Formula 1’s 2024 United States Grand Prix Race Review

Ferrari Conquers the Wild West with 1-2 Finish in Austin 

The 2024 United States Grand Prix at Austin’s Circuit of The Americas delivered a weekend of high-stakes drama, fierce on-track battles, and unexpected twists. From a razor-thin Sprint qualifying margin between Max Verstappen and George Russell to Ferrari’s triumphant one-two finish on race day, the action in Texas kept fans on the edge of their seats. As the title race intensifies, key moments like Verstappen’s dominance in the Sprint and Lando Norris’ stunning pole position set the stage for an unforgettable showdown in Austin. Here’s a detailed breakdown of how the weekend unfolded.

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United States Grand Prix  Sprint Race Qualifying

Verstappen Edges Russell to Secure Sprint Qualifying Pole in Austin

Max Verstappen secured pole position for the Sprint at the United States Grand Prix in dramatic fashion, edging out George Russell by a razor-thin margin of 0.012 seconds. Russell set the early pace in SQ3, with strong challenges coming from Lando Norris, Charles Leclerc, and Carlos Sainz, but none could top the Briton’s effort. Verstappen, however, left it late, delivering a blistering lap in his Red Bull to snatch P1. This result sets up a thrilling Sprint race at Austin’s Circuit of The Americas, with Russell lining up alongside Verstappen on the front row, followed by Leclerc in third and Norris in fourth.

The top six for the Sprint will also feature Sainz in fifth place and an impressive Nico Hülkenberg in sixth place for Haas. Lewis Hamilton and Kevin Magnussen complete the fourth row, while Yuki Tsunoda and rookie Franco Colapinto round out the top 10. Notably, Sergio Perez was eliminated in SQ2 after struggling to break into the top 10, placing him 11th on the grid. Meanwhile, Aston Martin had a disappointing session, with Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso failing to advance beyond SQ2, qualifying 13th and 14th, respectively.

United States Grand Prix Sprint Race

Verstappen Dominates in Austin Sprint Victory

Max Verstappen returned to the top of the podium in Austin with a commanding performance in the Sprint, securing his fourth Sprint win of the 2024 season. After an impressive launch from pole, Verstappen quickly established his lead, while Lando Norris surged from fourth on the grid into P2, overtaking both Ferrari cars. However, Norris could not maintain his position as Carlos Sainz capitalized on a lock-up from the McLaren driver late in the race to claim second place. Despite this, Norris managed to hold off Charles Leclerc for third, rounding out the podium.

The 19-lap dash saw intense battles throughout the field, with George Russell and Lewis Hamilton finishing fifth and sixth, respectively, while Haas had a strong showing with Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hülkenberg in the points. Meanwhile, Sergio Perez struggled to make significant gains, finishing ninth, and Oscar Piastri rounded out the top 10 despite receiving a five-second penalty for forcing Pierre Gasly off track. Verstappen’s victory further solidifies his dominance, adding crucial points to his impressive championship lead.

United States Grand Prix Qualifying 

Norris Claims Stunning Pole in Austin as Russell Crashes Out

Lando Norris delivered an outstanding performance to secure pole position for the United States Grand Prix, outpacing Max Verstappen by just 0.031 seconds. The McLaren driver set a blistering lap of 1m 32.330s in Q3, which remained unbeaten after George Russell’s dramatic crash brought the session to an early close. Russell lost control of his Mercedes at Turn 19, hitting the barriers and bringing out double yellow flags, which halted further attempts to challenge Norris’ time.

Verstappen, strong throughout Q1 and Q2, had to settle for second, while Carlos Sainz placed third for Ferrari. Charles Leclerc will line up fourth on the grid, followed by McLaren’s Oscar Piastri in fifth. Russell’s earlier lap was enough to secure him sixth despite his crash, while Pierre Gasly, Fernando Alonso, and Kevin Magnussen filled the remaining Q3 spots. Red Bull’s Sergio Perez, who had his time deleted for exceeding track limits, rounded out the top 10.

United States Grand Prix Race Day 

Leclerc Leads Ferrari One-Two as Norris Drops to Fourth After Penalty

Charles Leclerc delivered a commanding performance at the United States Grand Prix, leading a Ferrari one-two as the Scuderia made a powerful statement in Austin. Starting from the second, Leclerc took advantage of a chaotic first lap where Max Verstappen pushed pole-sitter Lando Norris wide at Turn 1. Leclerc slipped through to take the lead and never relinquished it, managing the race perfectly to secure his eighth career victory. His teammate, Carlos Sainz, used an undercut to overtake Verstappen during the pit stops and finish 8.5 seconds behind Leclerc.

Max Verstappen, who started second, had a challenging race. Despite battling for the lead early on, he fell behind Sainz and engaged in a fierce duel with Lando Norris. Norris initially overtook Verstappen in the closing stages, but after exceeding track limits during the move, he was handed a five-second penalty. This demoted Norris from third to fourth, giving Verstappen the final spot on the podium. Behind them, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri secured a solid fifth place, further cementing McLaren’s growing competitiveness.

George Russell staged an impressive recovery from a pit lane start after his Q3 crash, working through the field to finish in sixth for Mercedes. Sergio Perez finished seventh for Red Bull, while Haas had a strong showing with Nico Hülkenberg crossing the line in eighth. Liam Lawson, returning to the RB for the weekend, took ninth, while Williams’ Franco Colapinto grabbed the final point in tenth after a superb drive.

With Ferrari celebrating a one-two and Verstappen narrowly avoiding a podium miss, the Circuit of The Americas race capped off an intense weekend of action. As the championship battle heats up, all eyes now turn to the next race in Mexico, where drivers and teams will look to build on their momentum or bounce back from Austin’s challenges.

2024 United States Grand Prix Final Standings

RANK	DRIVER	COUNTRY	TEAM	FASTEST LAP
1	CHARLES LECLERC	MONACO	FERRARI
2	CARLOS SAINZ JR	SPAIN	FERRARI
3	MAX VERSTAPPEN	NETHERLANDS	RED BULL
4	LANDO NORRIS	BRITAIN	MCLAREN
5	OSCAR PIASTRI	AUSTRALIA	MCLAREN
6	GEORGE RUSSEL	BRITAIN	MERCEDES
7	SERGIO PEREZ	MEXICO	RED BULL
8	NIKO HULKENBERG	GERMANY	HAAS
9	LIAM LAWSON	NEW ZEALAND	RB
10	FRANCO COLAPINTO	ARGENTINA	WILLIAMS
11	KEVIN MAGNUSSEN	DENMARK	HAAS
12	PIERRE GASLY	FRANCE	ALPINE
13	FERNANDO ALONSO	SPAIN	ASTON MARTIN
14	YUKI TSUNODA	JAPAN	RB
15	LANCE STROLL	CANADA	ASTON MARTIN
16	ALEXANDER ALBON	THAILAND	WILLIAMS
17	VALTERRI BOTTAS	FINLAND	SAUBER
18	ESTEBAN OCON	FRANCE	ALPINE	1:37.330
19	ZHOU GUANYU	CHINA	SAUBER
RETIRED	LEWIS HAMILTON-LAP 1	BRITAIN	MERCEDES

Source:

• Verstappen pips Russell to Sprint Qualifying pole in Austin by 0.012s Formula1.com 
• Verstappen seals assured Sprint victory in Austin thriller ahead of Sainz and Norris – Formula 1.com
• Norris clinches pole position ahead of Verstappen in Austin as Russell dramatically crashes out in final moments – Formula 1.com
• Leclerc leads dominant Ferrari one-two in Austin as Norris loses third to Verstappen after penalty – Formula 1.com