Formula One: United States GP Preview

By Gareth Davies /

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/20210164 If Ferrari are able to sort out their issues in qualifying, especially in the hands of Fernando Alonso, they are more than capable of challenging for the top places this weekend. It is vitally important that they maximise their points potential this weekend and can not afford any slip-ups at all. If their qualifying follows the same trend this weekend, they will need the McLaren drivers to get in front of Vettel and prevent him from getting away at the start. They may then stand a chance of leapfrogging Vettel during the race. Aside from that, or a huge incident involving Vettel or anyone else that would interfere with Vettel's race, I can not see how Ferrari are going to beat the Red Bull driver this weekend. It will be difficult for Vettel to score 15 more points than Alonso this weekend, so in my opinion I expect this to go to the final round in Interlagos, Brazil. But, as Murray Walker once said: "Anything can happen in Formula One, and it usually does!" Finally, for those of you interested in trends and patterns: 2008 inaugural Singapore GP: Alonso wins 2009 inaugural Abu Dhabi GP: Vettel wins 2010 inaugural Korean GP: Alonso wins 2011 inaugural Indian GP: Vettel wins 2012 inaugural Austin GP: ? Who will win on F1's return to the United States? If history is anything to go by, Fernando is your man. However, beating Vettel this weekend will be a tall order.

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