Charles Leclerc capitalized on a chaotic start and Ferrari’s superior race pace to secure a commanding victory at the 2024 United States Grand Prix, leading a Ferrari 1-2 finish with teammate Carlos Sainz in second. Max Verstappen completed the podium, while Lando Norris lost out on third place after a controversial penalty for an off-track pass.
The race kicked off with high drama as Norris, starting from pole position, was forced wide at Turn 1 by Verstappen, who also ran off the track. Despite protests from Norris, who believed Verstappen should have given the position back, the stewards allowed the Red Bull driver to continue without sanction.
Verstappen initially held off Ferrari’s Sainz in the early laps but was unable to maintain his position after running wide at Turn 12. Ferrari capitalized on the moment, with Sainz undercutting Verstappen during the first round of pit stops on lap 22. By the time Verstappen made his stop on lap 26, Leclerc had built a 10-second lead over the field.
Leclerc cruised to victory with a comfortable 8.5-second gap over Sainz, as the Scuderia locked out the top two steps of the podium. The battle for third, however, was far from over.
Norris, on fresher tires, launched an attack on Verstappen in the final laps. Despite several close calls, including a controversial moment at Turn 12 where both drivers ran off track, Norris briefly overtook Verstappen. The stewards later deemed the move illegal, handing Norris a five-second penalty and promoting Verstappen back to third place.
The penalty not only cost Norris a podium finish but allowed Verstappen to extend his championship lead to 57 points, as he further solidified his title defense with just five races remaining.
Behind the leading trio, Oscar Piastri took fifth for McLaren, ensuring the team outscored Red Bull in the constructors’ standings for the weekend. Sergio Perez finished seventh after being overtaken late by George Russell, who delivered a stellar drive from the pit lane following repairs to his car after a crash in qualifying.
Russell, despite a five-second penalty for forcing Valtteri Bottas off track earlier in the race, managed to climb to sixth, offering some consolation for Mercedes on a day when teammate Lewis Hamilton retired early after beaching his car in the gravel on lap two.
Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg continued his points-scoring run with an eighth-place finish, while Red Bull’s Liam Lawson delivered an outstanding performance, rising from 19th on the grid to claim ninth. The final point went to Williams’ Franco Colapinto, who impressed with a solid drive to 10th place.
Aston Martin endured a tough weekend despite introducing updates in Austin. Fernando Alonso could only manage 13th, while teammate Lance Stroll recovered from an early spin to finish 15th. Meanwhile, Sauber’s struggles continued, with Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu both finishing outside the points.
In the end, Leclerc’s win tightened Ferrari’s grip on second place in the constructors’ standings, while Verstappen’s third-place finish kept his championship lead intact. However, the fallout from Norris’ penalty is likely to linger, as McLaren and their driver continue to question the stewards’ decision in what has become a fiercely contested season.
