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Max Verstappen holds off Lewis Hamilton to claim his 50th Formula 1 victory; Red Bull driver equals own record of 15 wins in a season and sets new record points total with win; Lando Norris third for McLaren having taken lead at start
Last Updated: 22/10/23 10:09pm
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Max Verstappen holds off Lewis Hamilton to claim his 50th career victory and record-equalling 15th in a single season
Max Verstappen holds off Lewis Hamilton to claim his 50th career victory and record-equalling 15th in a single season
Max Verstappen held off Lewis Hamilton’s late charge to win the United States Grand Prix, equalling his own record of 15 race victories in a Formula 1 season.
Verstappen, who has already sealed his third successive drivers’ title with five rounds to spare, appeared to be cruising towards victory after coming from sixth on the grid to take the lead midway through the race.
However, apparent braking issues on his Red Bull left Verstappen agitated and vulnerable as Hamilton closed to within two seconds in the latter stages, but the Dutchman clung on for the 50th F1 victory of his career.
Hamilton had already passed the McLaren of Lando Norris, who faded in the second half of the contest, having taken the lead on the opening lap to boost his hopes of a earning a maiden F1 victory in his 100th race.
Carlos Sainz took fourth for Ferrari after he and Red Bull’s Sergio Perez made late passes on pole-sitter Charles Leclerc, who dropped back after the Italian team attempted an ill-advised one-stop strategy.
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Max Verstappen was heard raging on the team radio after having issues with his braking
George Russell could only manage seventh as he failed to match team-mate Hamilton’s pace after dropping back from fifth on the grid at the start.
Pierre Gasly rounded off an improved display from Alpine to take eighth, although team-mate Esteban Ocon was an early retiree along with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri after a first-lap collision took them both out of the race.
Lance Stroll claimed his first Grand Prix points finish since July by taking ninth after his Aston Martin team-mate Fernando Alonso was forced to retire with floor damage, while Yuki Tsunoda took the final point for AlphaTauri, and doubled his tally for the day with the fastest lap of the race.
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Lewis Hamilton edges past Lando Norris to re take second place at the Austin Grand Prix
Verstappen’s victory takes him to 466 points for the season and beyond the record haul he set last season, with the Dutchman set to rewrite the sport’s history books over the four rounds of the campaign that remain.
His lead over team-mate Perez extends to 228 points, while Hamilton has closed to within 21 points of the Mexican as the Brit attempts to deny Red Bull a first ever one-two in the drivers’ standings.
United States GP result
1) Max Verstappen, Red Bull
2) Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
3) Lando Norris, McLaren
4) Carlos Sainz, Ferrari
5) Sergio Perez, Red Bull
6) Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
7) George Russell, Mercedes
8) Pierre Gasly, Alpine
9) Lance Stroll, Aston Martin
10) Yuki Tsunoda, AlphaTauri
More to follow…
F1 heads straight to Mexico for the middle leg of the Americas triple header. Watch the whole Mexico City Grand Prix weekend live on Sky Sports F1 from Friday, with Sunday’s race at 8pm. Stream F1 on Sky Sports with NOW
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