Under a bright Texas sun and a restless October wind, Formula 1 came to Austin for the United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas.
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen won both the Sprint Race and the Grand Prix in Austin, sweeping the weekend and cutting his championship deficit to McLaren’s Oscar Piastri to just 40 points. It was the kind of dominant, methodical performance that has defined his late-season charge—his fourth win in the past five race weekends.
McLaren arrived in Texas fresh off clinching the Constructors’ Championship in Singapore, but its weekend began to unravel almost as soon as the Sprint began.
On Saturday, teammates Piastri and Lando Norris tangled at Turn 1, ending both of their Sprints before the second corner. Yellow flags waved as the frustrated papaya-colored cars, and their pilots left the track.
Afterward, Piastri described the collision as a racing incident, saying he had been far from the apex and that several cars had gone deep into the corner. The clash echoed the pair’s collision at the previous round in Singapore and reignited questions about whether McLaren’s two title contenders can coexist cleanly in the final stretch.
With both cars out, Verstappen cruised to a comfortable Sprint win ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell, who finished in second. Williams’ driver Carlos Sainz Jr. finished in third—the Spaniard’s second podium since joining Williams after leaving Ferrari.
When the lights went out for Sunday’s Grand Prix, Verstappen’s control was immediate. Starting from the pole, he built a cushion within the opening laps, managing his tires well on a one-stop strategy.
Speaking afterward, Verstappen called it an “incredible weekend” for the team and said he focused on keeping the gap consistent once he gained the lead. He noted that the race wasn’t entirely straightforward but that the team executed perfectly to the end.
He added that the title fight was still alive but would require near-perfection in the remaining rounds.
Behind him, Norris and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc staged a thrilling duel for second place, trading quick laps and overtakes before Norris finally pulled ahead. Norris later said it had been a long time coming and praised Leclerc for a clean, hard-fought battle.
Leclerc, who had started on softer tires than the rest of the field, admitted he was unsure about the decision early on but said it ultimately helped him gain track position. Piastri recovered from qualifying sixth on the grid to finish fifth, salvaging key points but remaining off the podium.
Elsewhere, the attrition was heavy. Sainz’s Grand Prix ended after contact with Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli. Ferrari’s alternate-compound pit strategy for Leclerc, although initially drawing skepticism, helped him secure third place and kept the Scuderia within striking distance of Mercedes in the standings.
When the checkered flag fell, thousands of fans streamed toward the podium. Though every team’s colors dotted the crowd, the chants for Verstappen echoed across the hills of the Circuit of the Americas as he raised his trophy under a shower of confetti and champagne.
Verstappen later said the team would need to be perfect in the remaining races to keep the title hopes alive.
The United States Grand Prix leaves the championship battle alive and pulsing with tension. McLaren holds the Constructors’ crown, but Red Bull’s lead driver has the momentum — and just enough time left to make things interesting.
With Mexico, Brazil, and Abu Dhabi still to come, the season’s final act is set; Verstappen chasing, McLaren defending, and Formula 1 heading south with the story far from finished.
