US GP win ‘doesn’t change a lot’ in F1 title battle - Verstappen

With Hamilton bearing down on him during a tense conclusion to last weekend’s race in Austin, the Red Bull driver, aided by an aggressive strategy, held on to claim his eighth win of the 2021 season. 

The result meant Verstappen was able to double his advantage in the drivers’ standings by stretching out his lead to 12 points heading into the final five rounds of the title run-in. 

But Verstappen stressed it remains all to play for between himself and Hamilton. 

"This doesn’t really change a lot because it’s all about the details - I always say it - so a win doesn’t give me more confidence or whatever,” Verstappen said. 

“We are all confident within the team that we can do a really good job – but we need to nail the details and we have to start over again in Mexico, to try to get the best out of our whole package.”

F1 now heads into a triple header that consists of back-to-back venues in Mexico and Brazil where Red Bull is expected to be particularly competitive. 

Although he felt a first US Grand Prix victory since 2013 was a significant statement from Red Bull, team boss Christian Horner believes it is still “way too close to call” either world championship. 

"This year has been so tight between the two teams and there’s no reason to think it won’t be tight again at the next couple of races,” Horner explained. 

“We’ve just got to keep focusing on each session, one session at a time, one race at a time. Five races to go, there are still 130 points available in the drivers’ championship, obviously there’s more in the constructors’. 

“We’ve reduced Mercedes’ lead in the constructors’ to 23, Max is up to a 12-point lead in the drivers’. Both are way too close to call and there’s a lot of racing still to do.”