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Verstappen Blames Wrong Tyre Strategy for Third-Place Finish at US Grand Prix

Posted : 26 October 2026

Max Verstappen has admitted that Red Bull’s tyre strategy and lack of pace hampered his bid for victory at the United States Grand Prix, forcing him to settle for third place on Sunday.

The four-time world champion started from second on the grid but struggled to match Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli, who secured his ninth win of the season ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. Antonelli now needs just two points at next weekend’s Mexican Grand Prix to secure the Formula One drivers’ championship.

Verstappen began the race on soft tyres and continued with the same compound during his first pit stop, committing Red Bull to a two-stop strategy. However, the softer tyres failed to deliver the expected performance, while rivals on harder compounds found better grip.

The Dutchman acknowledged that both the tyre selection and the order in which Red Bull used its tyres were mistakes that the team must investigate.

Verstappen also revealed that the car suffered inconsistent power-unit behaviour, making it difficult to maintain a reliable rhythm through corners. A slow pit stop added to Red Bull’s problems and further reduced his chances of challenging for second place.

Despite the setbacks, Verstappen managed to secure a podium finish, helped in part by a late Virtual Safety Car period. He admitted that the result was frustrating but accepted that Red Bull had not maximised its performance in Austin.

The result was a disappointment after Verstappen’s back-to-back victories in Malaysia and Singapore, which had raised hopes of another strong performance. His third-place finish also ended his remaining mathematical chance of winning a fifth world title this season.

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