Formula 1 News: Verstappen takes lights-to-flag win in USGP

World Driving Champion Max Verstappen (pictured) took the lead from pole of the 2025 USGP Formula 1 race at COTA and led all the way to win and get 25 important points toward the championship.

–by Mark Cipolloni–

Verstappen took his 68th F1 win today, and he also won the Sprint race on Saturday (his 13th in 22) worth 8 points to get a total of 33 points for the weekend.

It was the 4th time Verstappen has won at COTA and it was his 5th win of this season.

“It was an unbelievable weekend for us. I knew the race would not be super straightforward,” said Verstappen.

“The whole race, the pace between myself and Lando was super close. But in that first stint I could eke out a gap and that’s what I managed to the end.”

Lando Norris won a race long battle with the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc to finish 2nd, 8s behind the Red Bull ace.

“It took long enough to pass Charles, said Norris.

“It was a good battle with Charles, he fought hard. Charles drove a good race, was good fun, good battles. Had to settle for second; not a lot more we could have done today.”

Leclerc took the final podium position, 15s behind Verstappen.

“I was a little bit worried when I saw I was the only car [in the top 10] on the softs at the beginning, I knew it was a risky move,” said Leclerc.

“We tried the soft to get into free air, which was tough with two cars in front. I had fun in the car, I enjoyed it.”

Lewis Hamilton in the other Ferrari brought his Ferrari home in 4th, 28.5s behind Verstappen

Points leader Oscar Piastri rounded out the top-5, a huge 29.7s behind the Dutchman. Importantly, Verstappen gained 23 points on Piastri this weekend.

Piastri is still in front with 346 points, followed by Norris with 332 points and Verstappen with 306 points, 40 behind Piastri.  He’s coming having won 3 of the last 4 races and finishing 2nd in the other.

George Russell was 6th for Mercedes, while Yuki Tsunoda had his best race in a long time to take 7th after starting 13th, but he was a massive 52.7s behind his teammate in the same Red Bull RB21.

The Kick Sauber of Nico Hulkenberg was 8th. Ollie Bearman scored points on Haas’ home soil in P9, with Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso completing the top 10.

Liam Lawson just missed out on points for Racing Bulls in 11th, as did the Aston Martin of Lance Stroll in 12th. Kimi Antonelli embarked on a recovery drive to 13th, the Mercedes driver having dropped backwards early on in the race following a collision with Williams’ Carlos Sainz.

Well. Up until now, Verstappen has not entertained much championship talk, having ruled himself out of the fight earlier in the year.

But now?

“For sure the chance is there, we just need to deliver these kind of weekends until the end. It is exciting.”

Yes, it is. the fans are in for a treat in the last five race weekends.

Could we have a three-way fight going into Abu Dhabi in December? You would not bet against it right now.

2025 USGP Race Results – 56 Laps