Verstappen and Norris are separated by 57 factors on the drivers’ championship desk after the race, with Leclerc third.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc clinched his third Method One race of the season as he completed forward of teammate Carlos Sainz to win america Grand Prix, whereas title rivals Lando Norris and Max Verstappen had been locked in a controversial end.
Monaco native Leclerc helped Ferrari end the race one-two as Spaniard Sainz was positioned second, 8.562 seconds behind Leclerc’s profitable time of 1:35:09.639 in a memorable race on the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.
“It wasn’t a simple weekend however I had the boldness within the race,” Leclerc mentioned afterwards.
“We nonetheless had the higher hand, we couldn’t have dreamed for higher.”
Leclerc had additionally received the Monaco Grand Prix and Italian Grand Prix this 12 months and sits third within the driver standings behind Max Verstappen and Lando Norris, who tangled late within the race in a sequence that noticed Norris obtain a considerable penalty.
Norris caught Verstappen and handed him for third, however he left the observe to take action. The following five-second penalty he acquired on the finish of the race pushed him behind Verstappen and again to fourth place.
“It’s not a simple determination, it could’ve come sooner,” Norris mentioned. “I attempted, he additionally went off the observe. If he goes off the observe he goes in too arduous and good points a bonus. However I don’t make the foundations.”
Ferrari ‘simply as aggressive’
Norris mentioned the race was a “momentum killer” for his title problem.
Requested by reporters how a lot of a ‘killer’ it was for the championship, Norris replied: “Fairly a bit. It’s a momentum killer.
“However we got here in right here with our thoughts open, not anticipating to dominate or simply win or something. The truth that Ferrari was so fast immediately confirmed they’re simply as aggressive,” he added.
“Even when I got here round flip one in first, I’d by no means have completed first or second and I solely may have completed third. However the one man I have to beat is Max and that’s the man I didn’t beat immediately.
“It was a non-successful weekend, all in all. However we gave it a great shot. I attempted. It wasn’t ok and we now have work to do and I’ve work to do myself.”
McLaren proceed to steer Pink Bull within the constructors’ standings by 40 factors, however Ferrari are looming into rivalry.
Norris wanted to beat Verstappen by greater than eight factors a race weekend on common to have an actual probability of turning into champion and the duty has solely turn into tougher with 5 rounds remaining.
Verstappen – the three-time reigning F1 champion from the Netherlands – stays atop the driving force standings, 57 factors away from the UK’s Norris, however his Grand Prix title drought has prolonged to 9 straight races. Verstappen received seven of 10 to start out the season.
British F1 icon Lewis Hamilton spun out round Flip 19 and was the one driver to not full the race.
DRIVER STANDINGS (after 19/24 rounds)
Verstappen’s lead will increase to 57 factors #F1 #USGP pic.twitter.com/wVXySFRkrX
— Method 1 (@F1) October 20, 2024
