USA Grand Prix
Verstappen on the podium with a tough course: “Not an orphan”
The crucial scene right after the start. photo
© Eric Gay/AP/dpa
Immediately after the start the first crucial scene occurs. Lando Norris loses the lead and misses the victory. But also Max Verstappen. But they have a tough duel.
In the waiting room before the award ceremony, Max Verstappen chatted relaxed about the decisive scene in the tough duel with his World Cup challenger Lando Norris. For the 27-year-old Dutchman, the punishment against the Briton was fine. Who is surprised: Because of the five seconds that McLaren driver Norris was given, his thrilling overtaking maneuver against Verstappen in the Red Bull shortly before the end of the US Grand Prix was a waste of time.
Otherwise he would have chatted with race winner Charles Leclerc and his Ferrari teammate in the cool-down room and splashed the winner’s sparkling wine on the podium. As it was, Verstappen extended his lead by another three points after winning the sprint the day before and now leads with 57 points more than Norris with five races to go.
But again he had nothing to do with the victory; the three-time world champion celebrated his last Grand Prix success on June 23rd in Spain. “It was a difficult race, I was never fast enough to attack,” he admitted. So he had to defend, like against Norris. “I have my opinion, but I won’t say it here,” emphasized Verstappen about the duel that resulted in the penalty for Norris: “I’ll let the race stewards do their thing.”
Red Bull’s motorsport advisor Helmut Marko emphasized Verstappen and his tough defense: “It is clear that he is not an orphan.” And what did Norris say? “I tried it, he also came off the track. I think he was too hard with the maneuver and also gained an advantage.” But he doesn’t want to complain now.
Decision made in the first few meters
Austin kept his word again and offered a spectacle right from the first few meters. Norris got away well, with 31 thousandths of a second he secured pole for the sixth time this season, but Verstappen was not at all dissatisfied. Second starting position doesn’t have to be a disadvantage at the Circuit of the Americas. After an uphill section with an incline of up to 15 percent, the course makes a tight left turn and goes downhill again.
Norris quickly finished fourth
So Norris moved inside, but that didn’t make Verstappen nervous, he held on. But everything was fair. The two World Championship duels rode wheel to wheel, but had to have plenty of space out of the curve. And Leclerc took advantage, he pushed past the two on the inside and took the lead.
Sainz also passed Norris. The Brit, whose nerves had been taunted by the Red Bull camp before and during the days in Texas, had lost first place within a few seconds and was initially chasing Leclerc, Verstappen and Sainz. “We can win the race, we can lose it, it’s up to me,” he said before the start.
The Ferrari had already made people sit up and take notice in the sprint and also in qualifying, in contrast to the two Mercedes. Record world champion Lewis Hamilton had a weekend to forget in his beloved America. In the sprint qualifying he was slowed down by a competitor’s spin while on a top lap, and in the 100 kilometer race he couldn’t do better than sixth place. A few hours later, qualifying for the Grand Prix ended early: 19th and second to last.
And then in the race that Hamilton has already won five times: he went off course with the significantly changed Mercedes and was no longer able to continue. With his neon-colored shoes and gloves, he walked awkwardly in the gravel around his car, and people shouted his name from the stands.
Smell of gasoline in the Sainz Ferrari and a problem in the Verstappen car
Hamilton’s personal disaster triggered a short safety car phase; when the race was reopened, Leclerc defended his lead. In general, everything remained the same at the front until Sainz noticed the smell of gasoline in the cockpit and was worried about the Ferrari’s engine. And then Verstappen got the message that something was wrong with his car.
All false alarms. However, Verstappen lost a place to Sainz during the pit stop, but still stayed ahead of Norris, who stayed out significantly longer on his first set of tires. And that paid off. With the fresher tire, Norris caught up with Verstappen.
Lap after lap he tried to get past Verstappen, the World Championship duels were a bit among themselves and gave the US fans an entertaining duel before Norris struck in turn one and overtook Verstappen. Both went off the track, which in turn called the race stewards into action and caused hectic radio messages.
