Max Verstappen dominated the United States Grand Prix to continue his drivers' championship push, defeating Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc to the chequered flag.
Norris, who finished in second, lost that place to Charles Leclerc on the first lap and went on to pass him twice.
Leclerc was the only driver towards the sharp end of the grid to start on the soft compound tyres and passed the McLaren driver around the outside of the first turn.
But on lap 21, Norris was now enjoying his medium compound better than Leclerc's ageing softs and overwhelmed him down the long back straight, with the aid of DRS.
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But after Leclerc switched to the medium compound tyres, earlier than Norris switched to the softs, he won back track position and held up the McLaren driver once more. But with a savvy move to Leclerc's inside, going into turn 12, he ensured of an 18 points that brings himself closer to teammate Oscar Piastri in the drivers' championship.
Lewis Hamilton leapt up to fourth on the first lap and remained in that position throughout, defeating the struggling championship leader of Piastri.
Top Ten:
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. Oliver Bearman
10. Fernando Alonso
Carlos Sainz was the race's sole retirement, after he knocked into Kimi Antonelli's Mercedes during their duel that reached turn 15. That triggered the only virtual safety car period of the race, with the stricken Williams stopping just before the pit lane entry, in between turns 19 and 20.
Elsewhere, one of the other flashpoints from the race also transpired at turn 15, when Oliver Bearman chanced an overtake to the inside of Yuki Tsunoda's Red Bull. Deeming that Tsunoda changed his lane late into the corner, Bearman took evasive action and was pitched into a spin. The British driver continued on to finish in ninth, at his team's home event.
But Verstappen's victory, his fifth of 2025, brings him to 40 points behind Piastri, who has not scored a podium in three straight race weekends. Meanwhile, Norris sits just 14 points behind his Australian rival.
Formula 1 news & related links
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