations due to media obligations.

Fans have been wondering how McLaren's 'papaya rules' actually work, and from what we do know, the higher-placed driver during the race gets the first call with strategy.

Last season, McLaren were outshadowed by the Ferrari duo of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz at COTA and scored fourth and fifth place finishes.

The tides have turned this year and Ferrari are on the backfoot of McLaren, so the fight for the victory is likely to be a papaya fight.

As we saw last week, it didn't necessarily matter that Piastri qualified ahead of Norris, it mattered who was ahead during the race.

With Piastri's gap at the top of the tables down to just 22 points, the Aussie must finish ahead of his British teammate if he is to keep this lead going.

Read also

Palmer: McLaren’s papaya rules have become their ‘own manipulation’

Mercedes technical director explains the reason for struggles at the US GP

When is the next Formula 1 Grand Prix, and where is it?

What does Verstappen need to do to split the McLarens?

The answer is pretty simple, he needs to keep performing like the four-time World Champion that he is.

While the RB21 may not have the same straight-line speed or take corners as smoothly as the current McLaren, Verstappen has inched closer and closer to the papaya duo.

Verstappen has slowly snuck up on Norris in the Drivers' Standings, and is 41 points away from the title contender as we head to Austin.

He has managed to do so by capitalising on McLaren's poor races, like the dreadful weekend in Azerbaijan that saw Piastri score zero points and Norris finish in seventh place.

The Dutch champion has so far had a great run at the Circuit of the Americas, with six podiums, three wins, and a pole position in Austin.

Last season, Verstappen took the Sprint victory away from the Ferraris while the Prancing Horses shone on Sunday.

McLaren have never been the best at Austin, and it looks like their main threat will be Verstappen.

The question of Verstappen inserting himself into Norris' title fight has become a hindrance for the Briton, with Norris taking to sarcasm, saying: "Very worried about it [Verstappen], and scared, frankly."

However, there is some truth in his sarcasm as Norris has recently claimed that it is "impossible" for him to perform on the same level as Verstappen.

He told ESPN: "I don't want to say or believe that I will ever be as good as Max because I think that is the wrong thing to tell myself.

"He is one of the best drivers ever in Formula 1, so if anyone ever comes up to you and says, 'Yes [they will be as good as Verstappen]', just tell them to f--- off.

"Any driver in the world can just be confident in saying that kind of thing, but I think it is almost impossible."

Unless Norris heads to the Circuit of the Americas with full confidence in jumping his teammate in the standings, Verstappen can creep up on him and snatch those crucial points.

GPblog's latest F1 Paddock Update

Want to stay up-to-date with what happens in the F1 paddock? Then GPblog's F1 Paddock Update video is the perfect way to do it. Subscribe to GPblog's YouTube channel and turn on notifications to never miss the latest episodes.