Verstappen hails ‘incredible’ 50th win; Ham disqualified

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen celebrates winning the US Grand Prix in Austin on Sunday. Pic/AFP; (right) Lewis Hamilton

Freshly minted triple world champion Max Verstappen completed a hat trick of Texan victories on Sunday when he claimed the 50th win of his career in a tense and strategic United States Grand Prix.

The 26-year-old Dutchman, who started sixth on the grid in his Red Bull car, worked his way through the field to take control before he came home 2.225 seconds ahead of resurgent seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton, who was disqualified hours after the race when his Mercedes car failed a technical inspection.

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Verstappen, who won his third straight title last time out in the sprint at Qatar, said: "Starting from sixth position made things a little more difficult.

"Fifty wins is incredible and to do it here I am very proud. Now we keep on pushing for more."

Lando Norris, in his 100th Grand Prix, was promoted to second after Hamilton's disqualification following a thrilling race in which he had out-started pole-sitter Charles Leclerc, who like Hamilton was disqualified for failing a technical inspection following the race.

It was Verstappen's third consecutive victory at the Circuit of the Americas and brought him level with last season's record tally of 15 wins. His runaway lead in the drivers's championship now stands at 228 points ahead of Sergio Perez.

"I think the whole race I was struggling with the brakes," added Verstappen, who was booed by sections of the crowd. Norris commented: "Leading the race, we controlled it a lot, but just not enough today. I just couldn't hold on."

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