Max Verstappen’s performance at the Circuit of the Americas was a masterclass in control and consistency. Starting from pole, the Dutchman converted his position into a lights-to-flag victory, with Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc rounding out the podium.

In doing so, Verstappen cut what was once a triple-digit championship deficit to just 40 points behind leader Oscar Piastri, his biggest step yet in a late-season charge toward a fifth consecutive world title.​

The Red Bull star collected maximum points across both the sprint and main race, making it his third GP win in five starts and fifth of the 2025 season. “The chance is there,” Verstappen acknowledged. “We need to deliver weekends like this until the end.”

His run of 119 points from the last five races signals not just momentum but precision from a Red Bull team that’s rediscovered its rhythm at the critical phase of the title battle.​

McLaren’s Troubles Mount

For McLaren, what was once a dream campaign has turned uneasy. Both their drivers find themselves under pressure: Oscar Piastri’s lead has shrunk drastically, while Lando Norris trails his teammate by only 14 points. 

Piastri’s recent form has faltered, with just one top-four finish in the past three Grands Prix, and his fifth-place result in Austin handed Verstappen yet another lifeline.​

Team principal Andrea Stella has maintained that McLaren will continue giving equal opportunities to both drivers, but whispers of prioritizing Piastri are growing louder as Verstappen looms larger in the standings. With Red Bull back in peak form, McLaren’s cautious strategy could prove costly if internal competition siphons their focus in the season’s closing stretch.​

The Title Fight Heats Up

Five races and two sprint weekends remain with 141 points still on offer. At this stage, every strategic call, pit stop, and qualifying lap will shape the championship’s destiny. If Verstappen sustains this pace, McLaren’s dual-driver approach may not hold against Red Bull’s unified title charge.

As the F1 caravan heads to Mexico City, the question isn’t whether Verstappen is back in contention but whether McLaren can withstand the pressure. The gap once measured in comfort is now measured in nerves, and the momentum belongs to Red Bull.