Winners and Losers from the 2025 F1 United States Grand Prix

The 2025 United States Grand Prix may not have been a classic, but it significantly tightened the Formula 1 title race and provided a clear division of winners and losers. Max Verstappen delivered a dominant performance to further close the gap on championship leader Oscar Piastri, while Ferrari and Sauber made crucial gains in the constructors' battle.

Why it matters:

The United States Grand Prix proved pivotal, injecting new life into the championship fight. Verstappen's relentless pursuit of Piastri is turning the season into a nail-biting contest. The weekend also saw significant shifts in the mid-pack, with teams like Ferrari and Sauber capitalizing on rivals' stumbles to improve their standing in the Constructors' Championship.

The Details:

• Max Verstappen (Winner): Verstappen secured arguably his most dominant win of 2025, claiming his third victory in the last four Grands Prix. He's now clawed back 64 points on Piastri in just four race weekends, bringing the championship deficit to 40 points. His performance suggests a strong momentum shift in his favor.
• McLaren (Loser): Despite scoring points with P2 and P5, the weekend felt worse than Baku for McLaren. A sprint race clash instantly cost them eight crucial points and compromised Grand Prix preparation. More concerning was Oscar Piastri's lack of pace on a conventional track, making his championship lead vulnerable. Lando Norris, despite a podium finish, couldn't prevent the points bleed.
• Ferrari (Winner): Ferrari outscored Mercedes by 20 points across the sprint and Grand Prix, with Charles Leclerc taking P3 and Lewis Hamilton P4. This performance allowed them to close within seven points of Mercedes in the Constructors' Championship, with Red Bull only three points further ahead. They demonstrated solid race pace and strategic execution.
• Williams (Loser): Carlos Sainz's ill-judged lunge on Kimi Antonelli ended his race and potentially compromised his next with a grid penalty. Alex Albon's spin after contact with Bortoleto left Williams point-less on Sunday. While they hold a 39-point lead over Racing Bulls for fifth, the missed opportunity for points was significant.
• Kimi Antonelli (Loser): Antonelli had a promising start, clearing midfield cars, but his race was effectively ruined by Sainz's contact. Despite showing flashes of speed, including the fastest lap, he could only recover to 13th, making the incident all the more frustrating.
• Yuki Tsunoda (Winner): Tsunoda delivered another solid, self-made performance. He made up three places on the opening lap and executed opportunistic passes and robust defenses. While some caveats remain (Sainz-Antonelli clash, pace concerns), Tsunoda stood up to the challenges, which has been rare in the RB21.
• Pierre Gasly (Loser): Finishing last in an Alpine is not entirely unexpected in 2025, but Gasly's strong pace earlier in the weekend made his slide to P19 grim. A slow pitstop and a baffling team call to hold position behind his struggling teammate compounded his woes.
• Nico Hulkenberg (Winner): Hulkenberg broke his points drought, scoring his first points since Silverstone in July. His P8 finish secured four valuable points for Sauber, bringing them within 10 points of Aston Martin in the Constructors' standings.
• Gabriel Bortoleto (Loser): Bortoleto described his weekend as the "most difficult" of his F1 career. He was anonymous throughout, struggling to find pace in a car that was arguably a midfield contender. Contact with Albon on the opening lap further compounded a bewildering weekend.
• Racing Bulls (Loser): Racing Bulls failed to score points. Liam Lawson was boxed in at the start and struggled with Fernando Alonso, while Isack Hadjar, starting 20th, finished 16th with little benefit from a long first stint. Concerns over the car's balance on bumps and curbs are growing, as they are now only three points ahead of Aston Martin for sixth.

What's next:

The momentum has clearly shifted in Verstappen's favor, setting up a thrilling end to the 2025 season. McLaren will need to address Piastri's race pace and avoid further incidents to protect their championship lead. Ferrari and Sauber's strong performances suggest fierce battles ahead in the Constructors' Championship, with every point becoming critical as the season progresses to Mexico and beyond.