Daniel Ricciardo is 92 points behind championship leader Lewis Hamilton with just 100 points available. Without the ridiculous double points he would already be out of the fight but as we have it, Ricciardo still has the slightest of chances at snatching the title from the grasp of the two Mercedes. Sebastian Vettel will be trying (probably in vain) to replicate his victory here last year, where he set the outright record for most consecutive victories in Formula One history.
Red Bull United States Grand Prix Preview
No. 1 Sebastian Vettel – 5th
Form: 5/6/2/3/8
2013: Grid: P1, Race: P1
Vettel’s form hasn’t been too bad as of late – especially compared to earlier in the season. He has seemed to finally get on terms with the car and on terms with just how incredible Daniel Ricciardo has been this season. His announcement that he is to drive for Ferrari next season is supposedly due this week, but his main focus will be on the track. There are rumours that he will skip qualifying and take a sixth power unit, meaning that he will start from the pits. With Marussia and Caterham skipping the event, this doesn’t seem to be too bad a move, meaning that Vettel will have up to 17 cars in front of him on race day.
No. 3 Daniel Ricciardo – 3rd
Form: 1/5/3/4/7
2013 (Driving for Toro Rosso): Grid: P10, Race: P11
I never would have guessed in February that Daniel Ricciardo would still be in with a shout at the World Championship. Whilst his chances are ridiculously slim, it cannot be ruled out. Should Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton suffer serious problems in the last three races, then Ricciardo cannot drop any more than seven points, which means he must win Abu Dhabi and come away with at least a win and a second place from Austin and Brazil. If Lewis Hamilton picks up at least a sixth place in any of these races (or eighth at Abu Dhabi) then Ricciardo will not win the World Championship.
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