Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) claimed victory at the United States Grand Prix, finishing ahead of Carlos Sainz by taking advantage of the tussle between Max Verstappen (Red Bull) and Lando Norris (McLaren). This resulted in a five-second penalty for Norris, allowing Verstappen to secure third place, effectively solidifying his hold on the world championship. 

Sainz achieved a solid second place despite being affected by the clash between Norris and Verstappen in the opening lap. Meanwhile, Sergio Pérez (Red Bull) recovered to finish in seventh, Argentine Franco Colapinto (Williams) advanced from fifteenth to tenth, earning a point, while Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) finished thirteenth.

The battle between Norris, who started from pole, and Verstappen, who lined up second, was crucial from the start. The Dutchman forced the Brit off the track at the first corner, impacting Sainz as well. This allowed Leclerc, who took the inside line, to overtake everyone and take the lead in the race.

A safety car caused by a mistake from Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) brought calm to the race, but upon its restart, Sainz attempted to pressure Verstappen unsuccessfully, with positions remaining unchanged—Leclerc in front, followed by Verstappen, Sainz, and Norris. Checo Pérez completed his comeback from ninth to finish seventh, while Alonso struggled to advance.

Sainz was the first to pit, looking for an undercut on Verstappen, who was more focused on maintaining his gap with Norris. However, Verstappen's tire degradation forced him to pit earlier, giving Norris an advantage with fresher tires for the final stretch. 

In the closing laps, Norris closed in on Verstappen and passed him on lap 52, though he did so off the track. The stewards penalized the Brit with five seconds, allowing Verstappen to reclaim third place and preventing Norris from cutting into his points in the championship standings.

With this victory, Leclerc positions himself as a strong contender for the title, while Norris's penalty and Verstappen's third place leave the Dutch driver with a 57-point lead at the top, virtually securing the drivers' championship.