United States Grand Prix | Max Verstappen scores his 50th career victory

(Austin) Dutchman Max Verstappen signed his 15^e victory of the season and its 50^e in his career at the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix on Sunday.

Verstappen started the race in sixth position.

Verstappen had to work harder than usual in the heart of a season almost completely dominated by the three-time world champion. But the power of his Red Bull and a good pit stop strategy allowed him to win with a narrow lead of 2.2 seconds over Lewis Hamilton, who quickly caught up with him during the final laps.

“During the whole race, I had problems with the brakes,” Verstappen said after the event. It was very close at the end. It’s incredible to win a 50^e victory here. I’m very proud. We will obviously push for more. »

This 15^e victory in a season ties the record that Verstappen himself set last year. However, he is even more dominant in 2023 at the wheel of a car that crushes all competition.

After splitting the honors in the first four races of the season with teammate Sergio Perez, Verstappen has won 13 of the last 14 races. His points haul would be enough to place the Red Bull team at the top of the constructors’ standings.

Verstappen also signed his third consecutive victory in Austin. This time he started from sixth place on the starting grid after a rare error during qualifying by exceeding the limits of the track.

All previous Grand Prix winners at the Circuit of the Americas had started from the front row. Verstappen has now won a third race after qualifying sixth or further this season.

This one certainly made him sweat in the Texas heat. With Hamilton in his mirrors and his track engineer giving him frequent updates on the gap, Verstappen lost his temper, shouting “stop talking” over the radio, visibly struggling with his brakes.

Hamilton is looking to take second in the drivers’ standings from Perez, and he secured another podium, as Mercedes took what it called the last major development of the campaign to the United States.

A message from his team at the end of the race suggested that second place, and “maybe victory”, was possible for him. The seven-time world champion has not won since the Saudi Arabian GP in December 2021.

“Max made no mistake,” Hamilton conceded. We caught up with him towards the end. I had hope. We needed more rounds. »

Lando Norris finished third.

Finally points for Stroll

Quebecer Lance Stroll for his part took the start from the pit line, just like his teammate Fernando Alonso, since the Aston Martin team made unauthorized changes to the settings of its cars.

Wearing hard tires at the start, Stroll was last after the first lap. Two more stints on medium tires allowed him to climb to ninth place at the checkered flag. These were the Montrealer’s first points in six races.

Alonso was unable to complete the race.

F1 returns to action in Mexico next week.

With The Canadian Press