AUSTIN, Texas -- Formula 1 returns to the United States for an action-packed weekend, launching a six-race stretch to close out one of the most unpredictable championship battles in years. It will either crown a brand-new world champion or mark the biggest come-from-behind victory in the sport's history.

The Grand Prix weekend includes a race Sunday under the Texas sun as the main event, following a shortened "sprint" race Saturday to give fans more excitement. The 20 drivers will set fast laps ahead of each contest to qualify for grid position.

McLaren has already clinched the team championship, but the coveted driver's trophy is still up for grabs, and the British team's two drivers are locked in an intensifying battle as both pursue their first-ever world championship, with a resurgent Max Verstappen of Red Bull giving them some tremors of anxiety.

"I would say that the two McLarens have a little bit of an advantage, just because of the points advantage. So, yeah, I would say it's between the two of them," said Fernando Alonso, a two-time champion driving for Aston Martin. "But Max is an incredible driver, and if there is anyone that can overcome the deficit of the car, it's him. So, yeah, let's see."

McLaren's Oscar Piastri leads teammate Lando Norris by 22 points -- less than one race win. Norris has steadily closed the gap in the last three races, but he remains the underdog.

"Going into the year, I would have been pretty happy if I was in this position," Piastri, who is racing in just his third F1 season, told NBC News at a media briefing Thursday. "I probably would have believed it, but I would have been pretty stoked."

But despite having finished ahead of Piastri in each of the last three races, Norris said he's still not "overly proud" of his recent performances and can find improvements.

"We're not talking about that many points that I've gained," Norris said Thursday. "It's not because I've been doing a perfect job, or even a good enough job. I think I still need to be better in many different circumstances."

He said he has been "driving well" and getting more out of the car. "And I just need to continue to do that."

But the twist has been Red Bull's Verstappen, who after a lengthy drought and persistent car troubles has won two of the last three races -- and beaten both McLarens in all three of them.

Verstappen remains in third place, 63 points behind Piastri. That deficit has narrowed from 104 points in the last four races.

There are 264 points on the table in the final six Grand Prix races (which award 25 points for a win and descending numbers for subsequent positions) and three "sprint" races (which provide eight points for a victory). Apart from Austin, one of the six remaining races will take place in Las Vegas on Nov. 22.

Verstappen, the four-time world champion, was nonchalant about his prospects of winning a fifth trophy, which would put him in an ultra-elite club with just three other drivers in Formula 1 history.

"Fifty-fifty," he quipped when he was asked how he rates his chances. "You either win it or you don't."

"I don't really think about it too much. Simple as that. I come into the race weekend, I try to do everything I can in the car," he added. "I just see every race weekend the opportunity to try and win if possible. If we don't, we don't. Life goes on. It's not really that dramatic for me. Doesn't put any pressure."

That unbothered attitude would be unfathomable to a younger Verstappen, whose first championship in 2021 was fueled by unparalleled ruthlessness, aggression and hunger on and off the track. But four titles later -- and after he became a father this year -- Verstappen, 28, has an airy calm in his demeanor, even as he hasn't lost a millisecond on the track.

"I guess it helps if you've already won," he said.

The paddock has been abuzz with chatter about a minor collision between the two McLarens in the last race, in Singapore, where Norris pulled off a daring overtake on the inside of Piastri in the opening corners, bumping wheels with his teammate and rival.

Piastri said that Norris has "taken responsibility" for the incident and that the team has discussed it internally: "It's quite clear for us as a team that how lap 1 unfolded wasn't how we want to go racing."

The soft-spoken Australian racer appeared ready to move on from the incident, which seemed to run afoul of McLaren's internal code between drivers, known as "papaya rules."

"We analyzed the incident, and there has been responsibility placed on Lando, ultimately, in that collision," he said. "But I'm very happy there's no favoritism or bias."

Norris concurred that McLaren "held me accountable" for it.

"When you're fighting for wins between us two drivers, then of course you're going to have trickier moments," the British driver said. "I didn't want what happened to happen. But I'm never going to let go of an opportunity -- there was a gap, and I went for it."

Still, Piastri dismissed suggestions that McLaren should favor him over Norris in the final stretch to fend off the threat of Verstappen and ensure one of its two drivers secures the championship.

"Every driver wants a fair chance to try to win a championship," he told reporters. "For me it's more than fair to let us both keep fighting for that."

McLaren hasn't won a driver's title since 2008, when Lewis Hamilton -- now 40 years old and driving for Ferrari -- secured the crown in one of the closest battles ever.

And it's unclear it will be fighting at the front next season, as a major regulation change will force every team to redesign its cars and reset the order. That is welcome news to George Russell of Mercedes, who just renewed his contract with the team on what they are calling only a "multiyear deal."

Russell told NBC News he's "really happy" to stay with Mercedes.

"The truth is, if every single seat was available for next year and I could choose any single team to race for, I believe Mercedes is my best chance of winning the championship next year," he said at a briefing for reporters. "And for me, it's more about winning than it is about money or sponsor days or anything. I want to win, and this is what I'm fighting for."

The F1 weekend began with big news for American fans, who will no longer be able to watch races on ESPN after this year.

Formula 1 announced Friday it has signed a five-year deal with Apple as the sole broadcasting partner from 2026 onward. The Grand Prix races, qualifying and all other sessions will be shown on Apple TV and amplified by the tech giant's various platforms.

The paid "F1 TV" app, where fans can also watch racing action and real-time driver onboard cameras, will remain available in the United States, but "will continue to be available in the U.S. via an Apple TV subscription only and will be free for those who subscribe," Apple said in a press release.

"We're thrilled to expand our relationship with Formula 1 and offer Apple TV subscribers in the U.S. front-row access to one of the most exciting and fastest-growing sports on the planet," Apple senior vice president Eddy Cue said.

The announcement comes on the heels of Apple launching "F1: The Movie," which the organization said was the highest-grossing sports film, topping $629 million at the box office.

Hamilton, a producer and adviser for the film, waxed lyrical about the growth of Formula 1 in the United States since the 2012 addition of the Grand Prix in Austin.

"I love that we've been able to tap into the sporting community here," the seven-time world champion told reporters on Thursday. "The first time we came here, it was all kind of like, 'F1? What is F1?' But the progress -- the journey that we've been on -- from Netflix being out, to then the biggest sports movie of all time, the F1 movie that we did this year, has been amazing. And not only that, bringing people from all ages to the race. There's a huge turnout every time we come here, and this is one of my favorite weekends of the year because you get to head into town, get some great food, and it's just a really great atmosphere."

Formula 1 returns to U.S. as championship fight heats up in the final stretch of 2025