Verstappen holds off Hamilton to earn hard-fought 50th career F1 victory at the U.S. Grand Prix

Max Verstappen charged to his 15th win of the season and 50th of his F1 career at the US Grand Prix, holding off Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes over the final laps. Despite starting from sixth, Verstappen's Red Bull and the right pit stop strategy navigated him to the finish line ahead of Hamilton. Lando Norris finished third, earning McLaren its fourth consecutive podium finish.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen charged to his 15th win of the season and the 50th of his Formula One career at the United States Grand Prix on Sunday, when he started from sixth and then held off the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton over the final laps at the Circuit of the Americas.

Verstappen had to work harder than usual in a season of almost complete domination by the three-time champion. But the power of his Red Bull and the right pit stop strategy calls navigated the Dutch driver to the finish line ahead of Hamilton by 2.2 seconds, even as the Mercedes was eating up chunks of time behind him over the final few laps.

“I think the whole race I was struggling with the brakes. That made the race a bit tougher. It was very close at the end,” Verstappen said. “It's incredible to win my 50th grand prix here. Very proud. Of course, we will keep trying to push for more.”

His 15th victory of 2023 tied the season record Verstappen set last year. He has been even more dominant this year in a Red Bull car that simply has overwhelmed everything in its path.

After splitting the first four races with teammate Sergio Perez, Verstappen has won 13 of the last 14 in a year that by himself would have Red Bull on top of the team standings as well.

Verstappen also earned this third consecutive win in Austin. He started this one from sixth after a rare mistake of exceeding track limits on his final lap of qualifying on Friday. Race officials then slightly widened the lines at three corners to give the drivers more space on race day.

Every winner at the Circuit of the Americas had started from the front row until Verstappen's charge Sunday. He now has won three times this season from sixth or lower.