The United States GP in Austin saw the triumph of the Ferrari, but in terms of the world championship, Max Verstappen consolidated his lead. With a decisive third place and a penalty imposed on rival Lando Norris, the Dutchman earned important points for his race for the fourth world title. Despite a difficult race, Verstappen took home a precious result, increasing his lead in drivers ranking on Norris, who is now 57 points behind.
A complicated race for Verstappen
Verstappen did not hide the difficulties he encountered during the GP in Austin. Unlike the Sprint Race on Saturday, where he had shown himself to be competitive, the Red Bull driver struggled with a set-up that did not allow him to push to the maximum. “It was a difficult race, I never had the right pace to attack,” explained Verstappen. “I suffered from understeer, especially under braking, and this made it difficult to defend against attacks.” Despite the difficulties, the third place obtained also thanks to the penalty imposed on Norris was welcomed with satisfaction by the three-time world champion.
Verstappen's comment on duel with Norris
The key moment of the race was the clash with Lando Norris, protagonist of an intense body to body for the podium. Norris, in an attempt to pass Verstappen, went off the track, an action that cost him a five-second penalty. “It was a very tough battle,” said Verstappen, “but the rules are clear and I leave the final decision to the stewards. I am happy to have held the position.” This clash effectively gave the Dutch driver a vital third place on his path to the title.
One step towards the fourth title
With the Austin result, Verstappen has gained further ground on Norris, extending his lead in the standings and edging ever closer to a fourth world title. Every weekend that passes seems to reduce the chances of his rivals, and although Ferrari was the protagonist in Texas, for Verstappen it was a decisive day: “I was hoping to be more competitive, but the podium is still a great result.”
