20 laps were still to be driven when Mercedes Motorsport Director Toto Wolff contacted Lewis Hamilton by radio. “Lewis,” said the Austrian, “we’re racing for victory”. But the seven-time world champion hardly needs any additional motivation per se and obviously didn’t want it at that moment either: “Let that be my concern, boy, thank you!” It creaked. He had to concentrate. Hamilton was in the lead, but the US Grand Prix was far from over, he would have to turn again to change tires – and then there was Max Verstappen in the damn fast Red Bull.
When there was finally no more lap to complete, it was no longer Hamilton who took the victory. His title competitor crossed the finish line in front of him – and he expanded his lead in the world championship to twelve points. Verstappen’s team-mate Sergio Perez was third. Sebastian Vettel in the Aston Martin was tenth, Mick Schumacher 16. “Yes, unbelievable, we did it, great work, guys,” said Verstappen after his victory, which he owed mainly to clever pit stops. “Congratulations to Max, it was such a tough race,” said Hamilton. “I gave everything.”
Verstappen shows Hamilton the middle finger in training and calls him a “stupid idiot”
It was surprising that Verstappen started from the front on Sunday – the track is actually Mercedes territory. The team has been unbeaten in qualifying since 2014, and at the last six Grand Prix in the USA there was always a Silver Arrow in the front parking lot. Of the eight races driven in Austin up to this weekend, Hamilton has won five and was the favorite. But then that: Verstappen had a 0.209 second lead on Saturday, which earned him his ninth pole position of the season. A boost for the Dutchman’s self-confidence, a damper for the Englishman. “I gave it my all but that was pretty much all we had,” said Hamilton.
At the start with an asphalt temperature of 36 degrees the situation looked different again: On the way to the first sharp left turn up the mountain, both got away well, Hamilton a little better. Verstappen tried to fight back by pushing his competitor outward. But it didn’t help, on the contrary, a little later he himself deviated from the ideal line, Hamilton drove past and finally pulled away. Verstappen’s team-mate Sergio Perez stayed third, Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari fourth.
With all the touches and sometimes spectacular accidents that the two bitter title competitors have already suffered this year, some in the paddock should have breathed a sigh of relief afterwards. “I hope we can make it through the first corner,” said Hamilton himself, while Verstappen was rather annoyed by the topic: “I don’t see why we always have to do that. It’s not that we’re the only ones who have touched. ” But the fears were also fueled by current events. In practice on Friday, the two of them had a wheel-to-wheel duel across the start and finish straight, which ruined Verstappen’s attempt at a fast lap. He then showed Hamilton the middle finger and called him a “stupid idiot”.
140,000 fans are watching at the Circuit of the Americas
On Sunday, after the start, Verstappen did not have the opportunity to send Hamilton gestural and meaningful greetings – because the Briton drove away in front. In the seventh lap, Hamilton reported to his box: “He’s faster than me right now”. And Verstappen said: “I have a lot more speed”, but it didn’t help him, his tires were heating up too much, he had to have them changed on the tenth lap – and he had an idea. Why not bring Perez into the pits and put Hamilton under such pressure? The Mexican turned on lap 13, and Mercedes reacted.
On the 14th lap, Hamilton also made a stop. His mechanics were quick, but the window of opportunity wasn’t big enough. While he was on his way back out onto the track, Verstappen sped past him on the straight. The spectators cheered, a total of 140,000 fans watched at the Circuit of the Americas. And now it was Verstappen who drove steadfastly ahead, with more than four seconds ahead of Hamilton.
Next World Cup leader: Max Verstappen takes on title competitor Lewis Hamilton in Austin
(Photo: Darron Cummings / Pool via REUTERS)
But the gap narrowed. After 30 laps, Verstappen turned into the pits again, followed by Perez one run later. Now Hamilton was back at the top and the two Red Bulls were clearly more than 14 seconds behind them. The competition slowed down. Mercedes did not want to take any chances and had to make a decision on one point: Would you rather drive longer on the old tires in order to have fresher rubber on the back? Or would you prefer to change earlier so that the gap to Verstappen that is created by the pit stop does not get too big?
The decision fell on the 38th round and the view went far ahead: “It depends on the last three laps,” said Hamilton’s racing engineer Peter Bonnington, who had played a prominent role at the last Grand Prix in Turkey – not as Hamilton wanted to go into the box, Bonnington convinced him and possibly even brought him important points with fifth place. Two weeks later in Austin there was no discussion. Hamilton concentrated solely on the man in front of him. Round after round the pursuer came closer to the hunted. Last lap, less than a second apart. But it wasn’t enough.