So it was rare for Max Verstappen, and it hasn’t been this exciting for Formula 1 spectators in a long time. In the end, the world champion in the Red Bull Honda won the 50th race of his career and the 15th this season from sixth place on the grid, 2.2 seconds ahead of Lewis Hamilton in the resurgent Mercedes.
Lando Norris in the McLaren, who thought he was on course for victory for a long time, came third at the US Grand Prix. In the end, Hamilton was one lap short of the big attack on the defending champion, who scored a hat trick in Austin. “That was hard,” groaned Verstappen afterwards, who had rarely been under so much stress this year. Hamilton also hailed his comeback as a “fantastic weekend” and encouraged the team: “We are getting closer to them. We’ll catch them next time.”
Unusual play of colors at the top
A few cowboys directly on the starting grid provided an object lesson for the Formula 1 drivers in how to tackle such a horsepower rodeo – with elegant use of a lasso. Taming 1000 hp racing cars is a little more complicated, but the principle is the same. Instead of six rope swingers, the first six raced up the steep climb in an iridescent formation. Lando Norris with the McLaren immediately caught Charles Leclerc in his 100th Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton in the middle looked like the winner in the fray for a moment, but allowed himself to be pushed to the outside and avoided a possible collision.
What an unusual play of colors up front when world champion Verstappen suddenly has to start from the unusual sixth position after missing his best time in qualifying. The Dutchman, triumphant winner of Saturday’s sprint race, initially watched the shifts at the front from an appropriate distance, but only moved up to fifth place.
It took four laps for Hamilton to reclaim his third starting position from Carlos Sainz, and two more laps for him to pass Charles Leclerc’s red car. The two Ferrari drivers had previously lost crucial time in a duel and in a near collision. The final technical upgrade of the season at Mercedes is perhaps the most important. The underbody of the Silver Arrow has been significantly changed, which has a decisive influence on aerodynamics and thus speed and driving behavior. Even more important: Suddenly, record world champion Hamilton feels comfortable in the car again and finds his way back to his old form with more confidence. And chased after Norris in the British generational duel.
Verstappen took third place with his usual radicalism against Leclerc; the Dutchman had already become comfortable with the race to catch up: “An unusual position, but it makes it more interesting. Hopefully I can overtake a few and still get the win. My car feels strong enough for it.” They were still lurking before the first pit stops. Norris complained about the balance of his car and the crosswind: the signal for Hamilton to improve a bit.
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