Formula 1 star Verstappen on the podium with a tough course: "Not an orphan"

Austin (USA) - In the waiting room before the podium ceremony, Max Verstappen had a relaxed chat about the decisive scene in the tough duel with his world championship challenger Lando Norris. For the 27-year-old Dutchman, the penalty against the Briton was just fine.

Extended his lead in the world championship standings: Red Bull driver Max Verstappen (27).
Extended his lead in the world championship standings: Red Bull driver Max Verstappen (27).  © Jared C. Tilton / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

Unsurprisingly, the five seconds that McLaren driver Norris was penalized made his thrilling overtaking manoeuvre against Verstappen in the Red Bull shortly before the end of the US Grand Prix a waste of time.

Otherwise, he would have first chatted with race winner Charles Leclerc and his Ferrari team-mate in the cool-down room and spilled the winner's sparkling wine on the podium. However, Verstappen extended his lead by a further three points after winning the sprint race the day before and now leads by 57 points over Norris with five races to go.

However, he once again had nothing to do with the victory; the three-time world champion celebrated his last Grand Prix success on June 23 in Spain. "It was a difficult race, I was never fast enough to attack," he admitted.

So he had to defend, as he did against Norris. "I have my opinion, but I'm not going to say it here," Verstappen emphasized about the duel that resulted in the penalty for Norris: "I'll let the race stewards do their thing."

Red Bull's motorsport consultant Helmut Marko emphasized towards Verstappen and his tough defence: "It is clear that he is not an orphan." And what did Norris say? "I tried, he also came off the track. I think he was too hard with the maneuver and also gave himself an advantage." But he doesn't want to complain now.

Decision made in the first few meters

Sly at the start, confident on the track: Charles Leclerc (27) led Ferrari to success at the Texas Rodeo in red with great maturity.
Sly at the start, confident on the track: Charles Leclerc (27) led Ferrari to success at the Texas Rodeo in red with great maturity.  © Chris Graythen / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

Austin kept his word again and provided a spectacle right from the first few meters. Norris got away well, securing pole for the sixth time this season by 31 thousandths of a second, but Verstappen was not at all unhappy.

Norris, whose nerves of steel had been the subject of jibes from the Red Bull camp before and during the days in Texas, had lost first place within a few seconds and was initially chasing Leclerc, Verstappen and Sainz. "We can win the race, we can lose it, it's up to me," he said before the start.

Record world champion Lewis Hamilton experienced a weekend to forget in his beloved America. In sprint qualifying, he was slowed down on a top lap by a rival's spin, and in the 100-kilometer race, he could do no better than sixth place. A few hours later, he finished early in qualifying for the Grand Prix: 19th and therefore penultimate.

And then there was the race, which Hamilton had already won five times: He went off course in the Mercedes, which had been significantly modified once again, and was unable to continue. Wearing his neon-colored shoes and gloves, he walked around his car in the gravel bed in a daze, his name shouted from the stands.

Smell of petrol in the Sainz-Ferrari and a problem with the Verstappen car

The bitter time penalty was emblematic of a weekend in which Lando Norris (24) and McLaren lacked their recent dominance.
The bitter time penalty was emblematic of a weekend in which Lando Norris (24) and McLaren lacked their recent dominance.  © Jared C. Tilton / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

Everything remained the same at the front before Sainz noticed the smell of petrol in the cockpit and was concerned about the Ferrari's engine.

And then Verstappen got the message that something was wrong with his car. It was all a false alarm.

However, Verstappen lost a place to Sainz at the pit stop, but still remained ahead of Norris, who stayed out much longer on his first set of tires. And that paid off. With the fresher tire, Norris caught up with Verstappen.

Lap after lap, he tried to get past Verstappen, the world championship duelists were a bit among themselves and provided the US fans with an entertaining duel before Norris struck in turn one and overtook Verstappen.

Both went off the track, which in turn called the race stewards into action and caused hectic radio calls.