2021 Formula 1 United States Grand Prix was won by Max Verstappen with Lewis Hamilton finishing in second place, and Red Bull gaining ground on Mercedes thanks to Perez’s podium finish – and the championship leader extending his lead to 12 points. Red Bull championship hopeful Verstappen opened the pit window on Lap 11, pitting from medium tyres to hards, while Mercedes’ reigning champion Hamilton followed in on Lap 14 only to emerge second behind the under-cutting Red Bull driver. With an 11.5s lead, he pitted on Lap 37, stopped on his marks and was back out in second on new hard tyres – 8.8s behind Verstappen this time, for a chase to the chequered flag. “It’s all about the last three laps,” Hamilton was told. With five laps remaining, just 1.7s split the front two, and Hamilton had DRS on Verstappen on the very last lap.

Follow MotorMouth on social media:

• 
• 
• 
•