Verstappen wins US Grand Prix as Red Bull clinch constructors’ crown

Max Verstappen fought back from a calamitous pitstop to win the U.S. Grand Prix in Austin on Monday as his Red Bull team took the Formula One constructors’ title a day after the death of billionaire owner Dietrich Mateschitz.

Photo: PHOTOSPORT

The title, clinched with three races to spare, ended an eight-year streak by Mercedes whose seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton scented a first victory of the year but ended up second at the Circuit of the Americas.

“That one was for Dietrich,” said Verstappen after taking the chequered flag.

The title was Red Bull’s first since 2013, when they completed a fourth successive title double with Germany’s Sebastian Vettel at the end of the sport’s V8 era.

Ferrari had needed to score 19 points more than Red Bull at the Texas track but Charles Leclerc was the Italian team’s sole finisher, fighting his way to third from 12th on the grid.

Team mate Carlos Sainz, who started on pole position, retired with a damaged car after a first-lap collision with Mercedes’s George Russell.

Red Bull now have an unbeatable 656 points to Ferrari’s 469.

Verstappen’s win was his 13th of the season, equalling the Formula One record held jointly with Ferrari great Michael Schumacher and Vettel, and the 33rd of his career and second in a row in Texas.

The Dutch 25-year-old secured his second title in Japan two weeks ago.

“Max Verstappen you are world champion, we are world champions, thank you so much,” team boss Christian Horner told him over the team radio after Red Bull’s eighth win in a row and 15th in 19 races.

“And thank you Dietrich Mateschitz for everything that you have done for us, for this team. These championships are for you,” he added.

AGONISINGLY LONG PIT STOP

Verstappen seized the lead into the first corner and was in control when he made his second stop to switch from hard to medium tyres on the 36th of 56 scheduled laps.

The stop lasted an agonising 11.1 seconds with the front left wheel nut not tightening and mechanics scrambling for another wheel gun.

He returned to the track in sixth place, jumped by Leclerc who had also pitted and with Hamilton effectively leading in fourth since the three ahead of the Briton had yet to pit.

“Beautiful,” said Verstappen sarcastically over the radio.

He set to reducing the gap with determination. He passed Leclerc with aplomb and hit the front again six laps from the finish, crossing the line 5.023 seconds clear of Hamilton.

“It was a tough one. It was good and then of course the pit stop was a bit longer than we would have liked, I had to fight my way forward again. We gave it everything out there today,” said the champion.

Red Bull’s Sergio Perez was fourth with Russell, who secured a bonus point for fastest lap, fifth and Lando Norris sixth for McLaren.

Double world champion Fernando Alonso was seventh for Renault-owned Alpine despite a collision with future Aston Martin team mate Lance Stroll that brought out the safety car for the second time.

The first was triggered by Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas crashing into the gravel on lap 18.

Vettel was eighth for Aston Martin, after leading the race briefly and also suffering a long pitstop, with Kevin Magnussen ninth for Haas and Yuki Tsunoda taking the final point for Red Bull-owned AlphaTauri.

– Reuters