Antonelli Wins in Austin, Title Waits for Mexico City
Kimi Antonelli wins on a one-stop strategy, and George Russell's eighth place and Lewis Hamilton's fourth keep the championship open
Kimi Antonelli started from pole and was more than two seconds clear after the first lap. Mercedes started him on the medium tire, and he ran a long first stint before taking hard tires on lap 24 for the rest of the race, while most of his rivals stopped twice.
He came out of his stop in fourth and retook the lead by passing Charles Leclerc after Max Verstappen's second stop. It is his ninth win of the season.
Leclerc finished second, 13.078 seconds behind, and Verstappen third. Lewis Hamilton was fourth, ahead of Lando Norris, Isack Hadjar and Oscar Piastri, and George Russell finished eighth after a five-second penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage.
Antonelli, 20, has 365 points, 123 ahead of Russell and 124 ahead of Hamilton. He can clinch the title at the Mexico City Grand Prix, which runs October 30 to November 1.
Kimi Antonelli won the United States Grand Prix by 13.078 seconds from Charles Leclerc on a one-stop strategy, but George Russell's eighth place and Lewis Hamilton's fourth kept him from clinching the championship.
Antonelli started from pole, kept the lead through the first lap and was more than two seconds clear by the end of it. Max Verstappen lost ground at the start and fought both Ferraris.
Mercedes started both its drivers on the medium tire. Antonelli ran a long first stint before taking hard tires on lap 24 for the rest of the 56 laps, while most of his rivals stopped twice. He came out of his stop in fourth and retook the lead by passing Leclerc after Verstappen's second stop.
It is his ninth win of the season.
Leclerc passed Lando Norris and then Verstappen late in the race for his second straight second place. Verstappen finished third, his sixth podium in a row, ahead of Hamilton, Norris, Isack Hadjar and Oscar Piastri.
Russell took a five-second penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage after banging wheels with Piastri, and finished eighth.
A Virtual Safety Car slowed the field near the end after Valtteri Bottas stopped his Cadillac at the side of the track.
"It was the result we needed," Antonelli said. "The whole team deserve it so much and all this time putting in so much work on bringing this new package and finally seeing the result is very pleasant and it was also perfect execution from strategy to call the one-stop so I'm really happy we made it stick and it was a great team effort."
Antonelli, 20, has 365 points, 123 ahead of Russell and 124 ahead of Hamilton. He can clinch the title at the Mexico City Grand Prix, which runs October 30 to November 1.