The 2024 Formula 1 season roared back into action with the highly anticipated United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas, kicking off a thrilling triple-header that promised to shake up both championship battles. After a three-week break, teams and drivers returned to the iconic Austin track with renewed focus and the added excitement of the Sprint race format returning to the schedule. With crucial points up for grabs in both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships, the stakes couldn’t be higher as the season entered its decisive phase.
Race Guide
Race weekend: 18 October 2024 – 20 October 2024
Race date: Sunday, 20 October, 2024
Race start time: 14:00 local time
Circuit: Circuit of the Americas (COTA)
Laps: 56
Circuit length: 5.513km
2023 winner: Max Verstappen
| Pole position | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Driver | Lando Norris | McLaren Mercedes | |
| Time | 1:32.330 | ||
| Fastest lap | |||
| Driver | Esteban Ocon | Alpine Renault | |
| Time | 1:37.330 on lap 53 | ||
| Podium | |||
| First | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | |
| Second | Carlos Sainz | Ferrari | |
| Third | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT | |
COTA’s layout, designed by Hermann Tilke, combines elements from several iconic tracks. The sweeping Turns 3 to 6 are reminiscent of Silverstone and Suzuka, while the Motodrom-style section between Turns 12 and 15 draws inspiration from Hockenheim. Turns 16 to 18 echo the challenging, never-ending Turn 8 at Istanbul Park. However, Austin’s signature feature remains the steep climb to the wide, dramatic Turn 1, where drivers can take multiple racing lines, often leading to exciting battles.
Austin was the second of three US races of the 2024 season, following Miami and preceding Las Vegas firmly establishing itself in America. However, it’s worth remembering that the US previously hosted three races in 1983—Long Beach, Detroit, and Las Vegas. The US ranks fourth in the list of countries that have hosted the most F1 races, with 77 Grand Prix, including 11 editions of the Indianapolis 500 that counted toward the World Championship between 1950 and 1960. Only Great Britain, Germany, and Italy have hosted more.
There have been 11 different venues for the US Grand Prix, with Watkins Glen (20) and Indianapolis (19) leading the way, followed by Austin (11). Only two drivers as of 2024—Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen—hold the record for the most US Grand Prix victories, with six wins each. Among the teams, Ferrari and McLaren share the top spot with 13 wins each.
Weekend schedule
| Date | Session | Local Time |
|---|---|---|
| 18 October 2024 | Free Practice 1 (FP1) | 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm local time |
| 18 October 2024 | Sprint Qualifying | 4:30 pm – 5:14 pm local time |
| 19 October 2024 | Sprint Race | 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm local time |
| 19 October 2024 | Qualifying | 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm local time |
| 20 October 2024 | Race | 2:00 pm local time |
In Saturday qualifying, Lando Norris secured pole position ahead of championship leader Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz, which Norris described as “the best lap of my career.” Norris benefited from a late-session crash by Mercedes driver George Russell, which prevented any drivers from improving their times on the second laps. Norris was just 0.031 seconds ahead of Verstappen on their initial laps, but the Dutchman had a stronger start to his final lap before both had to abandon due to the crash. While luck was a factor, Norris’s pole was a crucial result, especially in the pairs title battle.
On Sunday, Charles Leclerc secured a Ferrari one-two with teammate Carlos Sainz after taking the lead on the opening lap. A late-race battle between Lando Norris and Max Verstappen ended with Norris receiving a penalty, dropping him to fourth behind his championship rival. Norris overtook Verstappen for third in the closing stages after a tense battle between the Championship contenders. However, Norris exceeded track limits to take the place, which led to him receiving a five-second penalty for gaining an advantage, dropping him to fourth and promoting Verstappen to the final podium spot.
Championship background
After nearly a month of no-track action following Lando Norris‘ dominant victory in Singapore, which bolstered his hopes for a maiden title challenge against Max Verstappen, Formula 1 returned. The title race remained fiercely contested in both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships, setting the stage for an intense final battle over the next two months. Adding to the excitement of the Austin weekend was the Sprint format returning for the fourth time in 2024, offering additional crucial points that could shake up the standings.
Norris and McLaren arrived in Texas with momentum, holding a commanding 41-point lead over Red Bull in the Constructors’ Championship. Meanwhile, Norris has reduced Verstappen’s lead in the Drivers’ standings to a still-manageable 52 points.
Although Verstappen dominated the early part of the season, he hadn’t secured a victory in the last eight races. However, the Dutchman had triumphed in each of the past three races at COTA, including a pivotal win in 2021 during his heated title battle with Lewis Hamilton. Verstappen would be hoping a new Red Bull upgrade for Austin could propel him back to the top after finishing 21 seconds behind Norris in Singapore.
Hamilton, despite not winning a race since 2017 in the US, remained the most successful driver in US GP history with six wins and nine consecutive podiums at COTA. However, he lost his second-place finish in 2023 due to a disqualification for excessive plank wear on his Mercedes.
Elsewhere in the paddock, Ferrari was still in contention for the Constructors’ title, while Liam Lawson replaced Daniel Ricciardo at VCARB. With plenty of drama on and off the track, there was no shortage of storylines heading into Austin.
Race entries
Rumours circled the paddock after round 18 of the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix that Liam Lawson would replace Daniel Ricciardo in the RB team. The following Thursday, 26 September, Lawson was confirmed with a full-time race seat alongside Yuki Tsunoda for the remaining six races of the 2024 season, effectively ending Riccardo’s F1 career.
Aside from Franco Colapinto, who was now driving for Williams after replacing Logan Sargeant in Round 16, and Lawson in for Ricciardo after Round 18, all the drivers from the start of the season took to the track during FP1, Sprint Qualifying, the Sprint Race, Qualifying, and the Grand Prix.
Tyre choices
The 2024 US Grand Prix saw notable changes to the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin. A significant portion of the track had been resurfaced, completing work that began two years ago. Resurfaced sections include areas between Turns 9 and 12 and Turns 16 and 3, covering the two longest DRS zones. COTA had also adopted “fake gravel” for run-off areas at certain corners, a feature seen at tracks like Zandvoort. A solution designed to manage track limits without the risk of real gravel being scattered across the circuit.
Pirelli brought the same tyre compounds as in previous years: C2 as Hard (marked white), C3 as Medium (marked yellow), and C4 as Soft (marked red). Last year, the Medium tyre was the preferred choice for the Sprint, while some drivers gambled on the Soft for short stints at the end of the Grand Prix to chase the fastest lap point. Typically, a two-stop strategy has proven quickest in Austin, as a one-stop requires careful tyre management that compromises performance. The C3 tyre was the most popular last year, but it would be interesting to see if the updated track surface brought the Hard compound back into contention.
FIND OUT MORE
Free Practice
In FP1, Carlos Sainz narrowly edged out Charles Leclerc in a Ferrari one-two finish during the only practice session ahead of Sprint Qualifying for the 2024 United States Grand Prix. Title contenders Max Verstappen and Lando Norris were closely matched as they finished third and fourth in the session. Sainz topped the timesheets at the Circuit of the Americas, beating his teammate Leclerc by just 0.021 seconds.
Full Free Practice Reports
Free Practice 1 Classification
FP1 was held on 18 October 2024, at 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm local time.
Sprint Qualifying
Max Verstappen would start from pole position for the first time in nearly four months on Saturday, after securing the top spot for the Sprint at the 2024 United States Grand Prix. His title rival, Lando Norris, qualified only fourth. Ahead of a weekend where Red Bull’s car has drawn considerable attention off the track, Verstappen managed the limited practice time—just one hour—best, edging out Mercedes’ George Russell by a mere 0.012 seconds to claim the fastest time in qualifying.
Sprint Qualifying Report
Sprint Qualifying Classification
Sprint Qualifying was held on 18 October 2024, 4:30 pm – 5:14 pm local time.
2024 United States Sprint Starting Grid
The Sprint starting grid, with or without penalties, after the 2024 United States Grand Prix Sprint Qualifying session.
Sprint Race
During Saturday’s Sprint race at the 2024 US Grand Prix, World Championship leader Max Verstappen ended his extended winless streak by claiming a thrilling victory in the Sprint, while title contender Lando Norris finished third. Verstappen, starting from pole, secured his first win in either a Sprint or full-length Grand Prix since June, showing that the extensive upgrades Red Bull introduced in Austin are paying off.
Norris made a strong start, surging from fourth on the grid to second, but his McLaren struggled with tyre wear, allowing Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz to overtake him on the final lap. Despite late pressure from Sainz’s teammate Charles Leclerc, Norris held on to third place. He was later investigated for erratic driving when defending against Leclerc at Turn 15 but escaped without a penalty.
Sprint Race Report
Sprint Race Classification
The Sprint Race was held on 19 October 2024, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm local time.
| Pos | No | Driver | Car | Laps | Time/retired | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT | 19 | 31:06.146 | 8 |
| 2 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | Ferrari | 19 | +3.882s | 7 |
| 3 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren Mercedes | 19 | +6.240s | 6 |
| 4 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 19 | +6.956s | 5 |
| 5 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 19 | +15.766s | 4 |
| 6 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 19 | +18.724s | 3 |
| 7 | 20 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas Ferrari | 19 | +25.161s | 2 |
| 8 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Haas Ferrari | 19 | +26.588s | 1 |
| 9 | 11 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT | 19 | +29.950s | 0 |
| 10 | 81 | Oscar Piastri1 | McLaren Mercedes | 19 | +37.059s | 0 |
| 11 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | RB Honda RBPT | 19 | +38.363s | 0 |
| 12 | 43 | Franco Colapinto | Williams Mercedes | 19 | +39.460s | 0 |
| 13 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes | 19 | +41.236s | 0 |
| 14 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine Renault | 19 | +41.995s | 0 |
| 15 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine Renault | 19 | +42.804s | 0 |
| 16 | 30 | Liam Lawson | RB Honda RBPT | 19 | +44.008s | 0 |
| 17 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams Mercedes | 19 | +44.564s | 0 |
| 18 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes | 19 | +46.807s | 0 |
| 19 | 24 | Zhou Guanyu | Kick Sauber Ferrari | 19 | +52.842s | 0 |
| 20 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Kick Sauber Ferrari | 19 | +54.476s | 0 |
Qualifying
Lando Norris secured pole position for the United States Grand Prix, beating title rival Max Verstappen, after George Russell’s crash brought an early end to qualifying.
Norris delivered a stellar lap, edging world champion Verstappen by just 0.031 seconds on their initial flying laps in the final stage of qualifying. However, both drivers were forced to abandon their second attempts when Russell crashed at Turn 19. Verstappen had shown strong pace in the first sector and looked set to challenge Norris’ time, while Norris appeared unlikely to improve after a slower start to his lap.
Full Qualifying Report
Qualifying Classification
Qualifying was held on 19 September 2024, at 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm local time.
2024 United States Grand Prix Starting Grid
The Grand Prix starting grid, with or without penalties, after the 2024 United States Grand Prix Qualifying session.
2Zhou penalised five positions for use of additional power unit element.
3Russell required to start from the pit lane for breach of Parc Ferme conditions.
What happened in the 2024 United States Grand Prix?
Charles Leclerc delivered an outstanding win at the 2024 United States Grand Prix, leading a surprising Ferrari one-two, while Lando Norris lost a crucial third place to Max Verstappen after receiving a penalty for a late-race overtake on his title rival.
Ferrari’s impressive speed from the second row saw Leclerc and teammate Carlos Sainz overcome the championship’s top two drivers, but the spotlight remained on the battle between the title contenders as they fought for the final podium spot in a gripping and controversial finish at the Circuit of the Americas.
Norris, who had dropped from pole to fourth behind Verstappen and the Ferrari drivers after a poor start, staged a relentless comeback. McLaren delayed his pit stop, giving him fresher tyres than Verstappen for the final laps. He quickly erased a 6.6-second gap to Verstappen within 12 laps, then spent the next 10 laps in DRS range before making a decisive move into Turn 12 on lap 52.
Both drivers ran wide over the kerb, with Norris rejoining the track ahead in third. However, the stewards ruled that Norris had gained the position unfairly by running off-track and handed him a five-second penalty.
Though Norris crossed the line in third, finishing 4.1 seconds ahead of Verstappen, the penalty dropped him to fourth in the final classification, promoting Verstappen to the podium.
The late reshuffle saw Max Verstappen, who had won Saturday’s Sprint with Lando Norris finishing third, extend his championship lead over the McLaren driver to 57 points, with just five race weekends remaining in the 2024 season.
Norris’ penalty nearly dropped him behind his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri, who had followed a similar long-run strategy and finished just 1.5 seconds behind in fifth place.
George Russell took sixth for Mercedes after an impressive recovery from a pit-lane start. His car had been heavily damaged in a qualifying crash on Saturday, but after repairs, he fought his way back to his original grid position. Russell also overcame a five-second time penalty, which he served during his pit stop, for forcing Valtteri Bottas’ Sauber off track at Turn 12—an incident Mercedes boss Toto Wolff called a “total joke.”
Despite the penalty, Russell capped his comeback by overtaking Sergio Perez late in the race, a move that may not have helped Perez’s long-term prospects at Red Bull.
For Russell’s teammate, Lewis Hamilton, it was a disastrous Sunday. The five-time Circuit of the Americas winner saw his race end on lap two after spinning out and getting stuck in the gravel at Turn 19. After a strong start from 17th on the grid, where he gained five places, Hamilton lost control of his car’s rear end while turning into the left-hander, leaving him beached and out of the race.
Liam Lawson, returning to the grid, delivered an impressive performance, overcoming an engine-change grid penalty to climb from 19th to ninth, securing his second points finish in Formula 1.
Nico Hulkenberg also had a strong weekend for American-owned Haas, finishing eighth, while Williams rookie Franco Colapinto rounded out the top 10, outperforming his more experienced teammate Alex Albon throughout the weekend.
2024 United States Grand Prix race results
The 2024 United States Grand Prix Race was held on 20 October 2024, at 2:00 pm local time.
| Pos | No | Driver | Car | Laps | Time/retired | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 56 | 1:35:09.639 | 25 |
| 2 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | Ferrari | 56 | +8.562s | 18 |
| 3 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT | 56 | +19.412s | 15 |
| 4 | 4 | Lando Norris1 | McLaren Mercedes | 56 | +20.354s | 12 |
| 5 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren Mercedes | 56 | +21.921s | 10 |
| 6 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 56 | +56.295s | 8 |
| 7 | 11 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT | 56 | +59.072s | 6 |
| 8 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Haas Ferrari | 56 | +62.957s | 4 |
| 9 | 30 | Liam Lawson | RB Honda RBPT | 56 | +70.563s | 2 |
| 10 | 43 | Franco Colapinto | Williams Mercedes | 56 | +71.979s | 1 |
| 11 | 20 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas Ferrari | 56 | +79.782s | 0 |
| 12 | 10 | Pierre Gasly2 | Alpine Renault | 56 | +90.558s | 0 |
| 13 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes | 55 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 14 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda3 | RB Honda RBPT | 55 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 15 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes | 55 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 16 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams Mercedes | 55 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 17 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Kick Sauber Ferrari | 55 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 18 | 31 | Esteban Ocon4 | Alpine Renault | 55 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 19 | 24 | Zhou Guanyu | Kick Sauber Ferrari | 55 | +1 lap | 0 |
| NC | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 1 | DNF | 0 |
2Pierre Gasly received a five-second time penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage
3Yuki Tsunoda received a five-second time penalty for forcing another driver off the track.
4Fastest lap: Esteban Ocon (Alpine Renault) – 1:37.330 on lap 53
2024 Post-Race F1 Championship Standings
Championship standings for Drivers’ and Teams after the 2024 United States Grand Prix.
2024 Post-Race F1 Drivers’ Championship Standings
| Pos | Driver | Nationality | Car | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Max Verstappen | NED | Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT | 354 |
| 2 | Lando Norris | GBR | McLaren Mercedes | 297 |
| 3 | Charles Leclerc | MON | Ferrari | 275 |
| 4 | Oscar Piastri | AUS | McLaren Mercedes | 247 |
| 5 | Carlos Sainz | ESP | Ferrari | 215 |
| 6 | Lewis Hamilton | GBR | Mercedes | 177 |
| 7 | George Russell | GBR | Mercedes | 167 |
| 8 | Sergio Pérez | MEX | Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT | 150 |
| 9 | Fernando Alonso | ESP | Aston Martin Mercedes | 62 |
| 10 | Nico Hulkenberg | GER | Haas Ferrari | 29 |
| 11 | Lance Stroll | CAN | Aston Martin Mercedes | 24 |
| 12 | Yuki Tsunoda | JPN | RB-Honda RBPT | 22 |
| 13 | Alexander Albon | THA | Williams Mercedes | 12 |
| 14 | Daniel Ricciardo | AUS | RB-Honda RBPT | 12 |
| 15 | Kevin Magnussen | DEN | Haas Ferrari | 8 |
| 16 | Pierre Gasly | FRA | Alpine Renault | 8 |
| 17 | Oliver Bearman | GBR | Ferrari / Haas Ferrari | 7 |
| 18 | Franco Colapinto | ARG | Williams Mercedes | 5 |
| 19 | Esteban Ocon | FRA | Alpine Renault | 5 |
| 20 | Liam Lawson | NZL | RB-Honda RBPT | 2 |
| 21 | Zhou Guanyu | CHN | Kick Sauber Ferrari | 0 |
| 22 | Logan Sargeant | USA | Williams Mercedes | 0 |
| 23 | Valtteri Bottas | FIN | Kick Sauber Ferrari | 0 |
2024 Post-Race F1 Constructors’ Championship Standings
| Pos | Team | PTS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | McLaren Mercedes | 544 |
| 2 | Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT | 504 |
| 3 | Ferrari | 496 |
| 4 | Mercedes | 344 |
| 5 | Aston Martin Mercedes | 86 |
| 6 | Haas Ferrari | 38 |
| 7 | RB-Honda RBPT | 36 |
| 8 | Williams Mercedes | 17 |
| 9 | Alpine Renault | 13 |
| 10 | Kick Sauber Ferrari | 0 |
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