Formula 1 Max Verstappen Brilliantly Wins in Austin Texas

Honda Red Bull hybrid racing car Max Verstappen

He may have lost the lead at the start, but Max Verstappen never had any intention of losing the win in Austin – even with title rival Lewis Hamilton breathing down his neck for the closing laps. The Dutchman withstood the pressure in style and duly extended his championship lead. It was a drive worthy of the Driver of the Day award which he won.

Max Verstappen won a spectacular duel with title rival Lewis Hamilton in the 2021 United States Grand Prix, with Red Bull, Honda, gaining ground on Mercedes thanks to Perez’s podium finish third – and the championship leader Max Verstappen extending his lead to 12 points.

From second on the grid Hamilton enjoyed a stellar start off the line as the lights went out in Austin, and despite Verstappen squeezing him as far as possible down the inside to the run-up to Turn 1, the Briton gained P1 from the Dutchman to lead going into the race. Perez, starting third, followed and began to lose hundredths, then tenths, to the leaders.

Max Verstappen - Dutch winner

Red Bull championship hopeful Verstappen opened the pit window on Lap 11, pitting from medium tyres to hards, while Mercedes’ reigning champion Hamilton followed in on Lap 14 only to emerge second behind the under-cutting Red Bull driver. But there was another pit stop to come under the scorching Texas sun.

The second set of stops came when Verstappen came in on Lap 29 for another set of hards, his team mate Perez following – while Hamilton once again stayed out longer, holding a fragile 16-second lead over Verstappen. “We are racing for the win,” he was told by Team Principal Toto Wolff.

“Leave me to it, bro!” came Hamilton’s response. With an 11.5s lead, he pitted on Lap 37, stopped on his marks and was back out in second on new hard tyres – 8.8s behind Verstappen this time, for a chase to the chequered flag.

“It’s all about the last three laps,” Hamilton was told. And indeed, it was, as the gap to Verstappen didn’t start tumbling until Lap 41 of 56 when the leader encountered backmarkers. With five laps remaining, just 1.7s split the front two, and Hamilton was able to us DRS on Verstappen on the very last lap. But the Dutchman found just enough pace on his worn, hard compound tyres, and took victory – by 1.3s – with what team boss Christian Horner called a "classy" display. Perez Verstappen’s team mate took the final podium spot.

A dramatic win by Verstappon in Red Bull hybrid with his tyres ripped to bits but trying out great new technology  and batteries for our new electric cars to save the planet.

"We lost out in the start so we had to try and do something else, but the tyre wear is quite high around this track so we did go aggressive and I was not sure it was going to work, but yes, the last few laps were fun. A bit sideways through the high-speed corners but super happy, of course, to hang on.”

"They’ve [the fans] been incredible and it’s amazing first of all to be here, and second to see so many of you around the track. Hopefully we can do this for many years to come." – Max Verstappen, Red Bull.

Sergio Perez may have had a rapturous welcome here but there's more in store as his home race, the Mexican Grand Prix follows – with Red Bull having gained their 200th podium and their 73rd Grand Prix win at Austin Texas thanks to Max Verstappen. The Dutchman leads Lewis Hamilton by 12 points in the drivers' championship heading to Mexico City.

From left Luis Hamilton, Max Verstappen, Sergio Perez.