AUSTIN, Texas

Max Verstappen dominated the United States Grand Prix, not just clinching a significant victory but also shaking up the F1 Drivers’ Championship. His performance at the Circuit of the Americas really stood out amid the chaos in the paddock.

Yet, we shouldn’t overlook what Lando Norris achieved during the race. Verstappen had an incredible weekend, securing wins in both the F1 sprint and the Grand Prix, which gave him the maximum haul of 33 points. This leaves him now 40 points behind championship leader Oscar Piastri and only 26 points behind Norris, who is in second place.

Norris’s measured driving style allowed him to recover after he lost his position to Charles Leclerc at the start. Ultimately, he finished second, bringing him closer to Piastri. As I stand here watching the paddock get torn down, it’s notable that Norris is just 14 points away from his teammate in the championship race.

Norris showed patience after initially conceding to Leclerc. The Ferrari driver opted for C4 soft tires while Norris chose C3 mediums, allowing him to close in on Leclerc during the early laps. He pressed hard at Turn 12 but couldn’t find a way past.

Then came lap 21, when the race officials waved a black-and-white flag at Norris for exceeding track limits three times. One more slip could land him a five-second penalty. At that moment, he was in third, with Verstappen leading.

However, on that very lap, Norris managed to overtake Leclerc and grabbed the second position.

The challenge ahead for him was evident. On lap 32, McLaren pitted him to switch from medium to soft tires for the final stint. A slower pit stop of 3.8 seconds, however, saw him return to the track in fourth.

Behind Leclerc, another driver was on medium tires, adding to Norris’s challenges. By lap 33, Norris had managed to cut the three-second gap to Leclerc in half, making a solid effort with his C4 soft tires. He closed it down to under a second by lap 38, but by lap 40, he reported to the team that his tires were running out.

Frustration mounted for Norris as the race progressed, but his radio engineer, Will Joseph, reassured him. “I know the car doesn’t feel great right now, but your pace is really good,” Joseph communicated. “We have 12 laps to go, and you’re not under any pressure from behind. Once the tires cool down, we can go get Leclerc.”

Norris, who at one point found himself nearly two seconds behind Leclerc, pushed harder and, by lap 49, managed to narrow the gap to 1.1 seconds. On the very next lap, he found himself within DRS range.

At the start of lap 51, Norris temporarily lost ground to Leclerc at Turn 1, but the Ferrari driver quickly regained his position. Yet, at Turn 12, Norris managed to slow down just ahead of Leclerc, keeping his second place.

It was a crucial finish for him after a tough Saturday, and he brought home a much-needed P2 finish, all while walking a fine line with the potential for a penalty for track limits.

“Finally. It took long enough,” Norris expressed after the race. “That was a solid fight with Charles. He really pushed back. There were challenges. I thought I had an easier shot after I got ahead, but things didn’t go as smoothly as I hoped.” He added, “No, really, Charles had a fantastic race. It was a great battle. We had to settle for second today; that’s just how things were.”

Discussing his strategy with his race engineers, Norris described it as “solid.” He noted, “You really want to push when the tires are fresh, but that’s when they’re also warming up the most. On my initial attempt, I started really struggling with grip, while Charles was likely more composed. So, I pulled back a couple of laps, regrouped, and tried again. Turned out it was a good call.” It sounds simple, but racing can be quite tricky.

McLaren’s team principal, Andrea Stella, praised Norris’s performance, calling it “great.” He noted, “Today was a standout for Lando. He excels in situations with high tire degradation and long stints. He kept his cool. We had to be strategic with overtakes while ensuring we finished strong.”

Stella also pointed out Norris’s patience, particularly in the second stint, where he stepped back to allow his tires to cool before making another attack on Leclerc.

In the world of racing, patience often pays off. And as Verstappen’s strong showing here suggests, he’s a serious contender for a fifth Drivers’ Championship. However, Norris is lurking just 14 points behind Piastri, making things interesting. If Norris manages to capture the title in Abu Dhabi, his measured approach here in Austin could be the reason.