The day after it became known that owner Dietrich Mateschitz passed away, Red Bull Racing secured its fifth constructors’ title in the Formula 1 World Championship. World champion Max Verstappen won the US Grand Prix in Austin despite a blunder during the pit stop in front of Mercedes star Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc. With his 13th win of the season, Verstappen also matched the annual record set by Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel.
Verstappen dedicated Red Bull’s 90th success in the premier class to the late team owner and promoter. “This win is for Dietrich Mateschitz. Winning was all we could do (for him),” said the 25-year-old. “It’s a difficult weekend for all of us.”
The first RB triumph in the team classification since 2013 was only a matter of form. Sergio Perez, who started from ninth place after an engine penalty, again showed himself to be a reliable point collector in fourth place in the shadow of Verstappen.
In order to keep the already minimal chance alive, Ferrari would have had to score 19 points more than the “bulls” in Texas. But after Leclerc’s penalty was reset, Carlos Sainz, who had started from pole position, was eliminated on the first lap. In fact, with Hamilton and fifth-placed George Russell, Mercedes has reduced the gap to Ferrari and is back in second place three races before the end of the season.
A minute of applause
Before the start, Formula 1 honored Mateschitz’ merits with a minute’s applause. “Let’s commemorate Dietrich and make him proud today,” radioed Pierre Gasly from the RB second team AlphaTauri on the warm-up lap. Verstappen, second in qualifying, then won the start, while the worst-case scenario occurred for Sainz: Russell spun the red car off the track. Sainz retired and the Mercedes driver received a five-second penalty.
Verstappen drove up and away at the front. As in qualifying, the Dutchman’s biggest opponent was the wind, which demanded constantly changing driving behavior.
Shortly before the halfway point in the race, future teammates Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso were responsible for a moment of shock in a rear-end collision that could have ended much worse. Alonso’s Alpine car rose over Stroll’s rear tire. The scene “only” resulted in the retirement of the uninjured Stroll and many parts lying around on the Circuit of the Americas. Alonso was even seventh afterwards.
With the knife between his teeth
A completely unsuccessful Verstappen pit stop (11.1 seconds) – the front left tire change didn’t work – rewrote the history of the race. “Wonderful”, the world champion, who suddenly fell behind, had only sarcasm left for his otherwise often flawless pit crew.
Given that he was six seconds behind Hamilton, Verstappen continued to drive with the knife between his teeth. He grabbed Leclerc on the third attempt, Hamilton six laps before the end in a new edition of former duels that was rarely seen this year.
The Mercedes star praised his team, struggled with the missed chances of winning and is still waiting for success in 2022 – he celebrated at least one in each of his career years in the premier class. “It was tight, I gave everything, but Red Bull was just too fast.”
Continued in Mexico
Next Sunday in Mexico, the now 33-time GP winner Verstappen has the first of three match points on the sole record of the season. While Schumacher (2004) only had 18 races in his 13 victories at the time, 18 years later Verstappen has four more opportunities.
Source: Nachrichten
