Red Bull’s formidable driver, Max Verstappen, claimed his third win in the last four Formula 1 races at the U.S. Grand Prix. In a pivotal moment for the championship, McLaren’s Lando Norris secured a crucial second-place finish, significantly cutting into his teammate Oscar Piastri’s lead.
Piastri struggled, finishing a distant fifth on Sunday, October 19, 2025. This result allowed Norris to close the gap to just 14 points, with five Grand Prix events and two sprint races remaining in the season.
Verstappen, riding a wave of dominant late-season form, is rapidly gaining ground. He now sits third, trailing Piastri by 40 points and Norris by 26, sending a clear message to the McLaren duo that he’s a serious contender for the championship title.
While both Piastri and Norris are striving for their inaugural career driver’s championship, Verstappen is pursuing his remarkable fifth consecutive title. His recent exceptional performance has catapulted him into a strong position. Notably, Verstappen also triumphed in Saturday’s sprint race after an unfortunate collision between the two McLarens on the opening lap led to their early exit.
“It was an unbelievable weekend for us,” Verstappen remarked enthusiastically.
“The opportunity is definitely there,” he continued. “We simply need to maintain this level of performance until the season concludes.”
Norris’s skillful late overtake of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc for second place proved pivotal, securing vital points for the British driver as he aims to surpass Piastri and fend off Verstappen’s relentless pursuit in the remaining races.
Starting from pole position on Sunday, October 19, 2025, at the Circuit of the Americas, Verstappen delivered a flawless performance, unchallenged for the lead. This marked his 68th career victory and his fourth win in five years at the Austin track. The Dutch sensation quickly established a commanding 10-second lead by the halfway mark, while Norris and Leclerc engaged in an intense duel for second place.
“It was a solid battle with Charles; he certainly made me work for it,” Norris commented.
“We’ll gladly accept second place. We pushed as hard as we could today,” he added.
Piastri’s Lead Under Threat as Form Slips
Piastri’s challenging day never truly sparked into life. Starting from sixth, the Australian driver briefly gained a position in the early corners but found himself unable to make further progress throughout the remainder of the race.
Under mounting pressure, Piastri’s once-comfortable championship lead is quickly eroding. He hasn’t tasted victory since the Dutch Grand Prix on August 31 and has failed to secure a podium finish in the last three events.
“I’d still rather be in my position than theirs, but frankly, this weekend was far from what I had hoped for or anticipated,” Piastri admitted.
The Formula 1 circus now moves to Mexico City, a track where Verstappen boasts an impressive five career victories at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.
“I believe we need to be absolutely perfect until the very end to stand a chance at the championship,” Verstappen stated.
“We’ve significantly closed the gap,” he observed, “but simultaneously, the differences in car performance are extremely tight.”
Ferrari’s Spirited Drive to the Podium
Despite remaining winless this season, Ferrari displayed strong potential, securing a commendable 3-4 finish courtesy of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton.
This strong performance came just a day after Ferrari Chairman John Elkann publicly declared his “full confidence” in team principal Fred Vasseur, addressing ongoing rumors that former Red Bull racing boss Christian Horner might be a contender for the role.
“I’m incredibly pleased,” Leclerc expressed.
“It was a positive day, especially given our recent circumstances. The latter half of the season hasn’t been straightforward. With all the baseless rumors circulating about the team, it’s truly gratifying to show that we can remain focused and achieve a podium finish.”