Verstappen completes a perfect weekend with victory in Austin | Race Report

Sebastian Alston
7 days ago
2 min read

Max Verstappen put in a vintage performance to win the US Grand Prix and close the gap to Oscar Piastri to just 40 points with five races to go.

The four time World Champion led from pole to finish, ahead of McLarens Lando Norris and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, who rounded out the podium.

Leclerc took the gamble to start on the softs, the only car in the top ten to do so, however it paid off with the Monegasque having the grip to get past Lando Norris at the start.

Lando was only able to get past Charles once Max had stretched out his lead out front to ten seconds, and from then on it was a comfortable afternoon for the Red Bull.

As for Lando, a slow pit stop saw Charles undercut him, and so the McLaren once again had to tackle getting past the Ferrari.

With Leclerc able to go onto the medium tyre for his second stint, he was able to hold up the Brit up until lap 51 of 56, however eventually Lando got past.

However, Charles' podium, along with a good performance from Lewis Hamilton to finish P4, means Ferrari closed the gap to Mercedes to just seven points in the battle for P2 in the constructors. Red Bull are also within touching distance of P2, only three points further back.

Further down the order, Championship leader Oscar Piastri could only manage P5, unable to challenge Lewis Hamilton, and comfortably ahead of George Russell in P6.

Yuki Tsunoda put in a good performance to make up six positions and finish P7, ahead of Nico Hulkenberg in P8, who picked up his first points since his Silverstone podium.

Ollie Bearman converted his best F1 grid start of P8, to a P9 points paying finish, ahead of Fernando Alonso who rounded out the points.

Elsewhere, on Lap 7 Carlos Sainz made a move on Kimi Antonelli which unfortunately for the Spaniard led to the end of his race and brought out the VSC, as well as ruining the Italians race.

It all came after earlier in the weekend, Max Verstappen took maximum points in the Sprint on Saturday, while both McLarens crashed out on lap 1.

For the Championship, it all means Max is now just 26 points behind second place Lando Norris, and 40 points off Oscar Piastri. For Lando meant he gained eight points on his teammate, with the gap now only 14 points.

Race Results

1) Max Verstappen

2) Lando Norris

3) Charles Leclerc

4) Lewis Hamilton

5) Oscar Piastri

6) George Russell

7) Yuki Tsunoda

8) Nico Hulkenberg

9) Ollie Bearman

10) Fernando Alonso

11) Liam Lawson