Charles Leclerc has impressively won Sunday’s United States Grand Prix on an afternoon where Max Verstappen extended his Championship lead.
Despite starting fourth on the grid, Leclerc was ahead after the first corner as Lando Norris failed to make the most of his pole.
While the expectation was the chasing pack may close down the Ferrari man, he comfortably kept Verstappen and teammate Carlos Sainz Jr at bay during the first stint as McLaren duo Norris and Oscar Piastri looked off the pace.
A situation panned out where Leclerc and Sainz Jr would battle it out for the win, but the 27-year-old – on his birthday weekend – would come out on top for his third victory of the season.
Verstappen receives title boost
The key battle was taking place behind them as Verstappen and Norris enthrallingly went toe-to-toe over three points that may ultimately prove decisive in the title race.
Norris threw everything at his great rival, being left frustrated before eventually having to leave the track in order to pass Verstappen with four laps remaining.
Although there was an argument that the British driver had nowhere to go, he also gained an advantage by leaving the track without handing the place back to Verstappen.
In the moments prior to the conclusion of the race, Norris was handed a five-second penalty to drop down into fourth, allowing Verstappen a place on the podium.
RACE CLASSIFICATION (LAP 56/56)
A red letter day for @ScuderiaFerrari #F1 #USGP pic.twitter.com/a7HuHuTjlp
— Formula 1 (@F1) October 20, 2024
How does the title race look?
With five races remaining, Verstappen now holds a 57-point lead over Norris, helped by his win in Saturday’s Sprint race.
Leclerc is now with 22 points of Norris, while Ferrari are now just 48 points adrift of leaders McLaren in the Constructors’ Championship.
Piastri is still 28 points behind Leclerc in the Drivers’ standings, with Sainz 32 points the Australian in fifth position.
Lewis Hamilton, who was a third-lap casualty after spinning into the gravel trap, is the best of the rest in sixth.
