Formula 1: Leclerc wins US Grand Prix in Ferrari body blow for Verstappen, as Aussie Piastri grabs fifth
Charles Leclerc has won the US Grand Prix thanks to a sensational start ahead of Carlos Sainz in a Ferrari one-two while Max Verstappen took third place due to a late five-second penalty for title rival Lando Norris.
Ferrari’s Leclerc shot from fourth on the grid to first after the first turn in Austin, Texas on Sunday, and never looked back en route to his third season win and eighth overall.
Sainz got ahead of triple world champion Verstappen thanks to an earlier pit stop, and pole sitter Norris of McLaren passed the Dutchman with five laps left.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.However, Norris passed outside the track, and the penalty announced in the penultimate lap for gaining an advantage that way saw him classified fourth despite crossing the line in third.
Norris’s Australian teammate Oscar Piastri finished fifth.
Verstappen is now without victory in nine grands prix but he managed to extend his championship lead over Norris to 57 points with Saturday’s sprint race win and Sunday’s result.
Norris had cut the deficit from 84 to 52 points over the previous six race weekends. A total 146 points are still on offer from the remaining five grands prix, fastest laps there, and two sprint races.