Kimi Antonelli delivered a masterclass in composure and race strategy at the United States Grand Prix, claiming his ninth victory of the season after holding off Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen in a commanding performance in Austin.

The Italian made the perfect start, capitalising on Verstappen’s sluggish getaway to seize the early lead. From there, Antonelli controlled the race with impressive maturity, executing a bold one-stop strategy while several rivals opted to pit twice.

An outstanding stint on medium tyres laid the foundations for victory, before he nursed his hard compounds to the chequered flag, ultimately winning by 13.078 seconds.

A late Virtual Safety Car, triggered by Valtteri Bottas’s retirement, added a final twist, but Antonelli remained untroubled as he strengthened his grip on the Drivers’ Championship battle.

Behind him, Leclerc produced a late move to secure second place, marking another consecutive runner-up finish for Ferrari. Verstappen completed the podium despite enduring several niggles with his Red Bull, while Lewis Hamilton finished fourth to bolster Ferrari’s points tally.

Lando Norris had to settle for fifth after tyre degradation derailed his podium ambitions. Isack Hadjar and Oscar Piastri followed, with George Russell enduring a frustrating eighth-place finish.

Further down the order, Liam Lawson and Pierre Gasly completed the points-paying positions. Williams endured another scoreless weekend, while Alpine’s Franco Colapinto, Haas driver Ollie Bearman and Bottas all retired.

In Austin, Antonelli proved that championship-winning performances demand not only speed, but also intelligence, patience and impeccable execution.

2026 United States Grand Prix: Race Results