Max Verstappen earns record-tying thirteenth win at US Grand Prix

AUSTIN, Texas — Max Verstappen handed Lewis Hamilton late to earn a record-tying thirteenth win of the season at the US Grand Prix on Sunday, and delivered a victory to honor the reminiscence of Purple Bull crew founder and proprietor Dietrich Mateschitz.

Verstappen’s race was almost undone by a uncommon gradual pit cease by Purple Bull halfway via the race that dropped him effectively behind Hamilton. However Verstappen fought again to cross final season’s rival for the championship on lap 50 of 56.

Verstappen then needed to maintain off the pestering Hamilton via the ultimate laps as his crew warned him to not exceed monitor limits that will draw a penalty.

The win as a reduction for Purple Bull. The crew had introduced shortly earlier than qualifying on Saturday that Mateschitz had died at age 78. Verstappen vowed he’d give every part to get the win to honor him.

The win continued Verstappen’s run of dominance in 2022. He had already clinched the season championship in Japan two weeks earlier. Sunday’s win tied him with Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel for many in a season with three races nonetheless to go.

Since its founding, Purple Bull has gained six driver championships and 5 constructors’ titles. Verstappen’s win clinched this season’s crew championship

Mateschitz, the Austrian billionaire co-founder of the Purple Bull power drinks world empire, purchased the Jaguar crew in 2004 and rebranded it as Purple Bull in 2005. He added a second crew to the Purple Bull secure when he purchased the Minardi program renamed it Toro Rosso in 2006 to be a program for coaching youthful drivers. That crew is now Alpha Tauri.

The crew introduced a teenage Verstappen into its racing program and promoted him to F1 in 2015 when he was simply 17, with the hopes he may grow to be the youngest champion in sequence historical past. Mercedes’ dominance over 2014-2020 prevented that.

However Mateschitz, who had been reportedly ailing for months and died at age 78, lived lengthy sufficient to see Verstappen win two championships and begin what might be one other dominant period for the crew he based.

F1 held a quick tribute to honor Mateschitz earlier than the race. Massive indicators of “Danke Didi” (Thanks, Didi) have been posted on the video screens and Vettel, who gained 4 championships with Purple Bull and now races with Aston Martin, seemed to be combating again tears.

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