AUSTIN, Texas | Max Verstappen scored twice on Sunday by winning the United States Formula 1 Grand Prix and securing the Red Bull team’s first constructors’ title since 2013.
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Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) and Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), in order, accompanied him to the podium after a race marked by sometimes intense debates and a violent accident involving Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso, his future teammate at Aston Martin.
“This victory is for Dietrich. The only thing we had to do to thank him was to win,” exclaimed the Dutchman when he crossed the finish line.
The day before, we learned of the death of the co-founder of the Red Bull company, Dietrich Mateschitz, who, through his involvement in motor racing, and particularly in F1, has allowed many drivers to express their talent, including Verstappen.
“I owe him a lot and he was an inspiration to all those who, like me, had the privilege of knowing him and counting on his remarkable contribution”, added the one who equals the record of 13 victories in one season, fellow prisoner by the Germans Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel.
six laps too many
But this other success, scored two weeks after confirming its second world championship in Japan, was acquired the hard way in front of a particularly fit Hamilton who came close to signing a first victory in 2022.
Verstappen redeemed a rough stop in the pits, before orchestrating a brilliant comeback and pointing immediately behind the Briton who did everything to resist him, but in vain. With six laps to go, Hamilton finally gave in.
This fierce duel nevertheless gave rise to spectacular crossovers. Hamilton will reproach him a few times on the radio for having used an illegal trajectory (outside the limits of the track), but the winner, despite a warning from the marshals, was not sanctioned.
The end of a promising journey
After starting from fifth place when the red lights went out, Stroll took advantage of a collision between Carlos Sainz and George Russell at the exit of the first corner to climb to third place.
But, after a promising career where a top five was within reach, he was involved in this spectacular accident with Alonso.
After the intervention of the safety car, to move the immobilized Alfa Romeo of Valtteri Bottas, the race was barely restarted when the Alpine of Alonso hit the back of the Aston Martin of the Quebecer.
On the sequence, we see Stroll shift slightly to the left. After the contact, Alonso’s single-seater took off before hitting a safety barrier. More fear than harm.
“A Late Maneuver”
“He made a late maneuver to defend his position,” claimed Alonso who, despite a damaged car, finished in an unexpected seventh place.
Stroll was forced to retire, the damage being too great to continue. Too bad for the pilot, who will celebrate his 24th birthday on Saturday. As usual, he had a good start.
Sergio Pérez finished at the foot of the podium followed by George Russell (5th) and Lando Norris (6th). By finishing in a brilliant eighth place, Vettel picked up four valuable points for Aston Martin. Kevin Magnussen and Yuki Tsunoda took 9th and 10th place respectively.
“I didn’t ram it to the wall” – Stroll
Stroll will be penalized three places at the Mexican GP
Photo: AFP
Lance Stroll was forced to retire on Sunday after the important collision with Fernando Alonso.
Involved in a spectacular accident with Fernando Alonso, on the 22nd round of the Formula 1 Grand Prix of the United States on Sunday, Lance Stroll proved right, at least in part, to the one who will be his teammate next year at Aston Martin.
The veteran Spanish pilot criticized him for having made a hasty maneuver to defend his position.
“That may be true, but I feel like I gave him enough space to my left to pass me. I didn’t push it against the wall,” retorted the Quebec pilot,
“There was a big difference in speed between us and he got too close to me. He could have made his attempt sooner. I wasn’t next to him when he touched me. »
After the impact, which occurred in one of the fastest sections of the Circuit of the Americas, Stroll never left. Luckier, Alonso, he reached the finish in seventh position.
Later in the evening, the stewards found Stroll responsible for the collision and he will receive a three-place penalty on the starting grid of the Mexican Grand Prix which will be contested next Sunday.
As for Nicholas Latifi, he finished his career in 17th place, but he was the last to cross the finish line aboard his Williams. The other three behind him did not complete the race.
The adventure – and especially the ordeal – of the Toronto pilot is coming to an end. He only has three Grands Prix left before bidding farewell to Formula 1.
A sprint race in Montreal in 2023?
Formula 1 will double the number of sprint races in 2023, and Montreal could well be among the six stops selected in a calendar which will have a record 24 events.
When this new format was introduced in 2020, the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve was to be the very first stage of the World Championship to add it to its programming, but the pandemic forced the cancellation of the Grand Prix du Canada for two years.
“No announcement has been made on this subject, but we hope that Montreal will be on the list”, indicated François Dumontier, the general manager of the Grand Prix of Canada, present in Austin.
The sprint races, lasting 30 minutes (100 km), are contested on Saturday afternoon and the final result determines the position of the drivers on the starting grid of the Grand Prix the following day. The three qualifying rounds are presented on Friday.
Results
19TH STAGE OF THE F1 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
1. Max Verstappen (PB/RED BULL RACING RBPT) 1:42:11.687
2. Lewis Hamilton (GBR/MERCEDES) +5.023s
3. Charles Leclerc (MY/FERRARI) +7.501s
4. Sergio Perez (MEX/RED BULL RACING RBPT) +8.293s
5. george russell (GBR/MERCEDES) +44.815s
6. Lando Norris (GBR/MCLAREN MERCEDES) +53.785s
7. Sebastian Vettel (GER/ASTON MARTIN ARAMCO MERCEDES) +65.354s
8. Kevin Magnussen (DAN/HAAS FERRARI) +65.834s
9. Yuki Tsunoda (JAP/ALPHATAURI RBPT) +70.919s
10. Esteban Ocon (FRA/ALPINE RENAULT) +72.875s
11. Zhou Guanyu (CHI/ALFA ROMEO FERRARI) +76.164s
12. Alexander Albon (THA/WILLIAMS MERCEDES) +80.057s
13. Pierre Gasly (FRA/ALPHATAURI RBPT) +81.763s
14. Mick Schumacher (ALL/HAAS FERRARI) +84.490s
15. Fernando Alonso (ESP/ALPINE RENAULT) +85.078s
16. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS/MCLAREN MERCEDES) +90.487s
17. Nicholas Latifi (CAN/WILLIAMS MERCEDES) +103.588s
GIVE UP
Lance Stroll (CAN/ASTON MARTIN ARAMCO MERCEDES)
Valtteri Bottas (END/ALFA ROMEO FERRARI)
Carlos Sainz Jr. (ESP/FERRARI)
RIDER RANKING
1. Max Verstappen (PB) 391 points
2. Charles Leclerc (MY) 267
3. Sergio Perez (MEX) 265
4. george russell (GBR) 218
5. Carlos Sainz Jr. (SP) 202
6. Lewis Hamilton (GBR) 198
7. Lando Norris (GBR) 109
8. Esteban Ocon (ENG) 78
9. Fernando Alonso (SP) 71
10. Valtteri Bottas (END) 46
11. Sebastian Vettel (ALL) 36
12. Daniel Ricciardo (AUD) 29
13. Kevin Magnussen (DAN) 24
14. Pierre Gasly (ENG) 23
15. Lance Stroll (CAN) 13
16. Mick Schumacher (ALL) 12
20. Nicholas Latifi (CAN) 2
MANUFACTURER RANKING
1. Red Bull ▸ 656 pts
2. Ferrari ▸ 469
3. mercedes ▸ 416
4. Alpine-Renault ▸ 144
5. McLaren-Mercedes ▸ 138
6. Alfa Romeo-Ferrari ▸ 52
7. Aston Martin-Mercedes ▸ 51
8. Hass-Ferrari ▸ 38
9. Alphatauri-RBPT ▸ 36
This tenth United States Grand Prix in Austin is estimated to have attracted a record crowd of 440,000 spectators over the three days. Like what, F1 is experiencing an unprecedented wave of popularity south of the border.