Lively, animated, brilliant from the start. GP number 17 of the season, the ninth time in Austin, started and ended with great emotions. Celebrates a victory for Verstappen, consolidating the lead in the world championship a little, even if the fastest lap is for Hamilton. You can see a Ferrari not on the podium but just behind it, which kept at least Norris’ McLaren at a very long distance.
The departure, as mentioned, is one to see and review. Despite the Dutchman’s pole position, he passed Hamilton in turn 1, with Verstappen who was also joined by his companion, risking not a little. A bang that guaranteed the British the first position, always important in the recently conceived tracks. From there a few meters away, the focus of the director moved a little further back: in fact, it was not long to see a good Ferrari battle with the McLarens already in the very first laps but, for the “second guides”, it was instead a great fight to the end.
Despite a particularly good weather almost all weekend and, consequently, a well “rubberized” track, the “dance” of the pit stops started very early and also their impact on the race dynamics. The drivers that matter had in fact already changed almost all of them before lap 14, except Bottas. A memorable lap because, with a roar from the public, the Americans “celebrated” a great Mercedes own goal, which saw Verstappen take back the lead at very high speed just as Hamilton returned, when he was still in the acceleration lane. low speed. With over six seconds of advantage: a very hard gap to mend, considering Verstappen completely in “clean air”, with no one in front, for many, many laps to come. And if Perez has never managed to affect the reigning champion, Leclerc he never let himself stand on his head.
Indeed, check Bottas and Ricciardo. Sainz, on the other hand, had his work cut out with Norris: he kept him behind but at the second pit stop he risked losing everything, because the stop didn’t go well, making him waste precious time. By the way: one minute earlier, Red Bull, on lap 30, with 26 laps to go, again chose to lead the way over its rivals. The hard previously had changed them with fewer active laps than the others. But on lap 31 Hamilton set the fastest lap, so his tires, at the time, were still performing and, in fact, he didn’t “respond” with a pit stop right away, because he simply didn’t need it.
Changing at that moment would have meant going back to Red Bull again. But with hindsight, it soon became clear that the wall has again misguided him. In fact, at the end of lap 37 Hamilton had to re-enter without hesitation, and came out again behind the Dutchman, this time more than 8 seconds behind. Eight more laps on the tires of the last stint for Verstappen, therefore, which began to weigh in the final. So much, that it can no longer be remedied. As always, it must be said that Hamilton never gave up, he never stopped believing in it. As a true champion, always hungry, indeed, literally bulimic of victories and records, he didn’t want to lose in the United States, where he has many friends and business opportunities. In addition to indelible personal memories, just in the exercise of this sport.