Key Winners and Losers from the F1 United States Grand Prix
The Formula 1 race at Austin's Circuit of the Americas didn't quite reach classic status despite promising elements. Four teams were closely matched, and all three tire compounds were used, setting the stage for strategic battles.
Still, nothing could unsettle Kimi Antonelli, who dominated to edge closer to his first championship. Meanwhile, his teammate George Russell faced growing challenges, deepening his recent struggles.
Champion Nearing History: Kimi Antonelli
Antonelli’s ninth victory of the season leaves him nearly certain to clinch the title at next week’s Mexico GP. Both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell remain in theoretical contention but would need to win in Mexico and rely on Antonelli scoring very few points — an unlikely scenario.
Toto Wolff praised Antonelli’s Austin performance as his best yet, noting how he handled early pressure while starting on slower medium tires and then controlled the race with a smart one-stop strategy. Fans of Ferrari’s Monza success were surprised to see Silver Arrows celebrated by tifosi.
Mercedes had prepared celebrations in advance, but now those will move to Mexico City, where the lower drinking age might make festivities livelier.
Struggles Deepen: George Russell
Russell’s recent downturn continues without clear explanation. Although Antonelli might be faster, Russell isn’t far behind in pace, suggesting other factors are at play.
A theory points to a Mercedes upgrade introduced in Malaysia that improved speed but narrowed the car’s optimal setup window, which seems to affect Russell more than Antonelli. After finishing eighth, stuck behind a struggling Oscar Piastri, Russell expressed frustration over his poor first stint pace.
"There are signs that the set-up window is very small. I hope that’s an explanation for my lack of pace today, but I need to dig deep with my team because it’s difficult to understand when you’re so far off," said Russell.
With second place in the standings likely slipping to Hamilton, Russell’s priority is to halt the decline and regroup for the offseason.
Strong Showing: Charles Leclerc
After criticism in Singapore for hesitating on an overtaking chance, Charles Leclerc was aggressive in Austin, confidently passing Max Verstappen early on and again later thanks to better tire management. His decisive moves helped Ferrari recover from a less-than-ideal qualifying.
"Yeah, that was fun," Leclerc said about his bold pass. "I didn’t really know how it would go. It was quite close, but it was fun."
Lost Opportunity: Isack Hadjar
Hadjar qualified impressively but struggled during the race due to technical issues like clutch overdelivery and radio problems. Forced onto the hard tire unexpectedly, he lost significant time and finished sixth after starting third.
"The pace was good today, that’s the hard part of it. We nailed it. And all the little, stupid things we can’t. We need to nail them as well," Hadjar reflected.
Impressive Drive: Liam Lawson and Racing Bulls
Liam Lawson stood out with a composed performance, securing ninth place and continuing Racing Bulls’ streak of six consecutive points finishes. The team now leads Alpine by 33 points in the constructors’ battle, moving closer to their best-ever result.
Disappointments for McLaren
Lando Norris showed visible frustration over radio during the closing stages as he defended fifth place on worn tires. Despite this, he remained hopeful about McLaren’s proximity to the leading teams and believed better qualifying could have put him on the front row.
Oscar Piastri continued to face difficulties adapting to the 2026 car, with Austin offering few signs of improvement. Mexico is expected to present similar challenges due to its high-altitude, low-grip conditions.
- Race winner: Kimi Antonelli
- Second place: Lewis Hamilton
- Third place: Charles Leclerc
- Fourth place: Max Verstappen
- Fifth place: Lando Norris
- Sixth place: Isack Hadjar
- Ninth place: Liam Lawson
