2023 F1 United States Grand Prix Predictions & Preview

Max Verstappen may have clinched a third successive World Drivers’ Championship last time out, but that won’t stop me from sharing my United States Grand Prix predictions for this weekend. 

The 2023 F1 United States Grand Prix is set to go down this Sunday, October 22. Despite Verstappen’s recent domination of the sport, we are set for a high-octane race at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas. 

My United States Grand Prix predictions and picks concern the race winner, podium and top 10. Let’s take a quick look back at the season so far before previewing this weekend’s race. 

5 Races Remaining – What’s the State of Affairs? 

As I previously mentioned, Max Verstappen has already been crowned as the 2023 world champion. The Red Bull star wrapped up the title in Qatar a fortnight ago, achieving a memorable three-peat in the process. 

With five races remaining, Verstappen holds an unassailable 209-point lead at the summit of the World Drivers’ Championship standings. To put things into perspective, his teammate, Sergio Perez, has picked up 224 points this season. 

Drivers like Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso have remained consistent throughout the campaign. McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have also grown into the season, but there is no escaping Verstappen’s dominance. 

Read on to discover my United States Grand Prix predictions and picks. 

2023 United States Grand Prix Preview 

• Date: Sunday, October 22, 2023 
• Location: Austin, Texas 
• Track: Circuit of the Americas (COTA) 
• Circuit Length: 5.513 km (3.426 miles) 
• 2022 Winner: Max Verstappen 
• Most Wins: Lewis Hamilton (6) 

Autin’s Circuit of the Americas will host the 2023 United States Grand Prix this Sunday, October 22. Practice sessions will take place on Friday, with qualifying scheduled for Saturday. 

Verstappen triumphed in Texas in 2022, finishing ahead of Hamilton and Charles Leclerc. Interestingly, Carlos Sainz started on pole last year, while George Russell recorded the fastest lap. Does that tell us anything about how this year’s race could pan out? We’ll have to wait and see. 

Before we lock in our United States Grand Prix predictions, we need to assess the bookies’ odds. As expected, Verstappen is the clear favorite to take the chequered flag at COTA, but there is plenty of value to be found elsewhere. 

F1 United States Grand Prix Odds (2023) 

• Max Verstappen (-400) 
• Lando Norris (+1100) 
• Oscar Piastri (+1200) 
• Sergio Perez (+1800) 
• Lewis Hamilton (+2200) 
• Charles Leclerc (+2500) 
• George Russell (+2500) 
• Carlos Sainz (+2800) 
• Fernando Alonso (+6600) 
• Esteban Ocon (+25000) 
• Pierre Gasly (+25000) 
• Alex Albon (+50000) 
• Kevin Magnussen (+50000) 
• Lance Stroll (+50000) 
• Nico Hulkenberg (+50000) 
• Valtteri Bottas (+50000) 
• Yuki Tsunoda (+50000) 
• Daniel Ricciardo (+75000) 
• Guanyu Zhou (+75000) 
• Logan Sargeant (+75000) 

If you’ve been following Formula 1 this season – or the past few seasons for that matter – you won’t be surprised to see Verstappen’s name at the summit of the United States Grand Prix odds. 

That said, it has been interesting to see how the odds have fluctuated over the course of the campaign. The Mercedes and Ferrari drivers were Red Bull’s nearest challengers at the beginning of 2023, but now the McLaren drivers are the biggest threat to Verstappen. 

With seven drivers priced between +1100 and +2800, there is no shortage of value on offer. That’s if you’re brave enough to bet against Verstappen, of course! 

United States Grand Prix Predictions and Picks 

Without further ado, it’s time to dive into my United States Grand Prix predictions. Having previewed the race and analyzed the odds, I’m confident that we can make a profit this weekend. 

Not only will I be sharing my prediction for the race winner, but I will also be providing picks for the podium and top 10. In truth, the real value can be found when you steer clear of the outright odds and explore other markets. 

Will Verstappen cruise to yet another victory in Austin? Or could an outsider upset the odds this weekend? Here are my United States Grand Prix predictions and picks. 

Max Verstappen to Win (-400) 

Verstappen heads to Texas as the 2023 world champion, with five races remaining this season. Still, you can bet your bottom dollar (not literally!) that the super-competitive Dutchman won’t take his foot off the gas between now and the end of the campaign. 

Remarkably, Verstappen has won 12 of the previous 13 races, registering eight pole positions and seven fastest laps in the process. When you look at the bigger picture, the 26-year-old has won 14 of the 17 races on this year’s schedule. 

Considering his dominance, Verstappen’s price of -400 to win at COTA is worth taking advantage of. If you’re feeling brave, you could bet against the champ, but I don’t recommend it! 

Oscar Piastri to Finish on the Podium (-130) 

After struggling for consistency during the first half of the season, Piastri has upped his game in recent months. Granted, McLaren has put in a lot of work behind the scenes, but most of the credit should go to the driver. 

Following back-to-back top-five finishes in the UK and Hungary, Piastri finished third in Japan last month. Better still, the Australian finished second last time out, meaning he has successive podiums under his belt. 

With that in mind, I’m backing Piastri to secure a third consecutive podium finish this weekend. Let’s not forget that he also won the sprint race in Qatar a fortnight ago, highlighting his pace. 

Yuki Tsunoda to Finish in the Top 10 (+400) 

2023 has not been a memorable year for Yuki Tsunoda and AlphaTauri in general. However, the Japanese driver has still managed to finish in the points on three occasions. 

It is also worth noting that Tsunoda has claimed a top-10 finish in both of his previous appearances in Austin, driving for AlphaTauri. With a third full season in Formula 1 almost in the books, COTA is the only track where Tsunoda has a 100% record for points. 

Yes, Tsunoda is priced at +50000 to triumph in Texas, but that doesn’t mean that he can’t finish in the points. Considering his record at COTA, Tsunoda’s odds of +400 to finish in the top 10 are too tasty to ignore. 

Wrapping Up My United States Grand Prix Predictions 

Unsurprisingly, I’m backing Verstappen to win on Sunday. The odds are nothing to write home about, of course, but it feels like a safe bet that can still make us a decent profit. 

I’m also backing Piastri to achieve a third straight podium finish, with Tsunoda finishing in the top 10. Piastri’s top-3 odds really stand out to me, while Tsunoda’s top-10 odds are certainly worth taking advantage of. 

If you enjoyed my United States Grand Prix predictions, be sure to stick with Sports Hub for the remainder of the Formula 1 season. I will be back with more F1 predictions and picks between now and the final race in Abu Dhabi on November 26.