Charles Leclerc led Ferrari to a dominant one-two finish at the U.S. Grand Prix, with teammate Carlos Sainz securing second place. The race at Austin's Circuit of the Americas was packed with excitement, particularly as Formula One championship leader Max Verstappen dealt a blow to Lando Norris’ title hopes after a controversial penalty.

Norris, driving for McLaren, had passed Verstappen in the final laps, benefiting from fresher tires, but a five-second penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage negated his effort. The penalty became one of the race's most contentious moments, as it dropped Norris from third to fourth place, allowing Verstappen to secure a podium finish and extend his championship lead to 57 points with just five races to go.

McLaren’s Oscar Piastri finished in fifth, while Mercedes' George Russell took sixth, and Sergio Perez placed seventh for Red Bull. Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg brought home crucial points in eighth place at his team’s home race, and New Zealander Liam Lawson, driving for Red Bull-owned AlphaTauri, delivered an impressive performance by finishing ninth after starting from the back of the grid. Argentine rookie Franco Colapinto rounded out the top ten, scoring a point for Williams.

Leclerc’s victory was his third of the season, following wins in Monaco and Monza, and it broke Verstappen's three-year dominance at the U.S. Grand Prix in Austin. This win also moved Ferrari within just eight points of Red Bull in the constructors' standings.

Despite winning the sprint race on Saturday, Verstappen’s Sunday drought continued, with his last race victory dating back to Spain in June. However, the real highlight was his duel with Norris, which became the main storyline of the weekend.

At the race start, Norris got away quickly but was forced wide at the steep first corner, allowing Verstappen to move ahead, while Leclerc and Sainz both took advantage and slotted into first and third, respectively. Norris voiced his frustrations over the team radio about the incident, which set the stage for the tense battle that followed.

Adding to the day's drama, the safety car was deployed early in the race when seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton spun off on lap two, ending up in the gravel and out of the race. It marked a tough weekend for Hamilton, who had a poor qualifying session and started 17th after lining up 19th.

Alpine’s Esteban Ocon set the fastest lap of the race, but his struggles continued as he finished a lowly 18th, missing out on a bonus point for his efforts.

While Ferrari’s resurgence was the talk of the weekend, McLaren maintained their lead in the constructors' standings, extending their advantage to 40 points despite the setback for Norris. The race leaves the championship battles wide open as the season heads into its final stretch.

Source: India Today