Leclerc leads a Ferrari one-two in Austin, while Verstappen takes third after a fierce battle with Norris for the podium.
The United States Grand Prix Sprint weekend has already delivered plenty of excitement and surprises, with the main race still to come. Red Bull and McLaren F1, particularly Max Verstappen and Lando Norris, have emerged as the standout performers of the weekend.
The British driver secured pole position for the race, while the Dutchman will join him on the front row after taking pole for the Sprint and claiming victory in the Sprint itself. Ferrari, showing strong pace on long runs, will start from the second row, with Carlos Sainz ahead of Charles Leclerc.
With Oscar Piastri qualifying fifth, McLaren, Red Bull, and Ferrari all appear to have a realistic shot at challenging for victory. Meanwhile, the lower half of the top 10 grid is made up of dark horses.
Pierre Gasly qualified seventh but moves up to the third row thanks to George Russell’s pit lane start. Russell’s car required significant work after qualifying, missing the two-hour deadline to be ready, giving Gasly a boost.
Fernando Alonso will start seventh ahead of Kevin Magnussen, followed by Sergio Pérez and Yuki Tsunoda. Nico Hülkenberg and Esteban Ocon line up on the sixth row, ahead of Lance Stroll and Alex Albon. Franco Colapinto starts behind them, followed by Valtteri Bottas.
After being knocked out in Q1, Lewis Hamilton benefits from penalties to Liam Lawson and Russell, gaining two places to start 17th on the grid. He is ahead of Guanyu Zhou and Lawson, with Russell set to begin from the pit lane. Mercedes is facing a challenging race in Austin this Sunday.
20:51: The track temperature remains above 40 degrees, as it was during yesterday’s Sprint, making two pit stops highly likely during the race.
20:58: Stroll, Colapinto, Hamilton, Lawson, and Russell start on hard tyres, while the rest of the grid opts for mediums.
20:59: From his cockpit, Hamilton humorously remarked about his 17th-place start: “Blimey, that’s a long way back!”
Start: Norris gets off to a strong start, but Verstappen forces him wide in a bid for the lead, allowing Leclerc to capitalise. Norris drops to fourth.
Lap 1: Russell passes Ocon, who drops to the back of the field. Zhou and Hamilton make strong starts, with Hamilton up to 12th.
Lap 2: Sainz makes another attempt to overtake Verstappen, but the Dutchman holds second place. Hamilton runs off track in the penultimate corner, the same spot where Russell went off yesterday. The Mercedes is stranded, prompting a safety car.
Lap 3: Leclerc leads ahead of Verstappen and Sainz, who sets the fastest lap with a 1:39.923. Norris is in fourth, followed by Piastri, Gasly, Magnussen, Tsunoda, Pérez, and Alonso. Hülkenberg holds 11th, ahead of Stroll, Lawson, Zhou, Colapinto, Bottas, Russell, Albon, and Ocon.
Lap 4: Replays show Ocon was spun around by Albon at the start.
Lap 5: The race is about to resume!
Lap 6: Lawson immediately overtakes Stroll for 12th. Verstappen tries to attack Leclerc but is slightly too far back. Stroll, having lost several positions, is now fighting for last with Albon.
Lap 7: Leclerc sets the fastest lap with a 1:38.951, pulling Verstappen out of DRS range. Sainz is right behind the Red Bull, while Norris and Piastri create a gap ahead, likely to preserve their tyres.
Lap 8: Leclerc now has a 1.8-second lead, while Verstappen holds a 1.5-second gap over Sainz. The gaps are widening, likely due to tyre overheating from close racing. Only Gasly is under pressure, with Magnussen, Tsunoda, Pérez, Hülkenberg, Alonso, and Lawson tightly bunched behind him. Zhou and Colapinto remain close to this group, keeping the midfield pack closely contested.
Lap 9: Leclerc gains over half a second per lap on Verstappen, extending his lead to 2.5 seconds. Meanwhile, Sainz reports a concerning smell of fuel inside his car.
Lap 10: The Ferrari driver continues to pull away, with significant gaps developing compared to previous races, now 15 seconds separating the top 10. Zhou spins at Turn 1, losing his strong position and dropping to the back of the field.
Lap 11: Leclerc extends his lead to 4 seconds, with Sainz now 1.3 seconds behind Verstappen. Norris follows 2.4 seconds behind Sainz. Lawson moves past Alonso to claim 11th place.
Lap 13: Leclerc extends his lead over Verstappen to 5 seconds, continuing to be the only driver lapping in the 1:39s.
Lap 14: Verstappen responds by stabilising the gap. Leclerc’s engineer informs him that the current gap supports sticking to Plan A, but Leclerc expresses a preference for Plan B or Plan C. Meanwhile, Verstappen’s engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, tells him there’s an issue with the car but urges him to hold on until the pit stop to address it. Russell overtakes Colapinto for 13th place.
Lap 15: Leclerc’s lead over Verstappen grows to 6.2 seconds, with Sainz still within 2 seconds of the Red Bull. Norris is 3.3 seconds behind Sainz, maintaining a 3.7-second gap ahead of Piastri. Gasly impresses, sitting just 4.5 seconds behind the second McLaren after 15 laps, while holding off Magnussen and Tsunoda. Pérez is close behind Tsunoda but unable to make a pass.
Lap 16: Russell is under investigation for forcing Bottas off the track, a manoeuvre far less severe than Verstappen’s move on Norris at the start.
Lap 17: The Mercedes driver is handed a 5-second penalty for the incident. Toto Wolff, Mercedes’ team principal, expresses his frustration over the radio: “This is a total joke, George, that penalty is a joke.” Meanwhile, Leclerc extends his lead to 7 seconds over Verstappen.
Lap 18: Russell overtakes Alonso for 11th place, while Lawson moves into 10th after Magnussen pits, rejoining in 17th. Tsunoda forces Hülkenberg off track—will the FIA show consistency in their penalties?
Lap 19: Gasly and Tsunoda pit, but both rejoin behind Magnussen, who successfully undercuts the Frenchman. Gasly’s stop took a costly 6.9 seconds…
Lap 20: Leclerc extends his lead to 8 seconds.
Lap 21: Piastri expresses satisfaction as the graining on his tyres subsides, noting they are now in good shape. Meanwhile, Russell overtakes Lawson.
Lap 22: Sainz pits, aiming to undercut Verstappen, who won’t be able to match Leclerc’s strategy. This could also present a key opportunity for the McLaren drivers to leap ahead of both if their tyres can last for a one-stop strategy.
Lap 23: The Spaniard sets the fastest times in both the second and third sectors, but Verstappen stays out despite trailing Leclerc by 9.6 seconds. Further down the field, Colapinto overtakes Alonso after a spirited battle.
Lap 24: Sainz sets the fastest lap of the race with a time of 1:38.731, a full 1.1 seconds quicker than Leclerc and 1.7 seconds faster than Verstappen.
Lap 25: Leclerc now holds an 11-second lead over Verstappen and has urged Ferrari not to leave him out on track for too long. Norris has closed the gap to 2.7 seconds behind Verstappen, having been 4 seconds back, while the Red Bull driver complains of severe wear on his left-side tyres.
Lap 26: Verstappen pits, just four laps after Sainz, and rejoins 4.4 seconds behind the Ferrari driver. This allows Ferrari to protect Leclerc from Verstappen’s challenge. Leclerc leads with a 13.8-second gap over Norris, 18.2 seconds over Piastri, and 27 seconds ahead of Sainz.
Lap 27: Leclerc pits to rejoin ahead of Sainz and, crucially, ahead of Verstappen. This leaves Norris in the lead with a 4.6-second advantage over Piastri, while Leclerc is 3 seconds behind the Australian and 6 seconds ahead of Sainz. Pérez also pits and rejoins in 11th behind Magnussen, while Alonso pits and drops to the back of the field. Norris sets the fastest time in the first sector, likely preparing for his own pit stop.
Lap 28: Norris maintains a 4.6-second gap to Piastri, with Leclerc closing in rapidly, now just 2.6 seconds behind the McLaren. Sainz stays steady behind his teammate, and Verstappen is matching their pace, trailing Sainz by 4.3 seconds. Russell is in sixth, 9.6 seconds behind Verstappen, and pushing to set up his first stop. Lawson and Colapinto still need to pit, as they remain on their hard tyres from the start.
Lap 29: Leclerc sets the fastest lap of the race with a 1:38.662. Verstappen is now quicker than the McLarens, both of whom have yet to stop. Gasly is under investigation for passing Albon off-track. Sainz’s engineer gives him a technical instruction, but the Spaniard candidly admits he “didn’t understand” the message.
Lap 30: As the second half of the race begins, Norris holds a 4.8-second lead over Piastri, who now has Leclerc closing in within a second. Sainz and Verstappen maintain stable gaps behind the Monegasque.
Lap 31: The McLarens’ lap times are dropping, allowing Leclerc to overtake Piastri. Norris pits at the end of the lap.
Lap 32: Norris rejoins in fifth, 6.4 seconds behind Verstappen, having lost two seconds to the Dutchman over the last two laps. It seems McLaren may have delayed his pit stop by a lap or two. Leclerc regains the lead, pulling 3 seconds clear of Piastri.
Lap 33: Piastri also makes his pit stop, rejoining more than 5 seconds behind Norris, just ahead of Russell, who has yet to stop. Gasly receives a 5-second penalty for his off-track manoeuvre on Albon.
Lap 34: Leclerc extends his lead to 7 seconds over Sainz and 11 seconds over Verstappen. Norris, now 6.4 seconds back, sets the fastest lap with a 1:38.641. Piastri increases his gap over Russell.
Lap 35: Leclerc briefly reclaims the fastest lap with a 1:38.633, but Norris responds with an even quicker 1:38.043, gaining a full second on Verstappen.
Lap 36: Sainz is marginally quicker than Leclerc, but the gap between them remains at 7 seconds. Norris continues to push, setting a new fastest lap of 1:37.918, reducing his deficit to Verstappen by another second, now trailing by 4.6 seconds. Meanwhile, Tsunoda receives a penalty for forcing Hülkenberg off the track.
Lap 37: With Norris now less than 4 seconds behind, Verstappen voices his frustration over the radio: “These tyres are no good, I can’t brake, I can’t attack, I can’t do anything!” Meanwhile, Lawson pits and rejoins just behind Gasly, but ahead of Tsunoda.
Lap 38: Norris closes the gap to 3 seconds behind Verstappen, gaining over half a second per lap. Tsunoda, confused on the radio, questions how Lawson managed to rejoin ahead of him. Lawson then overtakes Gasly for 11th place.
Lap 39: Leclerc leads by 6.6 seconds over Sainz, while Verstappen is 5.7 seconds behind the Spaniard. Norris is now just 2.5 seconds behind his championship rival, with Piastri trailing Norris by 7.3 seconds. Magnussen pits again and returns to the track in 13th.
Lap 40: Leclerc sets the fastest lap of the race with a 1:37.834. Norris continues his charge, now just 2.3 seconds behind Verstappen.
Lap 41: Russell makes his pit stop as Norris closes to within two seconds of Verstappen. Russell rejoins in eighth, 4 seconds behind Hülkenberg. Meanwhile, Tsunoda spins at Turn 1.
Lap 42: Sainz sets the fastest lap with a 1:37.786, reducing his gap to Leclerc to 5.8 seconds. Norris is now just 1.6 seconds behind Verstappen. Colapinto extends his lead over Magnussen, solidifying his 11th position.
Lap 43: Sainz improves again with a 1:37.763, while Norris continues to chip away at Verstappen’s lead, reducing the gap to 1.4 seconds. Colapinto is closing rapidly on Gasly, who has a penalty, potentially putting the young Argentinian in a points-scoring position. Russell goes even faster, setting the best time with a 1:37.656.
Lap 44: Norris is now within a second of Verstappen! While he doesn’t make an overtake attempt yet, he positions himself to strike on the next lap. Similarly, Russell is closing in on Hülkenberg.
Lap 45: Leclerc maintains a 5.1-second lead over Sainz, while Norris remains close to Verstappen but holds off on making a move. Pérez is 29 seconds behind the pair, with a 6-second cushion over Russell, who has overtaken Hülkenberg. Colapinto moves past Gasly to take tenth.
Lap 46: Norris edges even closer to Verstappen but still refrains from overtaking.
Lap 47: The McLaren driver is now right on Verstappen’s tail coming out of Turn 1, sticking to the back of the Red Bull throughout the first sector. Colapinto sets the fastest lap with a 1:37.611. Norris draws alongside Verstappen, but the Red Bull driver defends fiercely. Norris makes two dive attempts, but Verstappen holds his ground.
Lap 48: Sainz has closed the gap to under 5 seconds behind Leclerc, but the outcome for the top two positions appears settled. Meanwhile, Norris remains very close to Verstappen but still cannot find a way through.
Lap 49: Norris is once again on the attack, now within two-tenths of Verstappen, but the Dutchman holds firm.
Lap 50: Norris launches an attack at Turn 1, but it’s in vain. The Briton is exploring every option available to claim third place.
Lap 51: Norris drops back slightly in the first sector, possibly to cool his tyres and improve traction through the Esses, aiming for a better run in the second sector.
Lap 52: Norris attacks once more, and Verstappen forces him off the track. Norris manages to pass, but Verstappen complains, despite being the one who pushed the McLaren wide.
Lap 53: Verstappen attempts a move at Turn 1, but Norris defends robustly, holding his line.
Lap 54: The stewards review the incident between Norris and Verstappen, ruling that the Briton gained an advantage by going off-track.
Lap 54: The stewards have noted the incident between Norris and Verstappen, determining that the Briton gained an advantage by going off-track.
Lap 55: Norris has extended his lead over Verstappen to 2.3 seconds.
Final lap: The gaps have stabilised, and Norris is handed a five-second penalty.
Finish: Leclerc claims victory ahead of Sainz, while Verstappen retakes the podium due to Norris’ penalty. Piastri finishes fifth, followed by Russell, Pérez, Hülkenberg, and Lawson, who scores two points on his return! Colapinto adds another point to Williams’ tally.
Magnussen finishes 11th, followed by Gasly, Alonso, Tsunoda, Stroll, Albon, Bottas, Ocon, and Zhou. Ocon sets the fastest lap of the race but doesn’t score a point.
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari SF-24 | 56 Laps- 1h35m16.745s |
| 02 | Carlos Sainz | Ferrari SF-24 | +8.562 |
| 03 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Honda RBPT RB20 | +19.412 |
| 04 | Lando Norris | McLaren Mercedes MCL38 | +20.354 |
| 05 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren Mercedes MCL38 | +21.921 |
| 06 | George Russell | Mercedes W15 | +56.295 |
| 07 | Sergio Pérez | Red Bull Honda RBPT RB20 | +59.072 |
| 08 | Nico Hülkenberg | Haas Ferrari VF-24 | +62.957 |
| 09 | Liam Lawson | RB Honda RBPT VCARB 01 | +70.563 |
| 10 | Franco Colapinto | Williams Mercedes FW46 | +71.979 |
| 11 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas Ferrari VF-24 | +79.782 |
| 12 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine Renault A524 | +90.558 |
| 13 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin Mercedes AMR24 | +1 lap |
| 14 | Yuki Tsunoda | RB Honda RBPT VCARB 01 | +1 lap |
| 15 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin Mercedes AMR24 | +1 lap |
| 16 | Alex Albon | Williams Mercedes FW46 | +1 lap |
| 17 | Valtteri Bottas | Stake F1 Kick Sauber C44 | +1 lap |
| 18 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine Renault A524 | +1 lap |
| 19 | Guanyu Zhou | Stake F1 Kick Sauber C44 | +1 lap |
| 20 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes W15 | DNF |
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