Key Takeaways from the F1 United States Grand Prix

The 2025 Formula 1 season, despite being deep into its final regulatory cycle, continues to deliver significant storylines. The United States Grand Prix in Austin offered a wealth of insights, from McLaren's internal struggles to Max Verstappen's growing confidence and unexpected team order dramas. Ferrari also showed glimmers of hope in their fight for second in the constructors' championship, while some rookie drivers faced their first major challenges.

Why it matters:

The Austin weekend highlighted the intense competition and underlying tensions as the season progresses. With only a few races left, every team's performance, strategic decisions, and driver dynamics are under intense scrutiny, directly impacting championship aspirations and future driver lineups.

The Details:

• McLaren's Internal Turmoil: The team faced a chaotic weekend, marked by speculation over "consequences" for Lando Norris following a Singapore clash, a potential pole position loss for Norris due to these consequences, and a major sprint race clash between Norris and Oscar Piastri. Zak Brown's initial blame on Nico Hulkenberg (later apologized for) and the loss of valuable race pace data further complicated matters.
• Verstappen's Title Contention: Max Verstappen, previously hesitant to discuss his title chances, now openly acknowledges himself as a serious contender. Red Bull's strong performance across four diverse circuits suggests they are a consistent threat, having significantly closed their early-season deficit. The 40-point gap remains a challenge, but Norris and other competitors could help Verstappen chip away at Piastri's lead.
• Alpine's Team Order Drama: Franco Colapinto, making a strong case for a 2026 Alpine seat, ignored a team order to hold position behind Pierre Gasly. Alpine, concerned about fuel consumption, wanted drivers to be lapped by Verstappen to avoid completing an extra lap. Colapinto's insubordination led to private and public criticism from team management, despite his belief that his pass was strategically sound.
• Red Bull vs. McLaren Antagonism: A new layer of rivalry emerged when Red Bull received a fine for interfering with McLaren's grid marker for Norris. This act, involving a Red Bull team member trying to remove tape from the pitwall, signals a more aggressive, 'post-Horner' competitive dynamic, contradicting previous desires for a respectful rivalry.
• Piastri's Identified Weakness: Oscar Piastri admitted to a challenging weekend, struggling with pace and consistency. Team boss Andrea Stella identified a specific weakness in low-grip conditions, where Piastri needs to improve his ability to push the car to its limits. This is a critical area for the rookie to address as the championship battle intensifies.
• Tsunoda's Aggressive Tactics: Yuki Tsunoda took significant risks, particularly with audacious Turn 1 lunges in both the sprint and grand prix, to recover from poor qualifying sessions. While these moves secured valuable points, they drew criticism from rivals like Ollie Bearman, who deemed his defensive driving "dangerous" and "desperate," suggesting Tsunoda's Red Bull seat might be in jeopardy.
• Ferrari's Second Place Hopes: Following a strong turnaround after the sprint, Ferrari showed renewed promise. Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton secured third and fourth, respectively, outperforming Mercedes. The team's ability to maximize points with both cars, despite not winning a race, could still give them a fighting chance for second in the constructors' championship, leveraging their closely matched driver pairing.
• Bortoleto's First Real Challenge: Gabriel Bortoleto experienced his most challenging F1 weekend to date, struggling to find pace and understand his difficulties. Despite previous strong performances, he was unable to match teammate Nico Hulkenberg and was eliminated early in qualifying sessions. This anomaly highlights the steep learning curve for rookies, especially on demanding circuits like COTA.

What's next:

The lessons learned from Austin will be crucial as teams prepare for the Mexican Grand Prix. McLaren needs a swift internal reset to maintain its championship lead, while Verstappen will seek to capitalize on his momentum. Alpine will need to address its internal driver dynamics, and Piastri will work to mitigate his identified weakness in low-grip conditions. The ongoing Red Bull-McLaren rivalry, both on and off track, is set to add further spice to the championship run-in.