Kimi Antonelli delivered a superb performance to win the F1 USA Grand Prix. The Italian driver controlled the race, while Charles Leclerc secured second place and Max Verstappen completed the podium. However, the championship fight remains alive, all eyes now turn to the next round in Mexico.
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Start of the race
Antonelli started on medium tyres, while the other frontrunners opted for softs, setting up an intriguing strategic contest from the very beginning.
The Italian held on to the lead through the opening corners, but Leclerc made an excellent start, jumping to second ahead of Verstappen. Lewis Hamilton also gained positions to move into fourth, while Isack Hadjar dropped back to fifth. Verstappen, however, wasted little time recovering and reclaimed second place by the end of the opening lap.
By lap eight, Antonelli had established a lead of approximately 2.5 seconds over Verstappen, with Leclerc running another second behind the Dutchman. The early pace suggested that the fight at the front would be closely contested, particularly as the different tyre strategies began to unfold.
Verstappen takes the alternative strategy
The first major strategic move came on lap 13, when Verstappen pitted for another set of soft tyres. The Red Bull driver committed to an alternative strategy, aiming to use the pace of the soft compound to put pressure on his rivals.
Hamilton followed one lap later, switching to medium tyres, before Leclerc also made his first stop on lap 16, emerging on mediums.
Antonelli remained on track, continuing to build his advantage while managing his medium tyres. Around lap 20, he was still leading ahead of Hadjar, who had yet to pit, while Verstappen focused on maximising his stint and preparing for his next move.
On lap 23, Verstappen passed Hadjar to return to second place, although he remained approximately 13 seconds behind Antonelli.
One lap later, Antonelli finally headed into the pits and switched to hard tyres. His stop handed the lead to Verstappen, who now had an opportunity to control the race and make his alternative strategy work.
The battle for the lead intensifies
The race took another turn around halfway distance when Verstappen began reporting an issue and struggled to maintain his previous pace. This opened the door for Leclerc to close the gap and put the Red Bull driver under increasing pressure.
On lap 31, Verstappen made his second pit stop from the lead. His stop allowed Antonelli to move back to the front, with the Italian overtaking Leclerc on track to reclaim first place.
Leclerc continued to push, but another pit stop on lap 39 reshaped the order once again.
Antonelli remained in the lead, followed by Lando Norris, who had made an early stop for hard tyres. Verstappen and Leclerc were close behind, both benefiting from fresher rubber as the final phase of the race approached.
Leclerc fights back as Verstappen drops behind
With the chequered flag getting closer, Verstappen began his charge through the leading group. On lap 47, he overtook Norris to take second place, but Leclerc quickly followed through and passed the British driver as well.
The Ferrari driver was not finished there. Just two laps later, Leclerc found a way past Verstappen, securing second position and putting himself in a strong position to finish on the podium.
Antonelli takes victory, but the title remains undecided
After 56 laps, Antonelli crossed the finish line to claim a memorable victory at the USA Grand Prix. Leclerc finished second, with Verstappen completing the podium in third place.
It was a strong result for Antonelli, who demonstrated impressive pace and composure throughout a race shaped by contrasting tyre strategies and several changes in position.
However, the victory was not enough to secure the world championship. Russell finished eighth, keeping the title battle alive and forcing Antonelli to wait at least one more race before a potential championship celebration. Antonelli mastered, but the championship celebration will have to wait until Mexico.
The full results of the race according to FIA.com:
