Red Bull star cuts his championship deficit to 40 points after flawless U.S. Grand Prix weekend
Max Verstappen delivered a masterclass at the 2025 United States Grand Prix, leading from pole to chequered flag in Austin to claim his fifth win of the season and reignite the Formula 1 title battle. The Red Bull driver’s total control throughout the weekend, including his victory in Saturday’s Sprint, has cut his deficit to championship leader Oscar Piastri to just 40 points with five races remaining.
Under the Texas sun, Verstappen’s RB21 looked untouchable as he held off early pressure from Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and McLaren’s Lando Norris. Leclerc briefly outpaced Norris at the start thanks to the Ferrari’s soft tyres, but Verstappen quickly built a commanding lead that remained unchallenged. “What was key was that first stint,” Verstappen said post-race. “Charles was holding up Lando quite a bit, and that allowed me to create the gap”.
After 56 laps around the Circuit of The Americas, Verstappen crossed the line with nearly eight seconds in hand over Norris, who eventually reclaimed second place from Leclerc in a thrilling late-race battle. The Monegasque driver settled for third, sealing Ferrari’s first podium since July after a gritty defensive drive.
Behind the podium finishers, Lewis Hamilton secured a steady fourth place for Ferrari, edging out the underperforming Piastri, who could manage only fifth. The result marked another lost opportunity for McLaren’s Australian prodigy, who saw his once-comfortable championship lead shrink dramatically after consecutive lacklustre weekends.
For Verstappen, the win capped a “perfect weekend,” as he described it. The Dutchman took pole for both the sprint and the main race, leading every lap of both events for a maximum points haul. The surge has transformed what once seemed an unreachable chase into a genuine three-way fight for the 2025 title between Piastri, Norris, and Verstappen. “The chance is there,” Verstappen said. “It’s exciting again, we’ll fight until the end”.
Lando Norris continued his consistent run, earning praise for his late-race composure and calculated overtaking of Leclerc with five laps to go. The result tightened the internal McLaren battle, with Norris now just 14 points behind teammate Piastri in the driver standings.
Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies hailed Verstappen’s resurgence as “extraordinary,” crediting both driver and team for addressing the car’s early-season inconsistencies with remarkable precision. “Max has been driving at an incredible level,” Mekies said. “We’re witnessing something special, and together with the team, we’ve produced this turnaround”.
Statistically, Verstappen’s Texas triumph adds yet more milestones to an already historic career. It was his seventh victory on U.S. soil, more than any driver in history, and his 122nd career podium, tying him with Sebastian Vettel for third on the all-time list.
As Formula 1 heads to Mexico City next, the title fight is officially back on. What once appeared a McLaren procession has turned into a tense late-season duel, powered by Verstappen’s relentless pace and resurgent form. The defending champion may still need perfection from here, but if Austin was any indication, the hunt for title number five is far from over.
