At Austin’s Circuit of the Americas on Sunday, Max Verstappen delivered a masterclass in consistency and speed. Leading from pole position across 56 laps, the Dutch driver cruised to victory at the US Grand Prix, further tightening his grip on the F1 championship chase.
Verstappen’s dominance kicked off with a commanding win in Saturday’s sprint race, where he claimed maximum points. Despite both McLarens colliding during the sprint, Verstappen’s flawless performance set the tone for a near-perfect weekend.
With five races and two sprint events left, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri still tops the standings by 14 points over teammate Lando Norris. But Verstappen’s triumph slashed his deficit to 40 points—a remarkable turnaround from a 104-point gap at the end of August.
The battle for the podium unfolded in waves: Norris fought his way past Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc with five laps to go, while Leclerc briefly reclaimed second during pit rotations. Ultimately, Norris secured P2, crossing the line 7.9 seconds behind Verstappen and 7.4 seconds clear of Leclerc.
Behind the frontrunners, Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and Piastri finished fourth and fifth, separated by just 1.1 seconds. George Russell, fresh off his Singapore win, took sixth. Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda, Sauber’s Nico Hülkenberg, Haas rookie Oliver Bearman, and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso rounded out the top ten.
The race saw a virtual safety car on lap seven after a collision between Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli and Carlos Sainz, which ended Sainz’s day and earned him a grid penalty plus penalty points. An opening-corner clash involving Alex Albon and Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto also added drama early on.
Although officials flagged the weekend as a "heat hazard," temperatures stayed milder than expected, settling around 28.6°C (83.5°F). As the season winds down, Verstappen’s momentum makes him the man to watch in the fight for a historic fifth straight world title.
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Verstappen dominates US Grand Prix to reduce deficit in F1 title race
cgtn.com
