Formula One: Verstappen holds off Hamilton to win US GP thriller and extend championship lead

Max Verstappen held off a charging Lewis Hamilton to win the United States Grand Prix on Sunday and extend his Formula One world championship lead to 12 points.

Verstappen, in a Red Bull, claimed his first victory at the Circuit of the Americas in front of 140,000 fans.

Mercedes star Hamilton, the reigning world champion, had cut the deficit in the race to under a second on the penultimate lap but could not find a way through the Dutchman’s impressive defence.

“Of course we lost out in the start so we had to try and do something else,” said Verstappen.

“The tyre wear is quite high around this track, we went aggressive and I was not sure it was going to work but the last few laps were fun. A bit sideways through the high-speed corners but super happy to hang on.”

Sergio Perez completed the podium for Red Bull ahead of Charles Leclerc in a Ferrari and McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo.

The victory by 1.33 seconds was Verstappen’s eighth of the season at a track where Hamilton had won five times.

“I think I’ve aged about 25 years in that race,” said Red Bull boss Christian Horner. “I really didn’t think we were going to hang on.”

Hamilton admitted Red Bull were stronger.

“Max did a great job…

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