Red Bull’s formidable driver, Max Verstappen, clinched his third victory in the last four races at the thrilling Formula 1 United States Grand Prix. This commanding win, however, also saw McLaren’s Lando Norris make significant inroads into his teammate Oscar Piastri’s championship lead, by securing a crucial second-place finish.
Oscar Piastri, unfortunately, finished a distant fifth on Sunday, October 19, 2025. This result allowed Norris to slash the gap, now trailing by just 14 points with five Grand Prix races and two sprint events still remaining in the season.
Adding even more spice to the championship fight, Verstappen’s late-season surge has been nothing short of spectacular. He now sits just 40 points behind Piastri and 26 points adrift of Norris, making it clear to the McLaren duo that he’s fully committed to hunting down the title until the very last race.
While both Piastri and Norris are fiercely battling for their inaugural career driver’s championship, Verstappen is on a relentless quest for an astonishing fifth consecutive title. His recent dominant performances have transformed him into a serious contender. Notably, he also triumphed in Saturday’s sprint race, an event that saw both McLarens dramatically crash out on the very first turn after colliding.
Reflecting on his stellar performance, Verstappen stated, “It was an unbelievable weekend for us.”
He added, “The chance is there. We just need to try to deliver these kind of weekends until the end of the season.”
Lando Norris’s brilliant late pass on Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc for second place proved pivotal, earning the British driver vital points in his pursuit of Piastri, and bolstering his efforts to fend off Verstappen in the championship’s closing stages.
Starting from pole position on Sunday, October 19, 2025, at the iconic Circuit of the Americas, Verstappen was simply untouchable. He secured his 68th career victory and his fourth win in Austin in the last five years, building a commanding 10-second lead by the race’s halfway mark while Norris and Leclerc waged an intense battle for second.
“It was a good battle with Charles. He fought hard,” Norris commented.
“We’ll have to take second. There was nothing more we could have done today,” he concluded.
Piastri’s Championship Lead Under Pressure Amid Slump
For Piastri, the day was challenging from the start. The Australian driver began in sixth, gaining one position in the opening corners, but struggled to advance further throughout the race.
His championship lead is undeniably shrinking under immense pressure. Piastri hasn’t claimed a victory since the Dutch Grand Prix on August 31st and has failed to reach the podium in the last three consecutive races.
“I’d still rather be where I am than the other two, but obviously this weekend was not what I wanted or expected,” Piastri admitted.
The Formula 1 circus now moves to Mexico City, a circuit where Verstappen boasts an impressive five career victories at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.
“I think we need to be perfect until the end to have a chance,” Verstappen emphasized regarding the championship fight.
He noted, “We’ve caught up a lot. At the same time, the gaps between cars are very small.”
Ferrari’s Fierce Fight for a Podium Finish
Despite remaining winless this season, Ferrari demonstrated strong potential with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton securing impressive 3rd and 4th place finishes, respectively.
This performance came just a day after Ferrari Chairman John Elkann publicly declared his “full confidence” in team principal Fred Vasseur, quelling persistent rumors that former Red Bull racing boss Christian Horner might take over his role.
“I’m very happy,” commented Leclerc.
“It was a good day, especially considering the situation. The second part of the season hasn’t been easy. There has been completely unfounded noise and rumors circulating around the team. To demonstrate that we can remain focused on the job and be rewarded with a podium finish is truly satisfying,” he explained.