Race Notes - Verstappen takes flag-to-flag win

By Mark Karp

Max Verstappen in his Red Bull-Honda won the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas - taking a flag-to-flag victory.

Lando Norris in his McLaren-Mercedes finished in second place, 7.959 seconds behind.

Charles Leclerc in his Ferrari finished in third place, 15.373 seconds behind the winner.

Verstappen has won three race in the last four events, and fifth for the season, and 68th of his career.

In the Drivers Championship Oscar Piastri still leads, but Norris has closed to 14 points behind the Australian, and Verstappen has closed to 40 points behind.

Leclerc’s podium is his sixth of this season, the last coming at the Belgian GP.

Lewis Hamilton (28.536s) in the second Ferrari finished in fourth place, followed by Piastri (28.678s) in the second McLaren in fifth, George Russell (33.456s) in the Mercedes GP in sixth, Yuki Tsunoda (52.714s) in the second Red Bull finished seventh, Nico Hulkenberg (57.259s) in the Sauber-Ferrari was eighth, Oliver Bearman (1m04.722s) in his Haas-Ferrari was ninth, and Fernando Alonso (1m10.001s) in the Aston Martin-Mercedes finished with the final point in tenth place.

Before the start, as the Texas temperatures were rising heading for midday, Verstappen and Norris sat on row 1, Leclerc and Russell on row 2, Hamilton and Piastri on row 3, Antonelli and Bearman on row 4 and Sainz and Alonso rounding out the top ten.

The top ten runners are on medium tyres, except Leclerc on softs.

At the appointed time drivers took to the track for the formation lap, lined up on the grid, the lights went off and the race started with Verstappen takes the lead, Leclerc gets past Norris for second place, Hamilton fourth, Piastri fifth, Russell fell to sixth, followed by Kimi Antonelli, Bearman, Carlos Sainz and Tsunoda in tenth.

On lap 2 Russell is closely following Piastri.

Sainz passes Bearman for eighth place.

Verstappen sets fast lap at 1m40.241s and leads Leclerc by 1.8 seconds.

On lap 3 Norris is pressuring Leclerc for second, Hamilton right behind in fourth.

On lap 4 Verstappen continues to get away from Leclerc on soft tyres.

On lap 6 Verstappen sets fast lap at 1m39.758s, and leads Leclerc by 2.8 seconds.

On lap 7 Sainz tries down the inside of Antonelli, the two touch. The two fall to the back, and the virtual safety car is out to clean the debris off the track.

Sainz pulls off the track.

On lap at the VST ends and the race is resumed.

At lap 10 of 56, Verstappen leads Leclerc by 3.1 seconds, followed by Norris (5.1s), Hamilton (6.1s), Piastri (6.9s), Russell (8.4s), Tsunoda (10.5s), Bearman (12.1s), Hulkenberg (15.9s) and Alonso (17.1s) in tenth place.

On lap 12 McLaren tells Norris to go to plan B.

Lance Stroll passes Franco Colapinto for 14th.

Piastri, 9s behind Verstappen seems to be struggling on his front tyre.

On lap 15 Norris tries to get side-by-side with Leclerc, but can’t make the pass.

At lap 20 Verstappen leads Leclerc by 6.7 seconds, followed by Norris (7.4s), Hamilton (8.8s), Piastri (13.2s), Russell (15.3s), Tsunoda (18.6s), Bearman (20.7s), Hulkenberg (23.5s) and Alonso (28.2s) in tenth place.

On lap 21 Norris passes Leclerc for second place in the DRS zone.

Norris now has 3 strikes for track limits.

On lap 23 Hamilton is trying to pass Leclerc, as Leclerc then pits at the end of the lap for medium tyres.

On lap 27 Alex Albon passes Colapinto for 15th.

On lap 29 Pierre Gasly pits for soft tyres.

Tsunoda pits for soft tyres and rejoins 11th.

At lap 30 Verstappen leads Norris by 9.7 seconds, followed by Hamilton (17.6s), Piastri (23.1s), Russell (24.6s), Tsunoda, Leclerc, Bearman and Hulkenberg.

On lap 31 Piastri pits from fourth for soft tyres and rejoins seventh.

Bearman pits for soft tyres and rejoins ninth.

Leclerc sets fast lap at 1m38.642.

On lap 31 Hamilton pits from third for soft tyres and rejoins sixth.

On lap 33 Norris pits from second for soft tyres and rejoins fourth behind Leclerc.

On lap 34 Verstappen pits from the lead for soft tyres and rejoins still in the lead, 5.8 seconds ahead of Leclerc.

Russell and Hulkenberg pit as well for soft tyres, Russell rejoins sixth.

Tsunoda and Bearman have a tussle for seventh and Bearman spins.

On lap 36 Norris is now 1.3 seconds behind Leclerc.

On lap 37 Antonelli passes Gasly for 14th.

At lap 40 Verstappen leads Leclerc by 6.9 seconds, followed by Norris (7,5s), Hamilton (16.9s), Piastri (23.2s), Russell (25.6s), Tsunoda (37.7s), Hulkenberg (42.9s), Bearman (44.6s) and Alonso (55.1s) in tenth place.

On lap 40 Norris continues to trail Leclerc by half a second.

Norris tells the team that his tyres are gone.

On lap 43 Norris has fallen back behind Leclerc by 2.4 seconds.

On lap 46 Norris reports "I am just slow. I just don’t have the grip.”

Stroll continues to find a way past Liam Lawson for 11th place.

On lap 48 Antonelli passes Esteban Ocon for 13th place.

At lap 50 Verstappen leads Leclerc by 7.0 seconds, followed by Norris (7.7s), Hamilton (21.0s), Piastri (27.4s), Russell (30.4s), Tsunoda (49.0s), Hulkenberg (53.5s), Bearman (56.7s) and Alonso (1m6.1s) in tenth place.

Norris is closing on Leclerc, makes an attempt in turn 1, but Leclerc holds on.

In the DRS on the same lap, Norris passes Leclerc for second.

On lap 53 Isack Hadjar passes Gasly for 16th.

On lap 55 Colapinto passes his team mate Gasly for 17th place.

At the checked flag Verstappen crosses the line first, followed by Norris and Leclerc.