Ferrari racer Charles Leclerc wins Formula 1 US Grand Prix

Leclerc, his Ferrari teammate Carlos Sainz finish 1-2 in Austin race; Red Bull's Max Verstappen comes in 3rd in Round 19

By Can Erozden

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc from Monaco won Sunday's Formula 1 US Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, his third victory of the season.

The Italian team's pair Leclerc and Carlos Sainz finished 1-2 in the 56-lap Round 19 held at the Circuit of the Americas.

Leclerc saw the checkered flag first with a time of an hour, 35 minutes and 09.639 seconds to be victorious.

His Ferrari teammate Sainz was the runner-up as the Spanish driver was 8.562 seconds behind Leclerc.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who won three consecutive F1 titles in 2021-2023, came third in the US Grand Prix after his nearest opponent in Austin, Lando Norris (McLaren), was handed a penalty for illegal overtaking.

Norris overtook Dutch racer Verstappen off the track to gain an advantage. But the British racer had a five-second penalty. So Norris was named fourth by the organizers.

During the 2024 campaign, Leclerc previously won the Monaco and Italian Grand Prix.

Verstappen has seven wins this season, and his title rival Norris won three races.

Oscar Piastri (McLaren) and Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) won twice each this season. George Russell (Mercedes) and Sainz (Ferrari) won one Grand Prix each.

The next race, which is Round 20, will be held on Oct. 27 in Mexico City.

The Formula 1 season will end with Round 24 on Dec. 8 in Abu Dhabi.

- Top 5 drivers of 2024 season

1. Max Verstappen (The Netherlands): 354 points

2. Lando Norris (Great Britain): 297

3. Charles Leclerc (Monaco): 275

4. Oscar Piastri (Australia): 247

5. Carlos Sainz (Spain): 215

- Constructor standings

1. McLaren: 544 points

2. Red Bull: 504

3. Ferrari: 496