AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Red Bull's Max Verstappen charged to his 15th win of the season and 50th of his career at the United States Grand Prix on Sunday, when he started from sixth and then held off the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton over the final laps at the Circuit of the Americas.
Verstappen had to work harder than usual in a season of almost complete domination by the three-time season champion. But the power of his Red Bull and the right pit stop strategy calls navigated the Dutch driver to the finish line ahead of Hamilton by 2.2 seconds, even as the Mercedes was eating up chunks of time behind him over the final few laps.
The 15th victory of the season tied the record Verstappen set last year. He has been even more dominant this year in a Red Bull car that simply overwhelmed everything in its path. After splitting the first four races with teammate Sergio Perez, Verstappen has won 13 of the last 14 in a season that by himself would have Red Bull on top of the team standings as well.
Verstappen also earned this third consecutive win in Austin. He started this one from sixth after a rare mistake of exceeding track limits on his final lap of qualifying on Friday. Race officials then slightly widened the lines at three corners to give the drivers more space.
Every winner at the Circuit of the Americas had started from the front row until Verstappen's charge Sunday. He now has won three times this season from sixth or lower.
Hamilton is chasing Perez for second in the drivers' standings, and he delivered another podium as Mercedes brought what it called its last major upgrade of the season to Austin.
Lando Norris finished third to earn McLaren its fourth consecutive podium finish.
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