Weekend Motorsports Preview: Formula 1 Heads to Texas

It is a weekend of endings in motorsports this weekend. NASCAR, the WTCC and WRC all have their final races this weekend, and in the WTCC and WRC the champions are already decided. By far the most exciting race this weekend, though, is the Formula 1 US Grand Prix from the Circuit of the Americas near Austin, Texas. Sebastian Vettel might already be champion, but it is still a great track for racing.

Formula 1

Formula 1 heads intro its penultimate round with the United States Grand Prix at the 3.427-mile (5.513km), 20-corner Circuit of the Americas for a 56-lap race.

Qualifying starts at 12pm local time on Saturday, November 16, and the race will begin at 1pm local time on Sunday, November 17.

Red BullRed BullAustria, 2004 > present12 models
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and Sebastian Vettel have already taken the F1 championships for the year, which leaves the fight for second among MercedesMercedes-BenzGermany, 1924 > present197 models
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, FerrariFerrariItaly, 1947 > present233 models
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and LotusLotusUnited Kingdom, 1952 > present68 models
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.

All three of them have a chance, but Lotus losing Kimi Raikkonen in the final two races may hurt the team’s chances. The team has hired Heikki Kovalainen as his replacement for the last two grands prix.

Among the drivers, Fernando Alonso’s second place is secure with Raikkonen out of the race. Lewis Hamilton is 42 points behind him in the standings. He would need a win or second place with Alonso scoring no points to keep his hopes for second place alive.

Vettel is certainly the favorite to take the win in Texas, but Hamilton won last year, so do not count him out.

NASCAR

NASCAR stages its final race of the season with 400-mile race, 267-lap race at the 1.5-mile (2.41km) long Homestead-Miami Speedway. The race starts at 3pm local time Sunday, November 17.

Jimmie Johnson leads going into the final race with a 28-point lead over Matt Kenseth and a 34-point lead over Kevin Harvick. With a maximum of 48 points available during the race, any of the men still have a chance at the championship.

World Rally Championship

The WRC heads into its final round of the year with the Wales Rally GB from November 14 to 17.

Unfortunately, the drivers’ and manufacturers’ championships have already been decided. Sebastien Ogier is the 2013 WRC Drivers Champion, and VolkswagenVolkswagenGermany, 1938 > present98 models
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Motorsport won the WRC Manufacturers’ Championship.

This year’s event takes place across 24 stages of gravel roads along the North Wales coast.

World Touring Car Championship

The WTCC heads into its final race of the year for the Race of Macau at Macau Guia Circuit in Macao. It will hold two, nine-lap races around the 3.8-mile (6.12km) road course on Sunday, November 17.

Yvan Muller has already won the championship, but the drivers from second to fifth place are all still racing for second place.