Lewis Hamilton failed to finish the US Grand Prix race for the primary time in his profession when he crashed on the third lap on Sunday.
The seven-time world champion, who has received a report 5 occasions in Austin, endured a weekend to neglect.
He certified seventh and completed sixth within the dash earlier than qualifying solely nineteenth for the primary occasion.
Hamilton completed twelfth, however his race got here to a untimely finish when he misplaced management of his Mercedes on the penultimate nook of the second lap. Together with his Silver Arrows stranded within the gravel, Hamilton’s profession was over.
The race didn’t go as Hamilton anticipated, particularly amongst a journalist, who predicted nice issues for him regardless of his poor lead to qualifying.
“Lewis, I really feel like strain makes diamonds and you’re about to shine. If anybody can break via the pack, it is you,” Hamilton was advised earlier than the race.
The drama in Austin did not finish there, as Lando Norris’ championship hopes have been dealt a blow after he was handed a controversial five-second penalty to complete behind rival Max Verstappen.
As Charles Leclerc took a surprising victory at Austin’s Circuit of the Americas, pole-sitter Norris was solely fourth, one place behind Verstappen, to depart him 57 factors clear within the title race with simply 146 factors within the race. sport within the last 5 rounds. Carlos Sainz took second place to finish a Ferrari one-two.
Norris spent the ultimate twelve laps crawling round Verstappen’s gearbox in an exhilarating conclusion, lastly making the transfer on lap 52.
Nevertheless, stewards rapidly launched an investigation into the cross and Norris was deemed to have run off the observe. Norris was penalized and, though he crossed the end line in third place, 4 seconds forward of Verstappen, his penalty set him again, in what might show to be a pivotal resolution in his quest for the championship.
Norris may need hoped to have banished the first-round demons which have thus far plagued his championship bid.
Till the earlier spherical in Singapore, Norris had failed to complete the primary lap within the lead on any of the 5 earlier events wherein he had began from pole. Below the lights of the Marina Bay circuit, Norris lastly put an finish to the voodoo earlier than claiming probably the most emphatic victory of his life.
However right here within the Lone Star State, Norris was left to rue one other dangerous getaway.
There was nothing flawed with the McLaren man’s preliminary response time. As I climbed the hill, there was clear daylight between Norris’s McLaren and Verstappen’s Pink Bull.
However Norris left the door open for Verstappen within the left nook and the triple world champion didn’t want a second invitation.
Verstappen was extra aggressive in braking than Norris to get forward of his rival. Norris went off the observe and shortly appeared on the radio to focus on Verstappen’s driving.
“He clearly pushed me,” Norris protested. “He had no intention of taking the nook. He needed to go off the observe too. I needed to keep away from hitting him and him hitting me. He got here in so exhausting that he went off the observe, similar to in Budapest, it was similar.”
On the Hungarian Grand Prix, an investigation was launched into Verstappen’s conduct within the first nook and his Pink Bull group suggested him to offer him the place again. There have been no such orders right here.
McLaren boss Zak Brown referred to as Verstappen’s transfer a “dive bomb” however each his and Norris’s protests fell on deaf ears. The flight attendants didn’t even discover the incident, a lot much less provoke an investigation.
Leclerc began fourth, however took benefit of Norris and Verstappen tripping over one another to take the lead. Sainz was third and Norris now fourth.
After Hamilton crashed, the protection automobile got here out and Leclerc made no mistake on the restart to maintain Verstappen inside attain, with Norris unable to make any impression on Sainz’s Ferrari.
Firstly of lap 24, Leclerc’s lead over Verstappen was 10 seconds and his teammate Sainz was additionally on the transfer. By pitting 4 laps forward of Verstappen, he was capable of overtake the Dutch driver when he stopped on lap 25.
Norris stayed out till lap 31 hoping to achieve a tire benefit for the climax of the race. When he left the pits he was 6.6 seconds behind Verstappen and was capable of cut back that lead over the subsequent half-dozen laps to offer him hope.
“These tires are simply not good,” Verstappen complained. “I am unable to brake. I am unable to assault something.”
Norris was exploiting Verstappen’s lead and initially of lap 44 he was a second behind and inside DRS vary.
With 9 laps to go, Verstappen was defending his life as the 2 championship contenders went wheel to wheel. Verstappen was displaying all his brilliance to maintain Norris behind.
On lap 51, Norris thought he had gone forward popping out of Flip 13, however Verstappen held on once more, in what turned out to be a defensive masterclass for the ages.
Then, on Lap 52, Norris closed in on Verstappen within the 215 mph drag into Flip 12. Verstappen held the within line and Norris accomplished the cross, albeit off the observe.
Norris requested his group if he ought to return the place, however they urged him to not, believing their man was forward on the apex of the nook, however the stewards took a special view.
Norris’ teammate Oscar Piastri completed fifth, one place forward of Mercedes’ George Russell.
