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The battle for P1 continues as Max Verstappen battles to take the lead from Lewis Hamilton at the US Grand Prix.
The battle for P1 continues as Max Verstappen battles to take the lead from Lewis Hamilton at the US Grand Prix.
Max Verstappen denied Lewis Hamilton his first Formula 1 win of 2022 with a late race overtake in a thrilling United States Grand Prix as the world drivers’ champion helped secure the constructors’ title for Red Bull.
A race that included two safety cars was turned upside down when a terrible Red Bull pit stop gave away Verstappen’s huge lead on lap 35, propelling Hamilton to the top at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin .
Verstappen, however, more determined than ever despite recently wrapping up his title, closed a four-second gap on medium tires to chase down Hamilton, on hards, then crucially overtook his fierce rival from 2021 when six laps to go with a lunge at the Turn. 12.
Verstappen and team-mate Sergio Perez, who finished fourth behind Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, sealed Red Bull’s constructors’ crown with their efforts, the team’s first double championship season since 2013.
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Verstappen drops to 5th after a nightmare pit stop, allowing Hamilton and Charles Leclerc to move ahead.
Verstappen drops to 5th after a nightmare pit stop, allowing Hamilton and Charles Leclerc to move ahead.
The win was also Verstappen’s 13th of 2022, equaling an F1 record for most wins in a season, while it also means Hamilton must wait to extend his record for winning a race in all its 16 campaigns. The Mercedes driver, however, could not have done much more on Sunday.
Verstappen dedicated the victory to Dietrich Mateschitz following the death of the Red Bull owner the day before, while Hamilton sent his condolences.
“It felt amazing to be on top,” he added. “That’s something we’ve been working hard on all year and had high hopes for. We’re going to hang on to that.”
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Lewis Hamilton admits he regrets not being able to take victory for Mercedes, although he highlights the difficulty of defending against Verstappen.
Lewis Hamilton admits he regrets not being able to take victory for Mercedes, although he highlights the difficulty of defending against Verstappen.
George Russell finished fifth in the other Mercedes, with a five-second penalty and front-end damage after hitting Carlos Sainz at the start of the race.
Sainz, who started on pole, had lost position to Verstappen at the first corner and was then spun by Russell, leading to a water leak and a hugely frustrating DNF for the Spaniard.
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A dramatic start to the US Grand Prix sees Mercedes’ George Russell send Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz spinning
A dramatic start to the US Grand Prix sees Mercedes’ George Russell send Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz spinning
Lando Norris was extremely fast in the closing stages to take sixth.
Fernando Alonso finished seventh, although he has been marred by a post-race penalty after Haas contested the condition of his car following his high-speed crash.
Alonso went airborne in a terrifying high-speed crash with Lance Stroll on lap 23 – when the Aston Martin moved late on the straight – but while Stroll retired with damage, the driver of Alpine somehow carried on and made progress long after that. Stroll received a three-place grid penalty for the Mexican GP after the FIA race.
Haas protested against Alonso and Perez’s car due to damage – protests which were deemed permissible – thought only Alonso’s car was penalized and dropped to 15th.
The Stroll-Alonso crash prompted the second safety car, with the first due to the stalling of Valtteri Bottas’ Alfa Romeo on lap 18 after Verstappen had taken the lead.
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Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll collided at the US GP, and Alonso was sent airborne as a result
Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll collided at the US GP, and Alonso was sent airborne as a result
Sebastian Vettel salvaged eighth, but it could have been much more, with the soon-to-be-retired multiple world champion occupying the top positions for most of the race. He was even leading before a 16-second pit stop, even slower than Verstappen’s, dropped him down the order.
US GP Race Result Top 101. Max Verstappen, Red Bull2. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes3. Charles Leclerc, Ferrari4. Sergio Perez, Red Bull5. George Russell, Mercedes6. Lando Norris, McLaren7. Sebastian Vettel, Aston Martin8. Kevin Magnussen, Haas9. Yuki Tsunoda, AlphaTaur10. Esteban Ocon, Alpine
How Hamilton had a chance and how Max took it
An always entertaining US GP in the colorful and unique city of Austin, Texas looked like it could turn into a dominant victory for Verstappen due to his early pass on Sainz, and the Ferrari driver was retired from the dispute moments later by Russell.
Verstappen built up a six-second advantage over Hamilton, who started third, after the first pit stops.
But two safety cars came into play again at Hamilton, and the Mercedes was able to hold on to the normally much faster Red Bull before an unusual mistake from Red Bull put it in the lead.
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Another twist at the US Grand Prix sees Valtteri Bottas end his race on the gravel and deploy the first safety car
Another twist at the US Grand Prix sees Valtteri Bottas end his race on the gravel and deploy the first safety car
Verstappen, who responded to a pit stop by Hamilton as Mercedes tried to undercut, was subjected to an 11-second pit stop, eight seconds longer than Hamilton’s, as his mechanics failed to loosen his front wheel left handed.
“Beautiful, ****** beautiful,” Verstappen said as he fell behind not only Hamilton but Leclerc as the Ferrari driver, who started 12th but was helped by the time of the first safety car, got on the track. mix up.
On the new medium tyres, however, Verstappen showed the form that has seen him dominate this season.
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Hamilton overtakes Sebastian Vettel to lead the US Grand Prix
Hamilton overtakes Sebastian Vettel to lead the US Grand Prix
He upset Leclerc and overtook the Ferrari at Turn 12, before beginning his relentless pursuit of Hamilton.
Hamilton was three seconds adrift, but Verstappen had a significantly higher pace, particularly on the straights, and Mercedes’ hopes of that long-awaited first win of 2022 ended when Verstappen hit DRS.
On lap 50, the Red Bull driver passed Hamilton on the longest straight before even reaching the corner. As Hamilton tried to fight in the final sector and the closing laps, Verstappen’s speed prevented further wheel-to-wheel battles similar to last season.
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After a continuous fight for P3, Leclerc leaves the opportunity and passes to Sergio Pérez
After a continuous fight for P3,…