Max Verstappen dominated the US Grand Prix at Austin, and at the same time increasing his chances of stealing the World Championship away from the McLaren drivers. Talking of chances, our 2025 United States F1 Grand Prix Result Summary is over the odds and a full house all at once.
This 2025 United States Grand Prix Result, Laps that Matter summary, Review & Ratings gives you just enough to catch up with. With just a hint of cynicism, bias, opinion and colour. The perfect bite sized review for those who couldn’t be bothered, or don’t have enough time.
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2025 United States F1 Grand Prix Result Race Summary
Didn’t see the race live? Don’t have time to watch the whole race? Here’s where we capture the laps where stuff happened. We write these live as we go, sort of like a minute by minute for the football, but marginally more interesting.
Setting the scene – Well if McLaren thought they had problems after Singapore, how about a double elimination in the Sprint Race. For the mini event, Max Verstappen took pole and led the field into turn one, meanwhile Oscar Piastri in third made a slightly better start and drew alongside his team mate Lando Norris at the first corner. Piastri didn’t challenge but went inside to do a switch back and found the front of Nico Hulkenberg which then tipped Piastri into Norris. Norris retired a few hundred metres later with broken wheel, Piastri a little further on with broken suspension. The incident ruined Hulkenberg’s race and ended Fernando Alonso’s. The incident shook up the order enough to see Yuki Tsunoda go from 18th to 8th, and he hung on for a couple of points in 7th.
The rest of the Sprint Race was less eventful, but not uneventful. George Russell attempted a move of Max Verstappen for the lead where they both ran wide. It was as close as Russell would get to winning. Behind that pair was Carlos Sainz for a second podium in 2025 for Williams. The two Ferraris had a moment that would give Team Managers nightmares, as Lewis Hamilton overtook Charles Leclerc after a mistake. Elsewhere midfield racing was good, and there was a moment of pure Stroll as he misjudged his braking into turn one and wiped out Esteban Ocon. He apologised, which is fair enough, but he should also apologise to all the junior drivers out there for hogging a seat with arrogant underperformance.
SPRINT RACE FINISH: VER RUS SAI HAM LEC ALB TSU ANT
Qualifying saw Max Verstappen double down and take the main race pole position, again he beat Lando Norris into second. Oscar Piastri was off the pace and out of sorts in 6th, given his team mate a huge advantage. Ferraris looked quicker than usual, and as ever George Russell does a 2025 George Russell job. Further back Isack Hadjar crashed and starts last, and Lance Stroll extends his lead in missing out in Q1.
GRID (Starting Order) – VER NOR LEC RUS HAM PIA ANT BEA SAI ALO
Lap 1 – Max Verstappen makes a good start and leads into and out of turn one. Charles Leclerc uses the good side of the track and passes Lando Norris for second at the first corner. Championship leader Oscar Piastri stays out of trouble and gets ahead of George Russell who also loses out to Lewis Hamilton. So aside from Lando Norris crashing out, it’s a start that Piastri would be hoping for. But he’s under massive pressure from George Russell. Further back not too much trouble except for a clash between Gabriel Bortoleto and Alex Albon.
ORDER – VER LEC NOR HAM PIA RUS ANT BEA SAI TSU
Lap 3 – Oliver Bearman loses places in consecutive laps to Carlos and Yuki Tsunoda, but still lies 10th and a heaps of places higher than his team mate Esteban Ocon. Further ahead, Lando Norris is giving Charles Leclerc the hurry-up for second place.
Lap 4 – Max Verstappen has cleared out in front, with a gp of 2.5 seconds already. Behind him Leclerc and Norris continue to squabble over second, and the rest of the top six are closing in on the fun as well.
Lap 7 – Kimi Antonelli is off, and Carlos Sainz is parked at the side of the road while the coverage goes for start replays. It looks to be Carlos’ fault as he puts a half hearted move up the inside to one of the hairpins. It eliminates him from the race and drops Antonelli from 7th to the back of the field. Alex Albon pits because he can and he was previously last after first lap contact.
VIRTUAL SAFETY CAR DEPLOYED
ORDER – VER LEC NOR HAM PIA RUS TSU BEA HUL ALO
Lap 9 – RACE RESUMES
Lap 11 – Both McLaren drivers complaining about tyres over the radio. Radio from McLaren suggests Plan B for Lando Norris. One does wonder if Plan B is “Whatever that will screw up Piastri’s race” but that would be unfair to suggest. Interesting though, as the thinking was McLaren would have all the race pace. Guess it’s easy for Max Verstappen with clear air, he leads by over three seconds.
Lap 14 – Lando Norris closes to within a second of Charles Leclerc after a few laps of taking it easier. Although, Leclerc is on the radio claiming Norris is breaking track limits. A bit cheeky. Further back Lewis Hamilton is drifting further as is Oscar Piastri who is struggling enough for 6th placed George Russell to comment on radio that he is slow.
Lap 15 – So close between Leclerc and Norris as the McLaren jinks and the Ferrari defends several times through the slow last section, but no contact and no overtake for now. But great racing. Commentary confirms there are two track limit warning for Norris, so something for him to watch.
Lap 17 – Norris is back for more of Charles Leclerc’s second place, within half a second, but just not at the right places to overtake. The battle is helping Max Verstappen who is over seven second in front now. Lewis Hamilton closes in, but Oscar Piastri is not, four seconds behind Hamilton.
Lap 19 – Lando Norris almost gets past Charles Leclerc in the slow section but just falls short, but also goes off track during the battle, and he is already on the limit for track limit warnings.
Lap 20 – Oscar Piastri continues to run around four seconds behind Lewis Hamilton, and word from pit lane is he is saving his tyres. One can presume he is saving them for Lando Norris.
Lap 21 – Lando Norris finally gets past Charles Leclerc with a great move into the main hairpin. On the same lap that there is a notice from the stewards about track limits. Norris clears out quickly in second. But he is ten seconds behind Verstappen in the lead.
Lap 22 – Lewis Hamilton decides on wanting a piece of the Charles Leclerc action and the Ferraris run side by side for half a lap. Leclerc keeps his third place then gives it away by pitting at the end of it for new tyres. Leclerc has dumped his soft tyres onto mediums, Leclerc being one of the only runners to start on softs.
ORDER – VER NOR HAM PIA RUS TSU BEA HUL LEC ALO
Lap 26 – Lando Norris in clear air still remains 11 seconds behind the leading Red Bull of Max Verstappen, with Leclerc’s tyre strategy it might be second he’s more concerned about today than going for the win. But at least Norris has left Hamilton behind in third, the Ferrari is over six seconds behind.
Lap 27 – Nice overtaking from Alex Albon on Franco Colapinto for 15th. Whilst acknowledging the lack of performance in the Alpine, there appears to be less and less reason for Colapinto to keep a drive in 2026.
Lap 28 – Max Verstappen radios in as declared the tyres are becoming tricky, Red Bull team note that but ask him to stay out as long as possible. May as well when you’re that far in front. Although arguing with Max isn’t too healthy.
Lap 29 – Replays shows Pierre Gasly, yes he is in the race somewhere, with a pitstop that’s even slower than their on track pace.
Lap 30 – Meanwhile on pace is Charles Leclerc who makes light work of Yuki Tsunoda for 6th on his way back through the field after pitting. Tsunoda appeared so offended he stopped for tyres at the end of the lap.
Lap 31 – Oscar Piastri pits from 5th and rejoins 7th and will have to do a long stint on soft tyres, not long after his radio conversation asked him about switching to softs and Piastri seemed reluctant. Nice way of sabotaging your own car. We can only presume this pitstop was approved by Lando Norris.
Lap 32 – Lewis Hamilton pits and gets out in front of Oscar Piastri, but behind the unpitted Nico Hulkenberg. Lando Norris stops for tyres a lap later, and he gets another slowish pit stops – 3.8 seconds. He luckily he rejoins in front of Lewis Hamilton but behind his Ferrari team mate. We presume that McLaren didn’t contact Ferrari to see if Charles Leclerc would move over for Norris due to the slow pitstop.
Lap 34 – George Russell pits as does Nico Hulkenberg, and the Mercedes resumes being close but not close enough to Oscar Piastri again. The Hulk rejoins 9th, so points is a huge chance today. Which is good to make up for blowing his 4th on the Sprint Race grid for yesterday.
ORDER =- VER LEC NOR HAM PIA RUS TSU BEA HUL ALB
Lap 35 – Oliver Bearman chases Yuki Tsunoda for 7th and in a halfhearted overtaking move into the double right hander the Haas driver spins on the grass on the inside and somehow Tsunoda avoids him as the Red Bull negotiates the corners. Bearman only drops the one place, testament to the job he is doing for Williams.
Lap 37 – Lando Norris closes in on the Ferrari of Leclerc ahead and is almost in DRS range. But he can’t push much as he is already under scrutiny for track limits.
Lap 39 – Lando Norris has closed right in on Ferrari and could pull a move anytime, just not for a few laps.
Lap 45 – Lando Norris has dropped off the back of Charles Leclerc, nearly three seconds behind. Maybe he’s saving tyres for a last minute dash. Another three points could be critical in the Championship if Max Verstappen keeps winning.
ORDER – VER LEC NOR HAM PIA RUS TSU HUL BE ALO
Lap 47 – Midfield battles of choice everywhere. For 10th between Fernando Alonso, Liam Lawson and Lance Stroll, where we know one driver will either stuff up or at a minimum not get any higher. Isack Hadjar and Pierre Gasly for 16th, and Kimi Antonelli and Esteban Ocon for 13th.
Lap 48 – Lando Norris has upped his speed in pursuit of Charles Leclerc and second place. He has closed the gap rapidly and within a lap is within DRS territory.
Lap 51 – Norris is within half a second of Leclerc now and he has a late lunge up the inside into turn one at the beginning of the next lap but runs wide and Leclerc takes back second place.
Lap 52 – Lando Norris dives down the inside into the hairpin on the back straight and takes second place in a nice, clean move. That moves him within 14 points of Oscar Piastri in the Championship.
Lap 53 – Isack Hadjar finally gets past a sluggish Pierre Gasly for 16th. An underwhelming race for the Racing Bulls driver, but that’s what happens when you crash out of qualifying.
Lap 54 – The last of the action for the race features the three cars at the tail of the field – both Alpines and Gabriel Bortoleto. Max Verstappen is looming in the background to lap them all. Alpine get on the radio advising Colapinto not to overtake Gasly. Colapinto is not keen as he believes Gasly is slow. Which he is today.
Lap 55 – Franco Colapinto ignores team orders and dives up the inside of Pierre Gasly at turn one and sort-of runs Gasly wide on the exit too. It was a pretty stupid move if he wants to stay with the team for 2026. Maybe he isn’t, you could easily argue he doesn’t deserve to be on the grid in 2026 on 2025 form.
FINAL LAP – After lapping some back markers, Max Verstappen cruises around the last lap to take a second win for the weekend, and this win shakes up the Drivers Championship contest. Lando Norris seals his second place while Charles Leclerc gets the max out of his Ferrari. One final piece of action is for 4th as Lewis Hamilton (who claims to have a slow puncture) and Oscar Piastri rapidly reeling him in. But it’s not enough this time, only just. Welcome lower points for strugglers Yuki Tsunoda, Nico Hulkenberg and Oliver Bearman.
FINAL ORDER (Across the line) – VER NOR LEC HAM PIA RUS TSU HUL BEA ALO
Here we go through the field and highlight the very best (Great) of the race, and the plodders, the over-ambitious, the out of luck, and simply hopeless (Grape).
These points get added to our Driver of the Season scores. 5 points for a great nomination, and -5 for the worst or grapest driver in the pack. Then it is +2 /-2 for honourable or dishonourable mentions.
THE GREAT-EST – MAX VERSTAPPEN
Can’t do much more than take both pole positions and win both races. McLaren should really start to worry now. Punters are agreeing with their betting money.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
LANDO NORRIS – 2 x second places in qualifying, and gains on his team mate in the Championship, to balance out being wiped out in the Sprint Race. Appears to have the mental advantage of the McLaren duo now.
CHARLES LECLERC – Few would have expected his Ferrari to qualify third and hang onto second for as long as he did. A solid weekend to a point, but surely he’s getting itchy Championship feet.
YUKI TSUNODA – Points for the Japanese driver is good for him and a proper sign that the Red Bull is getting better in general. Won’t save him for 2026 drive option, but at least it’s a positive.
NICO HULKENBERG – Heroic effort in Sprint Qualifying saw him line up 4th on the grid, which sadly ended in tears as he was involved in the first lap fracas. Ran in the top ten of the race.
OLIVER BEARMAN – Another quietly successful weekend of points and beating his more experienced team mate. Doing a very good job for Haas.
THE GRAPE-EST – DANICA PATRICK
Why Sky F1 persist with her commentary I have no idea. Is the Lance Stroll of pundits.
DISHONOURABLE MENTIONS
OSCAR PIASTRI – Another underwhelming weekend, and more points lost to his team mate, and there’s now the problem of a Max Verstappen Championship tilt coming. Essentially caused the crash at the first corner of the Sprint Race and his pace was sluggish in the main race. But at least got in front of George Russell to minimise the Championship damage.
LANCE STROLL – A typically over-ambitious move into turn one saw him slam into Esteban Ocon and ruin two races. Then knocked out in Q1 as is traditional. Just an amateur. No points but at least finished higher than his grid slot and car number in the main race.
CARLOS SAINZ – A brilliant Sprint Race podium was kind of wasted as he threw away more good points with an ordinary attempt to pass Kimi Antonelli for 7th on lap 7. His move was almost as ordinary as Danica Patrick’s attempt to explain it.
ISACK HADJAR – A pair of 12ths in Sprint Qualifying and Race, then spun out and crashed in qualifying, starting from the back. An anonymous 16th in the main race, but at least the last car not be lapped. A rare ordinary race from the RB rookie.
FRANCO COLAPINTO – Told by Alpine not to overtake his (slow moving) team mate Pierre Gasly late in the race. Did it anyway. Given that Alpine is the only likely team to take his services next season, it was plenty dumb to do so. Unless he knows he’s already out for 2026, which is plausible.
Was it a good race, loads of action, a tense ending, a surprise result or DNF, or just a big, fat, snooze-fest?
We rate the big race itself, so we know which races to go back and watch in the off season or one to simply remember the winner for the post season quiz nights.
PRE RACE ACTION (FP, QUAL, SPRINT, OFF TRACK etc) – 5 / 5
An action packed Sprint Race, and Qualifying set up a potentially huge Championship swinging battle. Following on from loads of McLaren paddock talk.
ON TRACK ACTION (RACE) – 5 / 10
Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc provided much entertainment, as did the midfield from time to time.
ANY SURPRISES? – 4 / 5
Red Bull pace is becoming more surprising as Championship attempt is on. Piastri’s lack of pace was also a surprise. Same with Ferrari’s decent race result. And The Hulk’s 4th in Sprint Qualifying proves his talents and why people love him.
SEASON IMPORTANCE – 5 / 5
Lando Norris gains on an increasingly struggling Oscar Piastri. Meanwhile, almost invisibly, Max Verstappen is stalking them both.
ENDING – 2 / 5
Not much towards the end but might have been higher if Piastri had another couple of laps on Lewis Hamilton.
OVERALL RATING – 21 / 30
This could be a key race when we look back on the 2025 season. There may be regrets at points thrown away. The race itself was good, and the Sprint Race saw some action for a change.
2025 F1 Season Race Ratings
R1 – Australian Grand Prix – 27/30
R2 – Chinese Grand Prix – 11/30
R3 – Japanese Grand Prix – 18/30
R4 – Bahrain Grand Prix – 19/30
R5 – Saudi Arabia Grand Prix – 17/30
R6 – Miami Grand Prix – 17/30
R7 – Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix – 20/30
R8 – Monaco Grand Prix – 21/30
R9 – Spanish Grand Prix – 15/30
R10 – Canadian Grand Prix – 18/30
R11 – Austrian Grand Prix – 20/30
R12 – British Grand Prix – N/A but was great
R13 – Belgian Grand Prix – 13/30
R14 – Hungarian Grand Prix – 22/30
R15 – Dutch Grand Prix – 22/30
R16 – Italian Grand Prix – 16/30
R17 – Azerbaijan Grand Prix – 20/30
R18 – Singapore Grand Prix – 20/30
2025 F1 Season Preview Gear
F1 2025 SEASON – THINGS TO LOOK FOR AND AVOID
F1 DONKEY AUSTRALIAN GP BOLD PREDICTIONS
