2023 United States GP Recap: Speed, Surprises, and Verstappen’s Dominance

Once again, Formula 1 made its presence felt at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin. A weekend filled with penalties, speed, and F1 racing, and we’ve got it all in this 2023 United States GP Recap.

The Unpredictable Turn of Events in Qualifying

With Max Verstappen and Red Bull emerging as the dominant forces in the F1 drivers’ championship and F1 constructors’ championship, it might seem a bit dull to keep watching Formula 1. But for the true enthusiasts of this sport, there are always battles to witness in each F1 race.

The F1 qualifying session was brimming with emotions and unexpected outcomes. This opened the door to thrilling surprises: to everyone’s amazement, Max Verstappen failed to secure the pole position. The Dutchman, in an attempt to push his RB19 to the limit, exceeded the boundaries at turn 19, resulting in his lap being deleted. This pushed Max down to the 6th position on the grid.

This allowed for a very interesting F1 lineup. Charles Leclerc took pole position, followed by the British drivers Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton.

Aston Martin had a disheartening qualifying session. Both of their F1 cars were knocked out from Q3. This setback dealt a severe blow to the team’s quest for a strong position in the F1 standings, as they’re locked in a neck-to-neck battle for the fourth spot with the McLaren F1 team, whose drivers are currently firing on all cylinders this Formula 1 season.

A Boring Sprint for Max

The sprint format was also present at COTA. A race of 19 laps, all with the soft compound on their tires, was the perfect setting for speed lovers.

But, again, Max Verstappen took the victory. He pulled away from second place from lap 2. Hamilton came in second, followed by Charles Leclerc. In Verstappen’s own words, it was a very boring sprint.

However, there were intriguing battles throughout the rest of the grid. Perez, Sainz, and Russell fought for the 4th position for a significant portion of the F1 sprint. Russell received a 5-second penalty for overtaking Piastri outside of the track limits. Meanwhile, continuing Aston Martin’s streak of misfortune, the team was forced to retire Lance Stroll’s car.

Will Lando Win in 2023?

The most important day of any F1 Grand Prix is always Sunday, RACE DAY! And in this 2023 United States GP Recap, we’ve got the race highlights.

Lewis Hamilton demonstrated a strong desire to secure a spot on the podium and break his two-year victory drought in Formula 1. Lewis managed to make the most of the performance modifications that Mercedes had installed for Austin, BUT, the joy was short-lived.

After the race, Hamilton and Leclerc’s cars underwent scrutiny, and the stewards found that both failed to meet the mandatory FIA requirements, leading to the disqualification of both drivers. This reshuffled the podium as follows: 1st Verstappen, 2nd Norris, and 3rd Sainz.

Sergio Perez emerged as the big winner from Hamilton’s disqualification. Both had been locked in a fierce battle for the second spot in the Formula 1 standings, with Lewis closing in on the Mexican Minister of Defense in recent F1 races. A sigh of relief for the Mexican driver!

Lando Norris had an excellent start to the race, grabbing the lead from the very first lap and coming close to securing his first Formula 1 victory. However, he couldn’t keep up the pace and finished second after Hamilton’s disqualification hours after the race.

Max Verstappen, with a strong race pace, claimed victory in the United States GP. Fast lap after fast lap, the three-time champion held onto the top spot. In the final laps, he felt uneasy about his car’s performance, but it didn’t hinder his triumph.

The F1 odds had Oscar Piastri as the third favorite to win the race, but an incident with Esteban Ocon, a driver for Alpine, forced both racers to retire their cars.

The Aston Martin F1 team lost their fourth place in the Formula 1 standings, as Alonso had to retire due to a problem with his car and Stroll finished in ninth place.

Daniel Ricciardo returned to his car after being absent due to a hand injury suffered at the Dutch GP; still, he didn’t achieve a decent result, finishing last in Austin.

It’s incredible to win my 50th Grand Prix here today. I feel very proud to achieve this! This was a tough race, but it’s great that we were still able to win. Amazing job by everyone in the team 👏 @redbullracing pic.twitter.com/9NYUOTRBDm

— Max Verstappen (@Max33Verstappen) October 22, 2023

For F1 betting news, odds analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.

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