Verstappen lost♍ the lead to Hamilౠton at the start, but an aggressive early stop from Red Bull allowed him to retain track position.

Mercedes went long to give Hamilton fresher tyres at the end of the race but it wasn’t enough as Verstappen kept his cool🍌 to take Red Bull’s first win in Austin sinc🌳e 2013.

“It was exciting,” Verstappe🐻n said after the race. “The whole race the pressure was on because not knowing how quick Lewis was going to get you. We went very🐠 aggressive on the first stop after losing the lead at the start. 

“Then again during the m൩iddle stint Lewis was within that undercut range so we had to respond. We had to go early again. And the last stint was very long, in this heat especꦺially. Yeah we managed to hang on at the end, with just enough in the tyres to push. 

“With two laps I had the Haas in front of me and going into ꦗthe last sector he was in front and especially with worn tyres it’s not easy to follow. Of course luckily then he stayed in front so he gave me that DRS, so whatever I lost I think it stabilized because of that DRS. 

“The last lap was all about trying to have a good first sector and b🌄eginning of the second sector but it wasn’t easy because the tyres were really finished. But it's incredible to win here.”

It wasn’t unfamiliar territory for Ver๊stappen with Mercedes opting for a similar strategy in Spain earlier this year to get past the Dutchman - which they did unlike in Austin.

“I think I’ve been 𝔉in this position before where you are in the lead with the older tyres or the other way around where you are hunting,” Verstappen explained.

“I just tried to do the best I could and tried to be consistent, trying to find the grip within the tyre, without damaging too much. It wasn’t easy but I think at the end of the d𝕴ay that made it really exciting.”

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner believes Verstappen’s drive at the Circuit of the Americas was “up 𒈔there” as one oܫf his best.

“I think it’s up there,” Horner added. “He managed the race incredibly 💎well. Obviously, we didn’t have a great start but we were able to get thไe win back. It was an aggressive strategy, we went for it and we were able it work. 

“A big win for us at a circuit tha𒅌t obviously Mercedes and Lewis have been so strong a꧂t in the hybrid era.”