United States Grand Prix: 3 winners & losers in COTA
20th October 2025Formula One returned to the Circuit of the Americas for round 19 of the racing calendar in a weekend filled with collisions, drama and wheel to wheel racing. Here are my winners and losers from the 2025 USA GP.
Feature image credit: Getty Images // Red Bull Content Pool
Winners
Max Verstappen
Verstappen’s fine form continued in America as he became the first driver in F1 history to complete a grand slam over an entire sprint weekend.
Dominating from start to finish in the race, the Dutchman looked to be driving in a different category as he reduced the gap to championship leader Oscar Piastri to 40 points. With each passing race, the prospect of a fifth world championship looks ever more possible.
Charles Leclerc
Providing much of the entertainment on Sunday with his battle with Lando Norris for second, Leclerc defended like a champion from lap one.
Ending Ferrari’s five race podium drought – in what was a much-improved weekend for the Prancing Horses – Leclerc’s lap one overtake on Norris, good strategy and race management left the British driver devoid of ideas until finally reclaiming P2 on lap 51.
Nico Hulkenberg
Recording his first points finish since his podium at Silverstone, Hulkenberg had a weekend of highs and lows at COTA.
Qualifying a season best P4 in sprint qualifying, Hulkenberg saw his work come undone on the first lap after a four-car collision at turn one caused him to fall back down the pack, finishing P11. The German would experience a return to form on Sunday however, moving up three places in the race to record a solid P8, scoring four points for Sauber.
Losers
Oscar Piastri
In a weekend which saw Piastri lose significant ground to the charging Verstappen and teammate Norris, Piastri looked uncomfortable in his McLaren from first practice. Involved in another collision with Norris – deemed a racing incident – Piastri’s sprint DNF allowed Verstappen to reduce the championship gap by the maximum eight points.
A disappointing P6 in qualifying ensured a difficult Sunday for the Aussie, which saw him struggle to make progress – finishing P5. As Verstappen took the top step once more, all attention must now turn to Mexico as he looks to stop this championship slipping out of his hands.
Isack Hadjar
Recording only his second Q1 exit of his career following a crash in Saturday’s qualifying, Hadjar fell below his usual high standards.
Starting P20, his race was always going to be hampered, although he was able to climb up a few positions in the race to finish P16. Hadjar’s sprint performance also failed to raise any eyebrows, starting P12 and failing to make any progress by the chequered flag 19 laps later.
Kimi Antonelli
Outqualified in both races by teammate George Russell, Antonelli had a forgettable weekend in America.
Starting P11 in the sprint, Antonelli was able to make up the last points position in P8. Chaos ahead at turn one and an impressive move on Bearman on lap 14 – which saw Bearman handed a five second penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage – secured the single point.
Qualifying seventh for Sunday’s race, Antonelli saw his race derailed after a late lunge by Williams’ Carlos Sainz which saw him spun around and sent to the back of the order on lap seven.
A decent recovery drive saw the Italian finish P13, leaving him with just one point scored across the sprint and race.
Read more Formula 1 here:
- Carlos Sainz given five-place grid penalty for Mexico City Grand Prix
- Max Verstappen dominates victory at the United States Grand Prix
- United States Grand Prix will remain on F1 calendar until 2034
- Who starts where at the United States Grand Prix?
- FIA grant permission for Isack Hadjar to race at US Grand Prix
- Will McLaren give Oscar Piastri ‘repercussions’ after US Grand Prix Sprint crash?
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