Race Notes - Verstappen takes his 50th win

By Mark Karp

Max Verstappen won the United States Grand Prix at Austin in his Red Bull-Honda, despite suffering from brake issues late in the race.

Lewis Hamilton in the Mercedes GP was closing fast and took second place, 2.225 seconds behind the winner.

Lando Norris in the McLaren-Mercedes, after leading the first part of the race, finished third, 10.730 seconds behind.

The win is Verstapppen’s 15th victory on the season, and 50th career win.

Carlos Sainz (15.134s) in the Ferrari was fourth, followed by Sergio Perez (18.460s) in the second Red Bull was fifth, pole sitter Charles Leclerc (24.662s) in the second Ferrari was sixth, George Russell (24.999s) in the second Mercedes was seventh, Pierre Gasly (47. 996s) in the Alpine-Renault was eighth, Lance Stroll (48.696s), after starting in the pitlane was ninth, and Yuki Tsunoda (1m14.385s) in the AlphaTauri-Honda took the final point in tenth, and fastest lap on the final lap.

Before the start, the two Haas cars and two Aston Martin’s made setup changes and would start from the pit lane.

Leclerc and Norris starting from the front row, Hamilton and Sainz on row 2, Russell and Verstappen on row 3, Gasly and Ocon on row 4, and Perez and Piastri rounding out the top ten. Most drivers staring of medium tyres, with Hulkenberg and Stroll starting on hard tyres.

At the appointed time the field came around made the formation lap, lined up on the grid, the lights went out and the race began with Leclerc gets past by Norris into the first corner, Sainz, Haminlton Verstappen and Piastri following.

On lap 2 Norris has a two second lead, and sets fast lap at 1m41.982s.

On lap 3 Perez passes Ocon for eighth.

On lap 4 Hamilton passes Sainz for third place in the DRS.

On lap 5 Verstappen passes Sainz for fourth place.

Ocon continues to fall through the field with sided damage from his first lap contact with Piastri.

On lap 6 Hamilton passes Leclerc for second place in the DRS zone.

Ocon pits and retires the car.

Alonso passes Sargeant for 16th.

Perez notes on the radio that “Russell is going off a lot”.

Albon, Bottas and Magnussen pit. Piastri pits and retires the car.

On lap 11 Verstappen passes Leclerc for third place.

On lap 12 Sargeant pits.

Perez continues to complain about Russell going wide on the track.

On lap 12 Hamilton sets fast lap at 1m41.879s, and trails Norris by 2.1 seconds.

Sargeant passes Magnussen for 17th.

At lap 15 Norris leads Hamilton by 2.0 seconds, followed by Verstappen (6.9s), Leclerc (8.0s), Sainz (10.6s), Russell (13.3s), Perez (14.7s), Gasly (18.6s), Tsunoda (27.6s), and Ricciardo (26.5s) in tenth place.

Norris is questioning what changes they can make at the pitstop,

On lap 17 Verstappen pits for another set of medium tyres and rejoins ninth.

On lap 18 Norris pits from the lead for hard tyres and rejoins fourth.

Sainz and Perez pit as well for medium tyres and rejoin eighth and tenth.

Hamilton leads Leclerc, Russell and Norris.

On lap 19 Gasly pits for medium tyres and rejoins 12th.

Mercedes is asking Hamilton if he can run five more laps before his stop.

On lap 19 Verstappen sets fast lap at 1m40.809s.

On lap 20 Hamilton pits from the lead for hard tyres and rejoins fifth behind Verstappen.

On lap 21 Sainz sets fast lap at 1m40.667s.

Norris passes Russell for second place. Russell pits for hard tyres and rejoins eighth.

On lap 23 Ricciardo pits from seventh for hard tyres and rejoins 15th.

Leclerc pits from the lead for hard tyre and rejoins sixth.

At lap 25 Norris leads Verstappen by 2.2 seconds, followed by Hamilton (9.4s), Sainz (13.1s), Perez (15.9s), Leclerc (21.5s), Russell (24.4s), Gasly (25.3s), Tsunoda (30.2s) and Alonso (37.8s) in tenth.

Albon passes Zhou for 11th.

On lap 26 Verstappen closes to a second behind Norris.

Bottas passes Zhou for 12th.

Zhou pits for hard tyres.

On lap 28 Verstappen passes Norris for the lead.

On lap 30 Albon pits from 11th for medium tyres and rejoins 15th.

Norris is slowly closing back on Verstappen, and is now about a second behind.

Hulkenberg passes Sargeant for 12th.

Sargeant pits for tyres.

Verstappen is complaining about his brakes.

On lap 34 Norris pits from second place for another set of hard tyres and rejoins sixth.

Tsunode and Hulkenberg pit again.

On lap 35 Verstappen pits from the lead for hard tyres and rejoins fourth.

Sainz pits for hard tyres and rejoins seventh.

At lap 36 Hamilton leads Perez by 7.5 seconds, followed by Leclerc (13.7s), Verstappen (15.3s), Norris (16.9s), Russell (22.6s), Sainz (24.3s), Gasly (28.0s), Alonso (33.1s), and Stroll (41.2s) in tenth.

On lap 38 Perez pits from second for hard tyres and rejoins seventh.

Gasly pits for hard tyres and rejoins tenth.

On lap 39 Hamilton pits from the lead for medium tyres and rejoins fourth.

Verstappen passes Leclerc for the lead. Norris sets fast lap at 1m40.025s.

On lap 40 Norris passes Leclerc for second place and trails Verstappen by 1.3 seconds.

On lap 40 Perez sets fast lap at 1m39.881s, and again the next lap at 1m39.737s.

Albon passes Ricciardo for 12th place.

On lap 43 Alonso pits from seventh for hard tyres and rejoins tenth.

Hamilton passes Leclerc for third place in the DRS zone.

Alonso passes Tsunoda for ninth. Hulkenberg passs Ricciardo for 13th.

On lap 46 Sargeant passes Ricciardo for 14th.

Stroll passes Tsunoda for tenth.

On lap 49 Hamilton passes Norris out of the first corner.

Russell sets fast lap at 1m39.393s.

At lap 50 Verstappen leads Hamilton by 5.0 seconds, followed by Norris (7.6s), Leclerc (13.0s), Sainz (13.2s), Perez (16.9s), Russell (26.5s), Gasly (43.9s), Stroll (48.7s), and Tsunoda (54.1s) in tenth place.

Alonso pits and retires with floor damage.

Sainz passes Leclerc for fourth.

Ricciardo sets fast lap at 1m36.366s, but runs in 17th.

Albon is handed a 5-second penalty for track limits.

On lap 53 Perez passes Leclerc for fifth.

On lap 54 Verstappen leads Hamilton bay 3.0 seconds. Verstappen keeps shouting to his engineer not to talk to him on the radio in the braking zone.

On lap 56 Hamilton trails Verstappen by 1.4 seconds.

Tsunoda pits for fresh tires.

At the flag Verstappen wins ahead of Hamilton and Norris.

On the final lap Tsunoda sets fast lap at 1m38.139s.