AUSTIN: World champion Max Verstappen clinched an emotional constructors’ world championship for Red Bull on Sunday when he claimed a record-equalling 13th win this year at the United States Grand Prix.

Twenty-four hours after learning of the death of Red Bull founder and co-owner Dieter Mateschitz, the 25-year-old Dutchman claimed the 33rd victory of his career after a thrilling late battle with seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes.

In front of a passionate crowd at the Circuit of the Americas, Verstappen came home 5.023 seconds clear of Hamilton with Charles Leclerc finishing third for Ferrari ahead of Sergio Perez in the second Red Bull.

“That one was for Dietrich,” said Verstappen after taking the chequered flag.

The constructors’ title, clinched with three races to spare, was Red Bull’s first since 2013 and ended an eight-year streak by Mercedes.

Ferrari had needed to score 19 points more than Red Bull at the Texas track but Leclerc was the Italian team’s sole finisher after team-mate Carlos Sainz, who started on pole position, retired with a damaged car after a first-lap collision with Mercedes’ George Russell.

Russell finished fifth ahead of Lando Norris of McLaren, two-time champion Fernando Alonso of Alpine, four-time champion Sebastian Vettel of Aston Martin, Kevin Magnussen of Haas and Alpha Tauri’s Yuki Tsunoda.

Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2022