The duel kept all its promises.
Until the end, the suspense will have been total, intense.
At the end of a race with twists and turns contested in front of 140,000 spectators - including the tennis star Serena Williams, the former NBA glory Shaquille O'Neal (who handed the trophy on the podium) or the creator of the saga "Star Wars »George Lucas -, Max Verstappen (Red Bull) won with a breath, a few meters, a second and dust, in front of his great rival Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) during the United States Grand Prix which took place in Austin on Sunday.
This is the eighth victory this season for the fiery 24-year-old driver - 18 since the start of his career - but the first on this circuit.
His teammate, the Mexican Sergio Pérez completed the podium, in 3rd place while the Monegasque Charles Leclerc finished 4th.
The French Pierre Gasly (AlphaTauri-Honda) and Esteban Ocon (Alpine-Renault) had to retire respectively on the 14th and 40th lap for mechanical problems.
Verstappen can enjoy it because with this success he increases - from 6 to now 12 points - his lead in the world rankings over the seven-time world champion at the end of this 17th round of the season (out of 22 races).
# USGP🇺🇸 Max was the strongest 💪💥
Max Verstappen held on.
It was hot, but he won with a 1''33 lead over Lewis Hamilton 👏👍
The podium is completed by Sergio Pérez (Red Bull).
🏁
▶ ️ https://t.co/7plkVVV12v pic.twitter.com/KpDuPKO5KR
- CANAL + F1® (@ CanalplusF1) October 24, 2021
The Dutchman, who started from pole position just ahead of the Englishman, saw the seven-time world champion grilling his politeness from the start.
The beginning of a terrible strategic and physical struggle between the two men lasting more than 90 uncertain minutes.
“As I lost a place at the start, we had to try something, we had to try something (
Editor's note: by stopping first in the pits
), I was not sure that it would work, confides the winner hot of the day.
The last few laps were cool, full slide on the fast corners, but it was really cool that it worked.
"
“Congratulations to Max, he's doing a hell of a good job, it was a really tough race.
I had a good start, we made the right decisions (
on the pit stops
), but they were the best today, I gave the maximum ”, reacted Hamilton, who calmed the game afterwards. a stormy start to the weekend between the two men.
Friday, during the 2nd free practice session, Verstappen had indeed called Hamilton a "kind of idiot" and had handed him his middle finger, after his rival refused to let him pass after a near wheel against wheel of several seconds.
Proof that neither of the two was ready to ease off and give in to the other even in a round without a stake.
The duel between the two pilots is not over.
Hamilton, 36 years old in search of an eighth world crown, a record that would allow him to overtake the Hall of Fame pilots Michael Schumacher, will have to pull himself together in Mexico in two weeks, so as not to let his young competitor escape who is aiming, him, a first coronation.
