World champion Max Verstappen clinched an emotional constructors' world championship for Red Bull on Sunday when he claimed a record-equaling 13th win this year at the United States Grand Prix.
Twenty-four hours after learning of the death of Red Bull founder and co-owner Dieter Mateschitz, the 25-year-old Dutchman claimed the 33rd victory of his career after a thrilling late battle with seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes.
In front of a passionate crowd at the Circuit of the Americas, Verstappen came home 5.023 seconds clear of Hamilton with Charles Leclerc finishing third for Ferrari ahead of Sergio Perez in the second Red Bull.
“Of course, it's a very difficult weekend for us and this one is definitely dedicated to Dietrich himself for what he has done for everyone," said Verstappen.
"We had a big chance to win the 'constructors' here and of course you want to do that in style and I think we did that today.
“It definitely means a lot to me, to the team, because he (Dietrich) was so instrumental to the whole team," he added.
George Russell finished fifth in the second Mercedes ahead of Lando Norris of McLaren, two-time champion Fernando Alonso of Alpine, four-time champion Sebastian Vettel of Aston Martin, Kevin Magnussen of Haas and Alpha Tauri’s Yuki Tsunoda.
"I gave it everything," said Hamilton, who remains without a win this year for the first time in his career.
"I did everything I could to stay ahead, but they were just a little quicker… Great strategy, great race by Red Bull -- and my condolences to the team," he added.
“I'm shattered. The car was a handful today. It felt amazing to be in the lead. That's something we have worked so hard on as a team through the year.
"I had so much hope. We will keep pushing, we'll try to give it everything we can in the next three. It will come to us at some stage."
