Kimi Antonelli wins United States Grand Prix as Verstappen struggles

Strategy and power unit failures

Max Verstappen secured third place at the United States Grand Prix after a weekend defined by technical inconsistencies and a strategy that deviated from his instructions. Kimi Antonelli won the race from pole position on medium tyres, while Charles Leclerc finished second after overtaking Verstappen. The Dutchman started from second on the grid and reclaimed second on the opening lap after losing it to Leclerc, but he eventually lost that position again. Verstappen followed a soft, soft, medium tyre progression that he says "was not what we agreed" with the team. He specifically expected a medium tyre during his first pit stop on lap 14, yet Red Bull fitted softs again. This decision exposed his two-stop strategy to the rest of the field immediately. I observe that the team’s refusal to use the hard compound, which Verstappen said they had agreed to, directly impacted his ability to defend against the Ferraris. He noted that people on the harder compounds found plenty of grip, which suggested the team should have reacted differently. He said that the way they used the tyres in their order was wrong because the softer compounds were not working as well as expected. Beyond the tyre errors, the RB22 power unit behaved unpredictably in every corner. Verstappen reported that in one corner there was not enough engine braking, so it just carries on through, and then in the next one it suddenly became aggressive. He also noted that the car would not shift properly, which prevented him from finding any rhythm. He stated that the whole weekend was not good, and the race was even worse.

Radio disasters and team errors

Radio communication failures added to the frustration in Austin, as Verstappen described the situation as a "disaster" during his post-race comments. He noted that these communication problems have occurred multiple times this year and suggested that the team might as well use sign language to save money. Isack Hadjar experienced similar issues with poor radio coverage, which caused him to leave the pits with the wrong engine map. Hadjar finished sixth after falling from third on the opening lap. I consider the team’s inability to maintain reliable radio links a significant operational failure that hampered both drivers. Hadjar told Sky Sports F1 that he could not hear what was happening in the pits. The car balance was also suboptimal, leaving Verstappen unable to execute his race to the limit. He explained that the car lacked speed in both high and low speed conditions, making the car feel average. He also dealt with a slow pit stop on lap 31 that cost him precious seconds.

Race dynamics and title implications

The race concluded with a late Virtual Safety Car caused by Valtteri Bottas, which Verstappen admitted helped him hold off Lewis Hamilton. Without that interruption, Hamilton might have overtaken him for the final podium spot. Verstappen had already lost second place to Leclerc and had to defend against the Mercedes driver’s charge. When the team told him how far Lewis Hamilton was behind and how much he was catching per lap, Verstappen decided there was no point in fighting Charles Leclerc because he would likely lose his position anyway. He noted that his overtakes on Leclerc and Lando Norris provided some positives. This result marks his 10th podium of the season, but it leaves him mathematically out of the 2026 title contention with five rounds still to go. The driver’s performance ended a run of two consecutive wins in Malaysia and Singapore. If Kimi Antonelli finishes in the top nine in Mexico next weekend, the Mercedes driver will secure the world championship.