post-image

UNITED STATES GP – Max Verstappen dominates to take a fourth Austin win by eight seconds from Lando Norris

Testing & Race Reports
Jack
19-10-2025

Max Verstappen took a dominating nearly eight-second fourth victory at the United States Grand Prix; the Dutchman took control of the race at the start, building a second and a half lead over Lando Norris on the opening lap. Verstappen looked in control as he tried to continue a comeback to try and stop McLaren from taking the drivers’ championship.

Verstappen took total control of the race as he converted pole into a lead at Turn One as Charles Leclerc managed to use his soft tyre at the start to pass Norris on the exit of the opening corner.

The four-time champion has since the summer break closed a hundred-and-four-point deficit to just forty points with five weekends to go; the Dutch lion will not give up without a fight. He has done this by taking three wins in the last four races, that allowed him to put himself back in the fight with five weekends remaining.

Verstappen perhaps proving why he is a four-time champion, on a weekend where McLaren has had various issues he ceased control, which perhaps validates McLaren CEO Zak Brown’s warning that despite already taking back-to-back constructors they need to be wary of the Dutchman, if they are to take their first driver’s title since 2008.

The Ferrari driver was then able to become a headache for Norris for much of the race, until the McLaren driver was able to reel him in before a tiny mistake gave Norris the opportunity to dive down the inside and secure second when Leclerc made a mistake at Turn One, allowing Norris to get on the rear before diving past at Turn Eleven.

Norris eventually finished the race seven seconds ahead of the Ferrari, as Leclerc looked to prove a big headache for McLaren. The Englishman in hindsight, lost his chance to try and challenge the Dutchman when he lost the place to Leclerc, then had to spend the majority of the race trying to find a way back passed.

That cost Norris a lot of time and he pushed it to the limit as he was given a final warning by the stewards in the closing stages about track limits. The championship may this weekend have become a three-horse race with Mexico City next weekend, a track where Verstappen has excelled throughout his career.

Leclerc delivered one of Ferrari’s strongest weekends of the season as he finished almost seven and a half seconds behind Norris and thirteen seconds ahead of his Ferrari teammate Lewis Hamilton. The Monacan returned to the podium for the first time in five races, as he frustrated Norris by his use of the alternative strategy.

Verstappen, who wins the United States Grand Prix: “It was an unbelievable weekend for us. I knew that the race was not going to be super straightforward. I think, if you look at the whole race, the pace between myself and Lando was really close. I think on the first stint is where we made the difference. I could eek out a little bit of a gap and that is basically what we kept until the end.”

Norris, who finished second, on his battle with Charles Leclerc: “It took long enough; it was a good battle with Charles, and he fought hard. It was tough; we did everything we could. I thought we had it in an easier way after we got ahead, and we did the overcut. I expected a slightly easier second attempt. Charles drove a good race, and it was a good battle.”

Leclerc said, “I was a little bit worried when I saw I was the only car on the softs. I knew it was a bit of a risky move. What I had in mind was to use the softs and get free air. It was quite optimistic because we had two cars in front but that’s what we tried to do. We gained a position and that helped us a lot for the rest of the race.”

Hamilton, a five-time Austin winner, is perhaps looking to kick-start a late revival to finish what has been a difficult and underwhelming season strongly, to put him and Ferrari if they deliver a strong pack with next year’s regulation changes. But there has been so many chances, his sprint pole and win in Shanghai six months ago, the reset in Zandvoort in August.

The seven-time champion said, “Good result, amazing result for the team. Third and fourth, good points. Great to finish ahead of the Mercedes team to get those points and even ahead of the McLaren so definitely a positive. We went forwards, even after a bad start. Lots of positives to take from here, I think.”

Oscar Piastri finished fifth a second behind Hamilton and ahead of George Russell by three and three-quarters of a second. The pressure of fighting for his maiden championship once again started to show as he looked to struggle all weekend, with his teammate Norris fighting back to take points away from Piastri.

Piastri has appeared all weekend to struggle for pace, the once dominant McLaren could do nothing against the flying Ferrari’s but he was still able to finish just under four seconds ahead of Russell. Since the Australian’s last win in August, he has been out scored by both Norris and Verstappen, he has also struggled for pace and made  uncharacteristic errors.

Verstappen’s teammate Yuki Tsunoda delivered a really strong drive to finish seven seconds ahead of Nico Hulkenberg. Hulkenberg was seven seconds ahead of Ollie Bearman, the Sauber gaining eighth when the Haas spun while trying to pass the German.

Tsunoda benefited following a collision on the opening lap between Carlos Sainz and Kimi Antonelli; both were able to continue, to make up places after being knocked out in Q2 to drive a solid race. The Italian could be facing a grid penalty for next weekend in Mexico City for causing a collision which lead to Carlos Sainz’s retirement.

Fernando Alonso completed the top ten, finishing five seconds behind Bearman, with the two Aston Martin’s being split by Liam Lawson. Lawson was three seconds behind the Spaniard and ahead of Lance Stroll by a second and a half, while Antonelli recovered to finish almost a second behind Stroll.

Alex Albon was three seconds ahead of Esteban Ocon, the Haas driver finishing nine and three-quarters of a second ahead of fellow Frenchman Isack Hadjar. Both struggling to make major inroads up the order after they were both knocked out in Q1 yesterday.

Franco Colapinto was seventeenth, the Argentine ignoring Alpine team order to remain behind Pierre Gasly, which allowed Gabreil Bortoleto to pass the Frenchman and finish two and a half seconds ahead of him. Sainz’s contact with Antonelli made him the only retirement.

Related

Tags:
, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,