AUSTIN, Texas — Charles Leclerc gave Ferrari its first United States Grand Prix victory since 2018 with a commanding drive Sunday at Circuit of the Americas, and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen strengthened his lead in the Formula 1 season championship chase with a podium finish awarded by a late penalty on McLaren’s Lando Norris.
Verstappen finished third after his top title challenger was given a five-second penalty for leaving the track to pass the three-time reigning F1 champ in the final laps. Norris’ pass came after the two drivers had battled for the final podium spot and critical points over several laps as Verstappen had stubbornly refused to give ground.
The 27-year-old Dutch star immediately complained after Norris passed him. The 24-year-old British driver insisted Verstappen also left the track.
“It was a tough battle. I tried to do everything I could to keep him behind. To be on the podium is a good result,” Verstappen said. “I have my opinion (on the penalty). I’ll let the stewards do their thing.”
The penalty and fourth-place finish may cost Norris dearly in the title chase. Verstappen stretched his lead over Norris from 54 points to 57 with five GP races and two sprint races left.
Leclerc earned his third win of the season and Ferrari pulled a 1-2 finish with teammate Carlos Sainz in second. Kimi Raikkonen in 2018 had been the most recent Ferrari winner at Circuit of the Americas in 2018.
“We couldn’t have dreamed for better,” Leclerc said. “It was a bit of a lonely race, but a good kind of lonely.”
The bigger battle was raging behind them. Verstappen and Norris tangled at the start and fought over every inch of the track in the final dozen laps.
Verstappen has not won a GP race since June and Norris has steadily chipped away at his lead as the Red Bull car has faded. However, Verstappen still stretched his lead by five points over the weekend by also winning Saturday’s sprint race.
Norris leaves Austin knowing he squandered a big chance to gain ground, having even earned pole position for Sunday’s race. Verstappen started right beside him, and the fireworks between the drivers ignited in the first turn.
Both cars ran wide, leaving room for Leclerc to pounce on the opening. The Ferrari driver jumped from fourth and straight into the lead, and quickly drove off for the victory.
Norris complained Verstappen forced him off the track. It was just the start of a scrap they would rejoin late in the race.
Verstappen said he “enjoyed the battle today” and had little sympathy for Norris losing the podium. Verstappen noted he was stripped of a podium finish in Austin in 2017 for a pass that was determined to be illegal.
“I just tried to remain calm and bring the car to the end,” Verstappen said.
That was key. Norris’ pace late in the race was good enough that he could have given the place back to Verstappen and tried to pass him again.
Instead, Norris chose to try to stretch the gap ahead of Verstappen to more than five seconds to nullify the penalty. He only got to 4.1.
“He defends by going off track, he overtakes by going off track. But I’m not going to complain. Max drove well and he defended well, we had a good race together. But the rules are the rules.” Norris told Sky Sport F1.
McLaren team principal Andre Stella said race stewards “interfered with a beautiful piece of motorsport.”
“Both cars went off track so both cars gained an advantage,” Stella said. “It’s a shame because it cost us a podium.”
It was a race weekend to forget for Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time F1 champion who once dominated at this Texas track.
Hamilton’s race ended on the second lap after poor qualifying led to him starting 17th. He quickly shot up to 12th, then spun his car into gravel and retired. It was the first time the 39-year-old British driver, who is moving to Ferrari next year, failed to finish a race in the U.S.
Hamilton, who is F1’s all-time leader in career victories with 105, has five wins at COTA but none since 2017. He was disqualified from his second-place finish at COTA in 2023 after his car failed an inspection after the race.
Sunday wasn’t a total loss for Mercedes. George Russell started in pit lane after a crash in qualifying and stormed through the field to sixth.
“Thanks to everyone for fixing the car. Drinks on me tonight,” Russell said over team radio.
As for Ferrari, the 1-2 finish has pulled it within eight points of Red Bull in the lucrative team constructors championship and within 48 points of McLaren.
“We are still targeting the (team) title,” Leclerc said. “It’s an optimistic goal, but that’s what we’re here for.”