A FERRARI double rained on the parade of Max Verstappen and Lando Norris’ charge to the title.
It truly was the Wild West on track from start to finish as Norris and Verstappen produced an almighty scrap as they battled nose to tail for third-place from 12-laps to go.
The top two positions had already been snatched from their clutches as birthday boy Charles Leclerc capitalised on a poor start from pole-sitter Norris to cross the line in first.
Casino Sainz took second-place eight seconds behind his teammate but no one will care.
All eyes had been on Norris and Verstappen’s all-out war with the Dutchman producing a defensive masterclass until five-laps-to-go.
Norris overtook the Red Bull on lap 51 but went off the track and was slapped with a five-second penalty, meaning he had to settle for fourth behind third-place Verstappen.
The Texas rodeo continued as seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton was forced to RETIRE just three laps in after spinning off at Turn 19 and beaching himself on the gravel.
Norris knew it was pretty much do or die in Texas, given Verstappen soared to victory in Saturday’s sprint-race and stretching his lead to 54 points in the driver’s championship.
Verstappen’s world championship lead is now up to 57 points, having built it by five points across the weekend, while Norris’ hopes of chasing down the Dutchman have been massively dented with five rounds remaining.
Verstappen was fuming and said on his team radio: “These tyres just aren’t good. I can’t brake, I can’t attack anything.”
Norris continued to snap at Verstappen’s heels and closed the gap to just 0.6 seconds with 12 laps to go.
The Dutchman knew he had a race on his hands and kept the McLaren at bay with text-book defense until lap 52.
Norris got the move down at Turn 12 but it appeared to be off the track and Verstappen fumed on his team radio: “He overtook me outside of the track.”
Hamilton said after the race: “I have never spun especially on the second lap, it’s devastating to not be in the race because I love this race.
“It’s obviously a similar situation to George yesterday, the car is very sensitive, it started bouncing, I wasn’t even pushing. I lost a load of the rear and it came round.”
On hoping for another win in the Mercedes with five races to go, he added: “Of course, that’s what we’re working towards.
“That is painful, it’s never happened to me before but this weekend the confidence had gone already from the first spin we had.
“We need to go back to the drawing board and figure out what has been wrong with the car this weekend because it’s not been normal. We will work on it and try and come back stronger.”
Verstappen’s third place leaves him top in the overall table on 354 points, with Norris second on 297 after he finished fourth.
Monegasque star Leclerc hails his victory in Austin, Texas.
Conclusion
In this thrilling conclusion to the 2024 F1 season, Charles Leclerc emerged victorious in Texas, while Verstappen and Norris clashed in an intense battle for third. With Verstappen stretching his lead to 57 points, the championship appears to be slipping away from Norris.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Who won the Texas F1 race?
A: Charles Leclerc, the Monegasque star, emerged victorious.
Q: Who finished third in the Texas F1 race?
A: Verstappen took the podium spot, despite a tight battle with Norris.
Q: What was the main controversy in the race?
A: Norris was slapped with a five-second penalty for overtaking Verstappen off the track, denying him a chance to win.
Q: Will Lewis Hamilton still be competitive in the remaining five races?
A: Hamilton plans to work on his Mercedes to improve its performance, hoping to win again.
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