Austin (United States) (AFP)

After this 17th round out of 22, the Dutchman, whose first success in Texas, is eight wins this season (18 since the start of his career) and now has 12 points better than the Englishman, who will wait to add to his CV a sixth victory on the Circuit of the Americas.

The latter, looking at 36 years old for a record eighth crown allowing him to overtake in the Pantheon of pilots Michael Schumacher, will have to pull himself together in Mexico in two weeks, so as not to let his young competitor of 24 years who dreams escape. him to be sacred for the first time.

The Dutchman, who started from pole position just in front of the Englishman, and who had assured the day before not to "worry about what is happening behind", should however have, because Hamilton, who had announced wanting to do everything to take the best departure, kept his word.

And although Verstappen tried to lock him inside, the Briton was able to pass the corner first, forcing the Dutchman to have to step aside, out of bounds.

Better launched, Sergio Pérez could have taken advantage of it, but he logically prohibited himself from overtaking his teammate.

Paid strategy

“As I lost a place at the start, we had to try something (stopping first in the pits), I wasn't sure it would work. The last laps were nice, full slide on the fast corners. , but it was really nice that it worked, ”commented the winner of the day hot.

Result of the Formula 1 Grand Prix of the United States and rankings of drivers and manufacturers Laurence SAUBADU AFP

Verstappen indeed changed tires twice, on the 11th and 30th laps, each time before Hamilton, pitstoped in the 14th and 38th.

A strategy that paid off since in the end the Dutchman kept his leadership, despite the sharp rise of his competitor, who followed him a second behind in the last two laps.

“Congratulations to Max, he's doing a hell of a good job, it was a really tough race. I got off to a good start, we made the right decisions (on the pit stops), but they were the best today. 'hui, I gave the maximum, reacted Hamilton fair-play.

Max Verstappen, driving his RB16B, in front of Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) on the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, October 24, 2021 Jared C. Tilton Getty / AFP

Half an hour earlier, when he was chasing Verstappen, the tone was much drier with his team manager Toto Wolff on the radio.

"You are running for victory Lewis", had urged his team manager, to which his pilot replied: "let me do brother, thank you".

140,000 fans present

Contested under a less intense heat than the two previous days, with a sun appeared exactly at the time of the start after a light morning drizzle quickly dried on the track, the race was thus intense at the very beginning and at its very end, but not subject to friction.

Friday, during the 2nd free practice session, Verstappen had called Hamilton a "kind of idiot" and handed him his middle finger, after his rival refused to let him pass after a near wheel to wheel. of several seconds, showing that neither of them was ready to ease off even in a round without a stake.

Thousands of fans gathered in the stands of the circuit of the Americas, here at the passage of the Red Bull of Max Verstappen, October 24, 2021 Jim WATSON AFP

Under the eyes of 140,000 spectators, who will have been 380,000 in total since Friday according to the organizers, including some VIPs including the tennis star Serena Williams, the former NBA glory of the Lakers Shaquille O'Neal or the creator of the saga " Star Wars "George Lucas and actor Ben Stiller, 3rd place went to Sergio Pérez.

# photo4

With two drivers on the podium, Red Bull is having an almost perfect weekend in its fight for the constructors' title with Mercedes, whose second rider, Finnish Valtteri Bottas, finished 6th.

The Silver Arrows are now only 23 points ahead.

Finally, on the French side, a Texas day to forget since Pierre Gasly (AlphaTauri) and Esteban Ocon (Alpine) both retired.

© 2021 AFP