Conclusions | Mercedes not as dominant as expected with new engine

After the last couple of races Mercedes seemed to be the team to beat for the world title, but Max Verstappen managed to win again. Red Bull Racing was able to turn things around after a few difficult Grands Prix. These are the conclusions after the race in the United States.

Mercedes not as dominant as expected

Since the British Grand Prix, the momentum in the world championship turned. After five wins for Red Bull Racing, Mercedes was suddenly very strong again. In England, they won, but the speed of Mercedes was not really converted into further victory. However, with a new engine, Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton seemed to fly in Russia and Turkey.

Ahead of the American Grand Prix, it was therefore expected that Mercedes could be dominant here and that picture was confirmed during Friday's practice sessions. On Saturday Red Bull Racing turned the tide and the pole went to Verstappen. With an aggressive strategy, Verstappen won the race after seeming to lose it at the start. It showed that Mercedes was not as dominant as expected.

Bottas can win, but difficult to overtake

Valtteri Bottas can have a great qualifying session and then win the race with a fast car, but put him in the midfield and he's a mediocre driver. Bottas was dominant in Turkey, but in America, he was only able to gain three places compared to his starting position, one of which was given to him by Pierre Gasly who retired with a technical problem.

Bottas is once again a driver who is very fast on one lap but struggles in traffic. The Finn is very fast in qualifying and can also drive at a good pace in free air, but in traffic, he does not have the racecraft that Perez at Red Bull has shown several times this year.

Perez peaks at the right time

In that respect, Sergio Perez showed again in America that he is an increasingly good second driver for Red Bull Racing. The Mexican drove a strong qualifying session and was able to put pressure on Hamilton in the race with an undercut. Later in the race, Perez did drop out, but that was also due to a lack of water. In the warm conditions in America, the decline can be explained.

Perez is peaking at the right time because Verstappen needs his help at this final stage of the season. Hamilton was forced to make a choice under pressure, which Mercedes otherwise would not have wanted to make. Perez was brought in for this and he is starting to show that.

Championship in the hands of Verstappen

Prior to the United States Grand Prix it seemed fifty-fifty in the battle for the world title. However, now that Verstappen has secured a win at one of the 'Mercedes circuits', the advantage now seems to be in Verstappen's favour. With Mexico and Brazil, the Dutchman now has two races in a row that should be in his favour.

With a twelve-point lead and Red Bull Racing winning the next two races, Verstappen is getting a better grip on the championship. He will continue to take it race by race and maximise every weekend, but with this victory, Verstappen has secured an important step in the battle for the world title.