Ferrari dominated the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix, as Charles Leclerc’s victory demonstrated why the Scuderia should never be ruled out of contention. Further down the order, scores needed to be settled, while others would kick themselves at mistakes and missed opportunities. Here are the winners and losers from the US GP.
Charles Leclerc: 9.5
Grid Position P4, Race Result P1
The Monegasque driver drove a faultless race in Austin. A perfectly sized gap opened for Leclerc at the start. With polesitter Lando Norris preoccupied with second-placed Max Verstappen, Leclerc steamed into the lead and never looked back.
Keeping his cool at the Safety Car restart, he resisted the intense pressure from the reigning champion and set off into the distance. Extending his stint as the pace of his SF-24 became apparent, he was simply untouchable.
The TV cameras gave him little airtime, but his domination of the race was absolute. Leclerc said in Parc Ferme that the team is targeting the Constructors’ Championship. Based on his performance this weekend, this is now a genuine possibility.
Carlos Sainz: 9
Grid Position P3, Race Result P2
Sainz had to work for his second place at the US GP. Getting ahead of Norris at Turn 1 certainly helped matters, but he needed to manage a potentially frightening issue involving smelling fuel in the cockpit. Once he applied a mode change from his team, the Spaniard began reeling in Verstappen, opting to pit in order to undercut the Red Bull.
Once achieved, Sainz consolidated his advantage to jump into second place. A charge later in the race looked like it might see him overhaul team-mate Leclerc for victory, but he had to settle for the runner-up spot. Austin acted as a further reminder of just why Williams hired him for 2025 and the calibre of driver that Ferrari is losing.
Max Verstappen: 8.5
Grid Position P2, Race Result P3
The reigning champion’s final place on the podium looked in doubt midway through the race’s first stint as Red Bull’s searing pace from the Sprint Race vanished. Struggling with extreme understeer, he could not keep up with Leclerc, the Ferrari in a different league. When Sainz had jumped him in the pits, Verstappen focused on securing third place.
His Titanic battle with Lando Norris lasted most of the race, with Verstappen showing all the guile and experience that has secured him three titles since 2021. Placing his RB20 perfectly while under constant attack by Norris, with only two minor errors blighting this effort.
The spectre of track limits raised its head, with the fallout from a move by Norris into turn ten causing instant controversy post-race. The Dutchman ended up on the correct side of the steward’s decision however, with another 3 points added to his championship lead. He will not care about any negative publicity over the incident, only the points.
Sergio Perez: 3
Grid Position P9, Race Result P7
The US GP was another race of missed opportunities and underperformance for Sergio Perez. After finishing dead last in Q3, the Mexican’s lucky promotion to ninth at the start did not translate into a recovery drive. While stuck behind Franco Colapinto’s Williams for far longer than acceptable in a car as fast as the Red Bull, his potential 2025 replacement, Liam Lawson, charged through the field in a statement of intent.
Perez is an F1 veteran and well respected, but every race is acting out like death by a thousand cuts. Christian Horner once again stated he badly needed Checo to be at the business end of the grid. Unfortunately, that seems as likely as the FIA stewards acting with consistency.
Lando Norris: 7.5
Grid Position P1, Race Result P4
Stating before the US GP that he believed keeping his lead would be difficult, Norris’ race had all the hallmarks of a driver playing the long game. His McLaren came alive on the hard tyres in the second half of the race, the podium very much in sight.
Slowly reeling in Verstappen in the second half of the race, his attempts at passing the Dutchman were clinical and refined. That was until he performed a clumsy move on Lap 52, completing his move off the track.
Norris threw away the final place on the podium in the closing laps by not giving the place back to Verstappen and incurring a five-second penalty. The gap to Verstappen in the Drivers’ Championship is now 57 points, with only a handful of races left. On a weekend where he could have dramatically closed the gap to his rival, Norris looks to have potentially thrown it all away.
Oscar Piastri: 6
Grid Position P5, Race Result P5
Oscar Piastri was conspicuously absent during the US GP. On the first lap, he almost lost position to Pierre Gasly’s fast-starting Alpine, quickly dropping back from teammate Norris. From there, he spent the race in no-man’s land. Although faster than those behind him, he had significantly less pace than the frontrunners. Austin’s characteristics did not suit his McLaren, and his lack of confidence in setup resulted in a below-average afternoon.
George Russell: 7.5
Grid Position P20, Race Result P6
Russell’s pit-lane start after his dramatic crash in the dying seconds of Q3 looked to have ruined his race. Instead, he dug deep from lights-out and had a fantastic recovery drive, pulling off daring overtakes throughout the race. His move on Perez in the final few laps looked particularly satisfying, securing sixth by the chequered flag.
Besides a comical five-second time penalty for supposedly forcing Valtteri Bottas off the track, Russell enjoyed a strong weekend. With his teammate crashing out early, Austin was the kind of performance expected from a driver who will shortly take on the responsibility of team leader.
Lewis Hamilton: 3
Grid Position P17, Race Result DNF
Calling the US GP a nightmare for the seven-time world champion is an understatement. A disastrous Q1 knockout was followed by a dramatic spin on Lap 3 causing the first Safety Car appearance since Canada. He looked forlorn, climbing out of his W15 despite the chants of “Lewis” from the grandstands. On a circuit where he has enjoyed much success and fan support, this performance will raise legitimate concerns of a drop in form.
Nico Hulkenberg: 7.5
Grid Position P11, Race Result P8
Haas looked strong at their home race, but Hulkenberg looked the weaker of the two drivers after qualifying. Driving an attacking race and using a clever strategy, he was able to leapfrog team-mate Kevin Magnussen and help the team move ahead of RB in the Constructors’ Championship. The German had another solid, drama-free weekend, highlighting why he is seen as a safe pair of hands for any F1 team. His battle with Yuki Tsunoda showed he still has tricks up his sleeve and will never back down from a fight if points are possible.
Kevin Magnussen: 6
Grid Position P8, Race Result P11
As Magnussen prepares to bid farewell to F1 at the end of the year, the US GP should have acted as a swansong race for the Dane. Securing his best qualifying of the year, he fell backwards during the race, his pace not on par with those around him. That Franco Colapinto finished ahead of him by over 8 seconds indicates why he is making room for new talent in 2025 and his lack of options away from Haas.
Liam Lawson: 9.5
Grid Position P19, Race Result P9
In a race where all eyes were watching the young New Zealander, Lawson drove with near clinical perfection. Starting from the back row of the grid, he had to fight for points the hard way, with some fantastic overtaking moves.
In a daring statement of intent and message to Red Bull, Lawson went side by side with Fernando Alonso into the fast-sweeping Turn 3, moving up to 12th in the opening laps. His fantastic tyre management and pace saw him beat team-mate Tsunoda and take first blood in the de facto battle for the second Red Bull seat next season.
Lawson came dangerously close to overhauling Perez during the race, which would have all but sealed a switch to the parent team. If he continues with this level of performance, we may see a Red Bull junior driver in the second seat for the first time since 2020.
Yuki Tsunoda: 5.5
Grid Position P10, Race Result P14
Lawson achieved something at the US GP that all new drivers aim to do to their new team-mate but will never openly admit: get under their skin. RB’s more experienced driver ran well in the early stages, moving up two positions in the opening laps. But Tsunoda started to drop back after his only visit to the pits, perplexed as to how Lawson jumped him. Forced to settle for a disappointing 14th, his volatile temper may have disappeared, but keeping his frustration in line will be critical if Tsunoda wants to stay in the running for a Red Bull seat.
Franco Colapinto: 9.5
Grid Position P15, Race Result P10
F1’s newest driver shone again in Austin, securing a valuable points finish to maintain a three-point lead to Alpine in the standings. He also made his intentions for 2025 clear by winning a duel with the veteran Alonso. His duel later in the race with Magnussen proved to be the more critical, as it set him up nicely to secure the final point.
With only one seat left on next season’s grid, Colapinto is fast becoming a prime candidate for Sauber. His attacking and defensive driving was once again magnificent. F1 will be worse off without the Argentine on the grid if he fails to secure the seat.
Alex Albon: 4
Grid Position P14, Race Result P16
The presence of Colapinto is beginning to get to Alex Albon after arguably the worst race of his season. Colliding with Esteban Ocon’s Alpine at the first corner, he incurred front wing damage. The Safety Car allowed the team to replace it quickly, but now he was at the back.
Never recovering from his poor start, he ran with damage and failed to move up the order beyond the midfield. Clearly feeling the pressure from Colapinto’s excellent performances, Albon must remember his current teammate is only the warm-up act before Sainz arrives next season. More races like this cannot become the norm.
Pierre Gasly: 5
Grid Position P6, Race Result P12
As the only Alpine driver running its new upgrades, Gasly had a golden opportunity to bury recent memories of falling down the order. Instead, he endured a spectacular fall from the heights of the rest of the weekend.
The opening laps looked competitive for the Frenchman, even challenging Piastri and staying with the McLaren, if not fully able to match its pace. That all changed when he fitted the hard tyre, and the Alpine’s speed mysteriously evaporated. With no confidence in the car in the second half of the race, dropping down the order became inevitable. A race that started with hope ended in despair, and the team needs to figure out why quickly.
Esteban Ocon: 3.5
Grid Position P12, Race Result P18
In fairness to Ocon, having to run Alpine’s previous specification would hinder any driver’s race. Spun round at the first corner by Albon, he was in damage limitation mode for the rest of the afternoon. The Frenchman will hope for better performance and luck in Mexico, hopefully with the upgrades Gasly enjoyed for a short period. His career at Alpine is ending, but he will want to end 2024 on a high rather than a whimper. Races like Austin indicate that even with a damaged car, Ocon has already mentally checked out.
Fernando Alonso: 5
Grid Position P7, Race Result P13
Another driver with no pace during the US GP, Alonso, spent his afternoon going backwards. Overtaken by two young pretenders early on summarised his day, with the AMR24 once again lacking balance or grip on both medium and hard tyres.
Alonso gave as good as he got when battling Colapinto and Lawson, but those fights became the highlight of his race. Adrian Newey’s arrival midway through next season cannot come soon enough for the Spaniard, who has witnessed Aston Martin fade away since its glory days of 2023.
Lance Stroll: 2
Grid Position P13, Race Result P15
Lance Stroll had yet another race lost in the F1 wilderness, almost like a timid animal in a forest not wanting to put its foot forward for fear of being attacked by a predator. He had no noteworthy moments or dramatic incidents in an all-too-familiar story for the Canadian. He was simply a participant in the race, lacking any passion or drive to do anything other than turn the wheel. If Aston Martin does produce a faster car in 2025, it will again likely be hindered by only having one competitive car.
Valtteri Bottas: 3
Grid Position P16, Race Result P17
As speculation continues over whether the Finn will remain in F1 next season, the US GP was not the best way to advocate to stay with Sauber. Caught up in the first corner melee, he moved up one position at the start, but poor pace meant he would eventually drop back. Being forced wide by George Russell acted as his highlight in another below-par performance for the F1 veteran.
Zhou Guanyu: 2
Grid Position P18, Race Result P19
Zhou had the opportunity to lay claim to the second Sauber seat by jumping ahead of team-mate Bottas at the start. Running as high as 13th by Lap 10, points could have been on the cards if he managed his pace correctly. Instead, a self-imposed spin demoted him to the back, where he remained until the chequered flag. Zhou is a very capable driver, but his talents are masked by an appalling car, reflected in his timid and underwhelming driving. His unforced error may have just sealed his exit from F1 at the end of the year.
READ MORE: Charles Leclerc heads Ferrari 1-2 at F1 US GP, Lando Norris loses podium
