F1 US Grand Prix: The Last Five Winners in Austin

After a one-week break, Formula 1 returns to the United States for the first leg of another triple-header. The Circuit of The Americas, the home of the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix, is renowned for its dramatic 40-meter uphill climb into a blind Turn 1. 

COTA requires teams to balance high-speed cornering, low-speed traction, and heavy braking performance.

But if there's one driver (and one car) who knows how to win here at Austin, who would be your best guess? Here's a hint: he loves racing so much.

Valtteri Bottas, who drove for Mercedes back in 2019, owns the fastest qualifying lap in the United States Grand Prix. He set a time of 1:32.029 during the final qualifying session of the 2019 US GP.

Meanwhile, Ferrari's Charles Leclerc still has the fastest official race lap in Austin. On Lap 44 of the 2019 US GP, Leclerc set a time of 1:36.169.

Verstappen has been very successful in Austin, having won four of the last five US Grands Prix. The 2025 edition was a perfect weekend for the Dutchman. He snatched pole in Sprint qualifying and won the Sprint race. Then, he got another pole for the main race, led every lap, and crossed the line first.

Verstappen won by more than seven seconds over McLaren's Lando Norris, with Leclerc settling for third place.

In 2024, Norris started on pole, with Verstappen right beside him. The two good friends tussled into Turn 1, opening up an opportunity for Leclerc, who actually started in fourth. Leclerc took advantage of that opportunity and seized the lead at the first corner.

Leclerc controlled the race on a one-stop strategy and built a comfortable gap. His teammate, Carlos Sainz Jr., jumped into second. Verstappen eventually finished third after a late battle with Norris.

Verstappen swept the Sprint event with a pole and a win, and seemed to be the favorite for the main race. However, his final Q3 lap was deleted for exceeding track limits, dropping him from provisional pole to sixth on the starting grid.

Fortunately, the team's strategy and his car's superior pace allowed Verstappen to work forward and eventually pass Norris for the lead on Lap 28. Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton closed the gap to Verstappen in the final laps, but the Red Bull driver managed to stay ahead. 

Verstappen qualified third in 2022, with Sainz and Leclerc locking the front row for Ferrari. However, Leclerc received a 10-place grid penalty for taking new power unit components, bumping Verstappen up to second.

The Dutchman had a better start to the race and quickly passed Sainz for the lead. But a very slow final pit stop dropped Verstappen behind Hamilton and Leclerc. Still, Verstappen used Red Bull's incredible pace to pass the two drivers in front.

The 2022 victory in COTA secured Red Bull's first Constructors' Title since 2013.

The 2021 US Grand Prix was as tense as it can be, with Verstappen and Hamilton battling for the championship. Verstappen arrived in Austin with the lead, but Mercedes won the two races prior.  

An excellent qualifying session saw Verstappen start on pole, with Hamilton in second. However, Hamilton had the better getaway and took the lead into Turn 1. The Red Bull driver couldn't get past, so the team gambled on an early stop on Lap 11 for the undercut. 

It turned out that the undercut was so good in the 2021 US Grand Prix, as Verstappen emerged six seconds ahead of Hamilton after the Mercedes driver pitted on Lap 14.

Hamilton, with the fresher tyres after their second pit stop, closed the gap, but Verstappen managed to hold him off by 1.333 seconds.

There's no doubt that Red Bull is the team to beat here. They've won four of the last five races in Austin, and their current car is peaking just at the right time. Then, there's the fact that Verstappen has won the last two races.  

Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli has the chance to secure the championship if he wins the race. But Verstappen might be standing in his way.