Max Verstappen: We did it in style

Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen celebrates on the podium after winning the United States Grand Prix on Sunday. Pic/AFP

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 champion Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes.

5.023 seconds clear of Lewis

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. "Of course, it's a very difficult weekend for us and this one is definitely dedicated to Dietrich himself for what he has done for everyone," said Verstappen.

Also read: Max Verstappen wins action-packed US Grand Prix; Red Bull take constructors' title

"We had a big chance to win the ‘constructors' here and of course you want to do that in style and I think we did that today. It definitely means a lot to me, to the team, because he [Dietrich] was so instrumental to the whole team," he added.

‘Gave it everything'

George Russell finished fifth in the second Mercedes 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. "I gave it everything," said Hamilton, who remains without a win this year for the first time in his career. "I did everything I could to stay ahead, but they were just a little quicker... Great strategy, great race by Red Bull - and my condolences to the team," he added.

Ham, Wolff pledge to lead Mercedes comeback

Austin: Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff pledged to keep fighting to take Mercedes back to the top in Formula One after Red Bull ended their eight-year domination on Sunday.

Double world champion Max Verstappen's record-equalling 13th win of the season clinched Red Bull's first teams title since 2013, and fifth overall, with an emotional triumph ahead of Hamilton and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc. "We are much closer now," said Wolff, whose team struggled severely with "porpoising" and bouncing in the first half of this season.

"Today, we were racing for a win and on the second run, on the hard tyres, we were probably the fastest car along with Max...But we were just off, by two-tenths in the end. But credit to Red Bull," he said.

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